The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-23
The Belgian Coast Line

Washington. d. c.. Oct. PIPER
haps In no other war in modern his
tory have q few miles counted for as
much in the scales OF victory as in
the present contest In West Flanders"
says bulletin issued here today by
the bureau OF geographic information
of the National Geographic society.
The distance which separates the al
lied forces from full control OF the
coast of Blgium Is only thirty miltt.
Possession of these thirty miles If
coast. line would not only wipe out
the German submarine bases in Bel
gium, but 1t would also give the al
lies a new front upon which to at
tack in an effort to drive the enemy
out OF Belgium and Northern France.
Possession of this coast. therefore.
would be double victory to the al
lies. sorely hampering the enemy's
submarine operations, and at the
same time affording an opportunity
to roll up his right flank on land.
Nowhere else may be found more
striking contrast between peace and
war than that afforded by the Belgian
coast In 1913 ana in 1917. Practical
" the entire coastline in normal times
liz given up to the pleasures of sea-
side cities and rest resorts. La Panne,
Coxyde- PLACE, COST -Lutnkerke, Nieu-
port Bains, Westende, Middelkerke,
lie Coq-sur- Mer. Wenduyne-sur-Mer
Blankenberghe. Heyst -surMer and
knocke-sur- Mer are all places which
remind one of the seaside cities OF
New Jersey. OF these. Ostend, Nieu.
port ains and Blankenberghe are the
most pretentious.
IN these Atlantic Citys. Cape
Mays and Asbury Parks of Belgium
4 nd yUith
a care-free abandon that only Euro
pean resorts could know. while today
war, on land. under sea, and in air
harries the souls of the few brave
people who still remain there.
Between La Panne and COST Dufn-
kerke is the HODGE Bltkker. lo6 feet
high, tho highest point of the Bel
siaa dunes. and also the widest point.
Just outside OF Newport Bains. in the
: village OF Lombartzyde, there is
celebrated figure of the Madonna.
held In high generation by Flemish
fishermen from time immemorial and
to which the Flemings are today ad-
dressing their appeal that their land
shall be liberated from the iron heel
of the invader.
"Ostend la famous not only ~ a
seaside resort. but for It's great fish,
| ing trade In normal times and for Its
! oyster parks. Oysters in large mum i
bers are brought here and kept In
clarified sea water. The visitor may
order his plate of shell fish right out
of the water.
| Should the allies get control OF the
coast of Belgium as far inland as
| Bruges, they would come into pos
session of splendid system of canals
extending from France to Furnes, and
thence by way of Newport. to ossend
and Bruges. There Is also canal
from Bruges to the coast near Blank
enberghe, another to Ghent. and a
third to the waterway connecting
Heyxt with Client A railroad paral'
lels the coast all the way from the
French border to the Dutch frontier
| West Flanders. where the big Eng
lish smash Ia now on. is general,
fiat and low. and In parts marshy
Under a system OF intensive agricui.
ture, the province was one OF the most
productive. In Belgium in the year,
before the war, and forty per cent OF
the population was engaged In manu-
featuring, the principal industry be
ing linen weaving and lace-makins.'