The Washington times., 1914-11-01
Bombardment Of Antwerp Forts
Proves to Be Most Spec
tacuIar Incident of 0ctober's
HoStiIities.
Rout Of the Germans in Poland
by the Legions Of the Car
Is Decisive, According to All
AdViceS.

gle, the tenth nation 20 become in
volved. Without any apparent declara-
ton of hostilities or any previous an
nouncement of intention two warships
flying the Turkish colors appeared In
the Black Sea and began the lombard
ment of Russian ports and vessels.
While it was known that the sympa-
thies Of the war party of the Ottoman
| empire were strongly with the Germans
and that the military and naval re-
sources Of the empire we're being de-
veloped by them it was believed that
British influences would prevail to such
an extent as to prevent Turkeys open
,, espoussl Of the cause of the now de-
Turkeys entrance into the war thus
became one of the most Sensational in
cidents in the history Of the first three
months Of the struggle. Exactly what
IL the &c. effect ts Of Turkeys policy may be it
draw into the struggle Italy. Roumania,
Bulgaria, and. more especially, Greece,
seems now not unlikely.
Besides this action Of Turkey the
month was marked by the transfer Of
the scene of the war from valleys OF
the Atsne and the Champagne country
to the northwestern corner of France
| and the small southwestern portion of
Belgium, the advance Of a great Ger
4 man army dSdliSL "aTSdW ana us
disastrous retreat after meeting the
Russians on the Vistula, the further
conquest of Belgium by the Germans
and the bombardment and reduction
| of the strongly fortified position of
Antwerp.
Duels Arc Intermittent.
On October 1 the battle OF the Aisne
had reached it's eighteenth day and the
battle line extended from the region
| Of Albert through Roye. Noyon.
Craonne, Rheims, the Argonne forest,
| the Woevre region, and on eastward
| toward the Swiss frontier. The fight
| ing along the center had settled down
| to holding the strongly intrenched
positions and intermittent artillery
| duels. The most severe struggles were
| upon the two wings Of the army. In
the east the Germans had forced the
! passage Of the Mouse. but were unable
| to take much advantage Of their ad-
| vanced position. They had gained st.
Mihtel and the army Of the crown
prince had slipped through the Ar
gonne forest with the intention Of at
lacking the outlying defenses of Yer
dun, but had been driven back.
In the west the two armies were In
daily conflict on the front along Noyon,
Roye. and Lassigny, and the fighting
sn,, was intense for the possession ss OF ST.
the German routes Of communication
with the north. The line was pushed
| as far north as Arras in the struggle of
| each Of the armies to effect thanking
through and cut off the British line Of
communications with the coast and to
separate the armies IN Belgium from
those in France. and the French aiming
and by cutting the lines Of communica-
ton with the north to force their en-
emy to retreat from across the border.
Neither army succeeded wholly in its
movements in this direction; both sent
cavalry to operate to the north along
the Belgian frontier. Thus there came
daily reports of engagements between
these bodies Of troops at Lens. La Bas-
see, then at Lavantie, Estaires. Armen-
tieres Hazebrouck, and Cassel. and fin
have been extended as far north as
Ypres.
Pounded City of Antwerp.
In the meantime the Germans. after
having placed their big siege guns in
position, began the cannonading of the
outer defenses of Antwerp. This was
the most spectacular incident of the
month. The interest that the siege of
Liege had aroused in August and that
of Rheims in September the lombard
ment of Antwerp created in October.
The British sent force OF marines and
naval brigades to the aid or the Bel.
gians and the besieged made a valiant
resistance but they were unable to
withstand the deadly fire of the Ger
man guns, and on October the burgo-
master surrendered the city to the Ger
mans.
The city had suffered less in injury
to It's principal buildings than had most
Of the other cities that had come under
the German fire. the cathedral and
many Of the other historical and inter-
esting monuments having escaped with
comparatively slight damage. When
the Germans entered the city they found
that the entire military force had es-
capped. A force of 1900 British came
near falling into the hands OF the pur-
selves from becoming German prisoners
by crossing into Holland and surrender
ing to the Dutch. The remainder or the
| allied forces retreated to Ostend, and
! from there retired before the German
advance south along the coast and es.
tablished defense on the small bit OF
territory that yet remained free OF
the invaders. thus completing the battle
front of the allies from Nieuport on the
| North sea to Ypres.
| far south as Arras the German forces
| were hurled with especial violence, the
aim being to break through the line
and force their way along the coast 70
N,
Germans succeeded in crossing the
User, but on account Of the nature Of
the ground they were unable 10 throw
up trenches or defenses, and they were
compelled to give up the ground thus
gained.
Aid From British Navy.
A remarkable feature of the engage
ment here was the assistance furnished
the Relgians by the British navy. Ships
off the coast and a fleet Of small moni-
tors that penetrated into the country
through the canals kept up such an In
sistent cannonading as to drive the Ger
mans back from the coast and to the
protection of their defenses.
In the east the Germans made a su-
preme effort to check the advance OF the
Russians in Galicia and East Prussia
They threw into the war here a great
force consisting of fresh troops from
Saxony, forces collected In East Prussia
and Silesia, and large levies OF the re-
organized Austrian army. The objective
was Warsaw, where Ii was planned that
the German army would go into winter
quarters and from which city rs base
German operations would be carried on
against the Russians. According to cor
responGence found among papers of Ger
man officers it was expected that this
occupation would be effected some time
between October Is and II.
The Germans advanced with little op-
| position from the Russians until their
advance guard was within eight miles
Of Warsaw, and with q battle EH0Dt ox-