New-York tribune., 1918-10-17

have been killed. Some Belgian forces
have swept around the city in order to
cut the roads at the rear
Nothing Stops Belgians
The Germans had placed machine
guns in the windows of houses and eel
lars, and fired murderous streams of
bullets into the advancing Belgians, but
we're unable to stop them. The Bel
gians fought with dogged determina-
ton such as only troops fighting to re-
gain their outraged country could dis
play. Nothing could stop them
The British, following UP the retreat
ing Germans and overcoming the rear
guards, are reported as reaching Ques-
nay and as having captured Lnselles,
along the Lys The Belgians at the
time this dispatch was filed were re-
ported to be past Keyem and to have
Cachten and Ardoye. both of which
they captured. Northeast of Courtrai
Bavichove was stormed and taken and
the Belgians were still going.
The Linselles position is most valu-
able, for, being northwest of Turcoing
the Allied troops are gradually out
fanking the entire Lille salient, from
which there are further signs that the
enemy is withdrawing. As a matter of
fact, his troops in this salient are in
AZ extremely precarious position. They
must get out rapidly or face disastrous
consequences
More Prisoners Taken
A thousand more prisoners and many
more cannon have been captured. The
Germans at many places, especially in
the northern part of the battle area,
seem to be surrendering freely. Many
more civilians have been rescued from
the towns and districts captured, and
little professions of these are strag-
Cling rearward out of range of the guns
and out Of the way of the fighting
troops. Stories are beginning to come
back how liberated Belgian women
have seen their sons, brothers or hus-
bands going forward into battle.
Quite number of civilians also have
been rescued from Roulers and its en-
virons. the Germans having left in such
a hurry that they had not time to
cvacuate the civilians who wanted to
stay and take chance of being liber
ated; To-day these men, women and
children are again walking on the free
soil of France
The Germans appear to be making
strenuous efforts to save their muni-
lions and equipment and their mate
rial, the accumulation of four ye-rs,
from the coast districts of Belgium
The roads behind the Germans are
Uttered with all sorts of transports,
and Allied airplanes are again playing
havoc with the retreating enemy.
The weather to-day was cloudy, but
thus far no more rain has fallen How
ever, Flanders is mud from end to end
and this condition makes movement diff
hcult for the Allied troops. The ooze
and soft ground also makes it doubly
difficult for the enemy to move back
The Allied soldiers have put UP with
great hardships, for they realize that
they have the enemy on the run in the
most vital section of the West front,
and do not desire to let him have a
chance to reassemble his shattered
units.
Outside Courtrai the infantry has
progressed about three miles and, here,
nave been compelled to fight their way
forward. The Germans had orders to
hold on to the last and they did so.
Not many of those who had been sta
toned with machine guns to try to
hold up the advance of the Allied
troops managed to escape. Virtually
all were killed or wounded, or are
prisoners.
At the Thielt positions the French
cavalry has begun to come into q
country where the ground and roads
are harder, allowing them to operate
more freely. From here the Holland