The Pulaskian., 1915-09-24

midst Of a r1nged target. The successive and extending arcs of mod ern and obsolete fortresses (Ant- werp is not completely encircled) have almost traced the history of de- fensive warfare The Antwerp forts have gradually been pushed outward from the site of the ancient city stormed by the Northmen in the ninth century to the outer line of Lierre, De Kessel, De Ertbrand and many others, held to be impregnable until the au- tumn of 1914. This line of forts, with the military dikes upon the languid River Scheldt, has guarded for some years the most important arsenal of Belgium, as well as what was consid- cred the chief city of refuge for the Belgian army.
 But Antwerp is far more than a strategic point. The pistol aimed at England" is not weapon alone. Ant werp at the outbreak of the war was one of the most important seaports in Europe. It formed one of the chief outlets for German and Belgian com
 
 the British Isles for it's possession by an enemy to menace England, but it's vast docks, begun by Napoleon, who devoted 2,000,000 francs to the pur- pose, have an area of more than six hundred acres, and in all of their fa- cilities are the most modern in the world. The shipping of this city, counting export and import bottoms separately has exceeded 20,000,000 tons year, while Antwerps annual imports have run in excess of $500,- 100000
 The city has been the home of dia- mond cutters and lace makers, of gold and silver merchants, of cigarmakers and carpet manufacturers-who goods showed so fine a quality that for centuries they were shipped to Persia, the home of rug weaving, as well as to Arabia and lndia-of com mercial magnates and ship owners whose wealth at on9 time was a by word in all of the civilized world, and of various guilds and trades that are no longer in existence. Above all, it has been the home of artists, and many of the works of the old masters have been treasured in the Royal mu- scum. Van Dyck, Jordaens, Rubens, Quentin Matsys, the Teniers, father and son. Cornelius de Vos and Seghers are among the many names of artists on the roll of Antwerp's residents.
 Cathedral and It's Pictures.
 The city of Antwerp is one of the most interesting not only in Belgium but in the entire world. It has been reduced by fire and sword on many oc- casions, but in spite of it's various ca lamities there have been preserved a number of priceless old buildings. The cathedral of Notre Dame is one of the finest examples of Gothic architec- ture in the Netherlands. Through all the violent scenes that have taken place about it's walls it has been spared by the various armies that have desolated the city. The one ex- ception to it's immunity came in the violent revolution against the Roman Catholic faith in the sixteenth century. Then, according to Motley, every statue was hurled from it's niche, every picture torn from the wall, every won- derfully painted window shivered to atoms, every ancient monument shat tered, every sculptural decoration, however innocent in appearance, hurled to the ground.
 Nearly three hundred years were re- quired for the building of this great monument. Within it there have been on view a number of beautiful pic lures. of which the most famous is Ruhens, Descent From the Cross. The Elevation of the Cross" and "The Assumption also by Rubens, were