The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-10-08
Fall of City Imminent, Many Of
Its Strongest Defenses Hav-
ing Fallen
Government Moves
On to Ostend
Belgians Making Desperate De-
Tense of the City. and Streets
viii Be Blown Up If Ger
mans Enter

London, Oct Tt is reported
tonight that the Belgian govern
nls.0t has transferred from Ant -
wcrp To Offend.
All reports point to the in
creasing gravity of the situation
ar Antwerp. An Amsterdam
newspaper announces that the
Germans, having broken the out
err defenses Of the city, began
bUnbardment with their heavy
siege guns.
Measures have been taken by
the Belgtans to protect and con-
ceal art treasures collected In
Antwerp. Thousands OF resi-
dents have fed from the city,
one correspondent stating that
ten Thousand left today TO rake
refuge In Holland or In the coast
cities.
At 1850 o'clock this morning, the
Germans. undsr fisg af truce. sent
a Hlite announcement TO the au-
thorities of Antwerp that they would
oren fire within two hours upon the
city itself. At $50 A. NJ. shells began
falling within the city. The military
governor of Antwerp. II is officially
announced, addressed a letter to the
burgonusters of communes within
The fortified positions Immediately af-
ter the receipt of the German note
informing these officials that the bonn
bardment was imminent.
Al the same time the military gov
ernor announced that the lombard
ment would not influence the rcsis-
lance which would he. he stated,
maintained to the last extremity
Persons who wished to escape the
of the bombardment
were requested 10 leave as soon as
possible. and to proceed in north
erly and northwesteriy direction The
was at once acted upon by
thousa nds. The rush to leave the
city vas instant but fairly well or
iered. since the eventuality had been
for. Within the city every
possible measure OF defense was TAX
en- TO supplement the strength of the
field forces defending the river Nethe
and the Enciente. A harricade OF
sand bags WAS erected around the
pallas de Justice. while guns are
ready to sweep the principal streets
AS many troops as could be held in
reserve from the violent fighting in
the fortified lines were held in Ant
werp.
A dispatch from Amsterdam, de-
layed by the censor, reports that the
Germans made a terrific attack
against the Belgian position on
the near side OF the river Nethe. but
were repulsed after hours OF fighting.
There are reports received this after
DON and tonight which indicate that
the Germans have battered down the
resistance of Forts Wavre, st. Cath
crime and Waelhem. and are massing
for heavy attacks against the inner
lines of the defense.
A dispatch To the Times points to
defense measures by
The military governor OF Antwerp, 1t
Is limited that mines have been laid
under streets approaching public
and that these mines will
be exploded If the Germans enter
the city.
1t may be assumed that the govern
ment at Ostend will be protected by
The big guns of British warships In
the harbor rs well as by the British
and Belgian troops OH the land side.
rhe city Is fortified. but 1t Is known
hat since 1t was threatened by the
Germans more than a month ago,
formidable earthworks were thrown
up and heavy guns mounted. Ostend
is about sixty-five miles south OF east
Of Antwerp and is normally OF about
forty-five thousand population. Un-
the government would
not have retired to Ostend unless suf-
ticient measures had been taken for
it's safety there.