Bisbee daily review., 1915-09-05
BOUND BY NO PLEDGE
BRITISH OFFICERS
FLEE PRISON CAMP
Dutch Profess to Guard Men.
lnterned in Ancient Holland
Fortress But Orders to Shoot
Result in Bad Workmanship

Fortress But Orders to Shoot
Result in Bad Workmanship |
THE HAGUE, Netherlands Sept 4 !
The ancient fortress of Wiericker- |
schans, where are informed the Brit |
ish officers of the Antwerp relief ex-
/ petition which was forced by the
Germans to retreat into Holland a
/ year ago. occasionally loses some of
its khaki-clad guests, Notwithstanding !
that the Dutch profess to guard the
place thoroughly. The British Off
GERS, like many of those interned in
other camps in Holland, refuse to
pledge themselves against trying to
! escape to England to rejoin the fight
/ ing forces and once outside the fort
ress these prisoners find the Dutch
| people disposed to make things easy
for them. The guards at the camp
are under orders to shoot any escap-
ing prisoners and it is true that they
do shoot at them but there is often
something mysteriously poor about
their aim. In fact, if it were not for
the constant arrival of ship-wrecked
aviators, the quota Of prisoners at
| Wierickerschans would not be long
sustained.
The fortress is an interesting place
/ Although visible from two railway
lines, nobody seems to have been a.
ware of its existence until the war
brought it to notice. It is surrounded
by a cluster of green trees and
broad moat, which makes it virtually
an island Even the farmers who live
nearby know so little of its origin
that, with the historical generosity Of
the Indifferent. they vaguely refer to
the castle as dating back to the time
of the Romans. As a matter of fact,
the fort was built by King William of
England, the Stakeholder of Holland,
and cannot be older than the year
! 1872 1t was in that year that King
Louis XIV of France invaded Holland
, and marched right up to Amsterdam.
, The country was at once flooded and
. several Notifications were built in
. this impromptu sea to guard the few
/ high roads which could not be sub
merged
The deep and broad moat which
, surrounds the fortress is now used for
, swimming and fishing purposes by the
J As British officers intened there. In
. the distance there is a pretty Dutch
D landscape with red rooted houses,
o clusters of trees, a few busy wind
o mills, and a high sky all of them sug-
l. gestiye of the liberty that is near at
Il hand, but which is barred by a double
y row of wire fences, both above and
s under water, and a series of armed
o Dutch guards AT night the entire
g zone of barbed wire and rifles is
lighted up by strong arc-lights, Civ
S ing the old fort an appearance some
; thing like an American amusement
D, park on a summer night But wher
8 approached closely it is seen that
a. mosquitoes and bats are the only
5. ones to enjoy this beautiful glare
T. The occupants Of the fort are safely
p locked up for the night and at clever
c o'clock they are sent to bed
s. For a year now these men have
b, been i'm a prison which really is no
C. prison If they were prisoners o
war they could be treated severed!
FL and could be punished for the break
y ing of any rule of the camp. Sine,
S., they are interned foreign soldiers an,
e have not given their parole that the,
"a shall not try to escape, they are a
t. perfect liberty to walk away the mo
ment thy can. When they are caugh
O.; they are brought back but they ma!
j. renew their efforts the next morning
e, and unless they actually destroy gov
re- eminent property there is no way il
NJ which they have caused all around
AS a matter of fact, the Dutch boy
.e who is standing guard is not goinl
b. to burden his conscience with tn
r. death of an excellent fellow witt
whom he has played games for man,
.; months and against whom he ha
nothing but friendly feelings.
s. AS for daily routine of the intern
ed officers, it can be well compared
. to a rather quiet watering place. Tn
T. men have revived the games of thei
M early schoodays and a few times
day indulge in a mild game of round
Ia ers. The British government ha
built two excellent tennis courts. Tn
Dutch government has put up a jumr
k ing board and between eleven and on
lg allows the men the liberty of tn
IT. moat A kind Hollander has installel
n pianola
NJ