New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-24
BOmbards Coast Around
Zeebrugge in the
North Sea.
FRENCH SHIPS SINK
KAISER'S DESTROYER
Paris Reports Capture of More
Trenches on Crests in
the Vosges.
tBy Cable 10 The Tribune ]

Rotterdam. Aug % dispatch to "The
London Daily NewsO Soon after
daybreak this morning the Germans
defending the Belgian coast in the
neighborhood of Zeebrugge and
Knocke were suddenly subjected to a
terrible bombardment by a large feet
of British warships. About o'clock
the feet. composed of about thirty
large and small ships. suddenly
opened a whitening fire on the coast
defences.
The German garrison, which for some
time has been free from the militant
attentions of the Allies feet and had
recently been boasting that no fleet
now dare to face the music of the big
German guns that had been put in
position in the dunes, was caught nap
ping. Zeebrugge, which was naturally
the chief object of the attack. must
have suffered enormously from the
bombardment. The firing lasted three
hours.
During the air raids, which have been
fairly frequent at this point. consider
able damage has been done of late. but
so extensive and so solid were the Ger
man defences that no aerial attack
could cause more than temporary an
noyance and comparatively small dam
age to the fortresses constructed OF
concrete.
Ships Advance in Mist.
Eyewitnesses state that the bonn
bardment was heaviest between and
6:30 a. m. The ships. taking advan-
tage of the morning mist. were able
to come closer TO shore than otherwise
would have been possible and to defy
any effective reply from the Zee
bruege garrison. W.tchers at Cad
zend could plainly discern flashes oil
guns. and later. when the mist par
TALLY rolled away, could easily see SIX
large vessels, two of which renamed
off the coast some time after the bonn
bardment ceased.
The big naval guns have now. 1t is
believed smashed large portion Oh
the defence works, the famous mole
having suffered in addition to special
works constructed by the Germans;
From Flushing the bombardment could
be observed by watchers, who saw
flashes from the guns Of the meet
which lay off Knocke. There were
many interested spectators Of the
whole engagement, and according TO
their reports the fleet drew oil at {
o'clock.
From a high source it is learned
the reason for this dropping Of bombs
inland is that on the Bruges -Zeebrugge
Canal the Germans, having learned
lesson from frequent aerial visits 10
Zeebrugge, recently constructed an
underground submarine haven. They
have excavated under the high bank
that runs alongside the canal per
feet base, leaving the top of dyke
as a roof for the submarine retreat.
But nothing of this is observable
from the air, and however frequently
aviators may visit the neighborhood
they could scarcely think of dropping
bombs on an apparently innocent dyke
Underneath this eastern roof, however,
five submarines are said to have been
sheltering.
Aeros Take Part in Fight.
Considerable damage has been done
as a result of the bombardment, but 1t
is not known WHtlncl Aht SuDihoA ''N'
were destroyed. Frontier aeroplanes,
both British and German, took part IN
the fight.
At one time, while the coast bat
teries were replying to the heavy hre
of the fleet, five aviators were en-
gagged in combat, three German and
two British. For a time the latter were
compelled to perform the dual task OF
keeping the feet informed of the effect
of its fire and of beating off the de-
Tending German machines, two OF
which had been sent up to engage the
Allies airmen and the third TO scout
over the sea. During this engagement
one airman is believed TO have fallen,
but as yet it is not known whether he
is German or English.
Berlin reports that an enemy Meet
consisting Of about forty ships ap-
peared before Zeebrugge and steamed
away to the northwest, after lombard
ment by the coast artillery.
From Paris comes the announcement
that two French torpedo boats of the
second light squadron encountered and
sank a German destroyer off Ostend
last night and returned undamaged.
Apparently the destroyer had made its
way from the base of the main German
fleet.