The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-05-05
Land Army IN REAR
DUTCH THINK THE BRITISH INTEND
TO TRY FLANK MOVE
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ON COAST OF BELGIUM

W LUkSI UE DELusUM
Think Huge Army Could be Landed
at zeebngge to Take German Right
Wing on Its FIank-Tenches Have
Been Prepared by the Germans for
This Move.
News from Dutch sources received
in Washington and based upon what
were said to be the latest adTlces
from that country as well as the fact
that England had absolutely stopped
all Channel and North Sea shipping.
came a report that England has been
massing transport ships and large
war vessels, which can lombard the
Belgian coast while remaining out OF
reach of the Bremen coast, batteries
and viii probably try to land a new
expeditionary force somewhere be-
tween HeySt and Blankenoergh or
elsewhere north of Ostend for the
purpose Of attacking the right flank
of the German forces now attacking
along the User canal.
= The territory between the Dutch
frontier and Ostend is the weak spot
of. Ever since the Germans occupied
the Province Of West Flanders they
have been obliged to guard against
an attack of British fleet upon this
point. The little villages from Heyst
/ to Ostend have been fortified as well
as could be, and at irregular inter
walls along the shore batteries Of field
pieces have been hidden in the sand
dunes to prevent the landing of Brit
ish troops.
After the capture Of Antwerp,
when no further danger threatened
the German right flank from the Bel
giaa army, the harbor Of Zeeorugge
was made the main naval base on the
North Sea. From this port the Ger
man submarines have been operating
In the English Channel. But Zee
brugge is an undefended port and the
Notifications which the Germans
have built there could not withstand
an attack by the heavy guns Of q
: British dreadnought.
Thus far British warships have oc'
casionally bombarded German bases
but with little effect and without an!
apparent desire to make the attack
serious engagement Lately, how
ever. British aviators have been yer!
S active in West Flanders trying to 10
cate the position of the German bat
teries.
During December and January Sc
rioas apprehension was felt in Hoi
land about the activity Of the Ger
mans i'm building several lines OF
North Sea. The Gernanetaoinetae
trenches parallel with the Dutch from
tier and parallel with the coast o.
the North Sea. The German govern
ment, however, declared that these
q trenches were in no way mean
against Holland. but would be usec
in case England should attempt te
force her way through Dutch terri
tory in the province Of Iceland anc
try toattack Antwerp from the north
That the British fleet ever Shoulc
try to reach Antwerp by forcing the
Sshefdt is unbelievable, since t ht
= Scheldt has been mined by both the
Dutch and the Germans and the
3 waters OF this arm of the North SCI
are so shallow that they do not ofel
sufficient manoeuvrins space for the
larger nen-of-war, which would have
to be used in such large undertak
ing.
However, since October Of las
year; the Germans have prepared FOL
a British attack upon this unprotect
ed territory of Flanders. The fort:
OF Antwerp, many of which had never
been finished by the Belgians, have
been rebuilt and greatly strengthen
ed by the Germans, and Antwerp a
present is what it was not when the
war began, q fortification of the hrs'
order and well nigh mpresnabie.
AS such it would render the great
est service should the Germans ever
be forced to retire behind the line o.
-Brussels-Namur. For : th3'
purpose it has been provided witt
new guns cutclassing and outdistanc
ing any of the guns which the Bel
gians maintained in the town before
the surrender to the Germans.
OF the other cities of West Elan
8 ders, however, not a single one IS II
any way able to render an effective
resistance to an invading force, once
it has managed to set foot on shore
Bruges and Client are both opeI
cities, and have been used exclusively
as. hospital bases.
Thicit, used by the Germans as
STAFF headquarters until it was attack
ed BY number of allied flying ma
chimes, is an open village. The coun.
try is flat and offers no natura
means of defense Innumerable par
ailel lines of intrenchments have been
dug during the last five months.
A serious British attack made on
: the seashore and supported by the
long range guns of the British fleet
would place the right wing of the
German army operating along the
User in very dangerous position. II
It succeeded in damaging the railroao
between Glenr and Ostend (Which
passes through Brugges) the chic!
support Of the German right wing
would be threatened and shifting
of the German line would be neces-
sary.
OF the lines of fortifcation which
Germany has. built along tho LEFT
banks Of the river Scheldt above Den
dermonde nothing is known. Noood!
has been allowed to visit that part OF
Belgium. In fact, since October the
entire province of West Flanders has
been like an island, entirely cut Oh
from the west Of the world.
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