Evening star., 1915-04-11
ANTWERP ONE CENTURY AGO.

UUN UN AuV, ,
they did. had had no time to read that
the convention which applauded hum
IN l's2 caused Cloots to be decapitat- r.
ed in 1874. Why?
We are told that Robespierre conceived
the idea that the sef-styied Orator OF the
human race was a secret agent OF some
plan which would deprive him. Robes
pierre. of all the honor due for the idea
OF the ''kult Of Reason and also of the
conception Of the universal republic"
The late Jean Jaures. who was as
sassinated on the eve of the present war
had different interpretation OF Robes
pierre's Remuneration of Cloots. Cloots
proposed that the brotherhood OF man
kind should do away with names indicst-
ing any special nationality He demand
ed the suppression Of the word French. o.
RourGugnonS. or Normans. Gascons.
all desired the universal republic. hut all
did not wish TO be French. Ancient Gaul
had been replaced bv France: France ir
turn should he replaced by "Germains"
the universalst
Where" asked Jaures. did C7oots get
this conception in the German lodges in
company with Weisshaupt and such
spirits? Was II a remainder Of German
patriotism that pushed Cloots to propose
'Germain' in order 20 prepare the Ger
man people to receive from France
ready y-made revolution-made in Franco
Or was it merely the mystic sense OF the
word Gerrnain-couSinH'
Antwerp has been reconstructed ard
was a stronghold of the first impor-
tance In 1914. Since 1865 the old wall
that closely encircled the city was de-
molished; a new wall was huilt with
moats and forts at greater distance
televen miIes,; the approaches were
defended on tho east and south at
distance of e.725 yards to 5000 yards
by a series of detached forts: on the
north the ground could be inundated.
Antwerp was one of the most COM
merciaI and Industrial cities of the
world 1t possessed
Antwerp's Great sugar rcfineries. dis
Prosperity. VOC, csrn.t s,,k
linen. lace and oilcloth manufactures.
tobacco. cigars, gold and silver ware.
diamond cutting. extensive shtpvards
and a considerable maritime commerce.
Antwerps monuments are remarkable
the Notre Dame Cathedral. the Church
st. jacques. dating from the fourteenth
century: the Hotel de Vile from the six
teenth century; the Steen ancient cha
teau. The cathedral contained works cf
Rubens.
Antwerp has had it's rise and fall
under it's varied vicissitudes. Bona
parte was in Antwerp in the year II
of the republican calendar. and wrote.
II am satisfied with the port of Amt
werp One may see here the traces o.
ancient Establishments. but all covered
with ruins" Napoleon promised that
he would renew the city and port. AZ
the same time he would repair the
ouays, create a great arsenal and make
Antwerp a great military port.
Napoleon visited Antwerp In lsli.
when chiefly interested in the reaiiza.
ton OF the military port. and on the "a
of October of that year he assisted at
the launching of two war vessels. Ihe
emotion created by the descent OF the
English was great and the garrison
was strongly augmented. The EnSish
inspected the mouths of the Scheiot.
and were well aware that the key OF
the river was in the hands OF the o,"po
deserters. refractory conscripts that
composed the conscrfpts OF Holland IN
less than eight years under the Nhpo.
leonic regime Antwerp was converted
into a first-class arsenal ana a fofmi-
da Bile naval basis.
Later Napoleon at Saint Helena con-
fessed to his intimates his plans as 70
Antwerp. whose arsenal and important
fortifcations held great place In his
mind. He had done much at Antwerp.
but by no means all he had contem-
plated From the sea he would have
made it point of mortal attack
against the enemy-the loaded pistol:
on the land he would have rendered
Antwerp a place of repair-refuee in
ease of a great disaster. "a point OF
national refuge capable of receiving
whole army in its defeat and to resist
a year of trench fighting interval dur
ing which a nation had the time to
come in mass to deliver and retake the
offensive"
Five or six places OF that kind was the
new system Of defense which he had In
mind to Introduce In his
Nauoleon's future operations. One
admired already what he
UcsASn. had effected in so short q
time at Antwerp--its numerous shfpyards.
stores great basins-''but all that" said
the emperor, was nothing: Antwerp stu
was little more than a commercial city
the military city should be on the oppo-
site side of the river" The emperor said
that he had drawn all his plans. which
were gigantic and colossal Antwerp
would have been for him alone province
in returning to the subject of this vrand
.rt, b,iSbment which he had proposed.