The sun., 1918-10-20
British and Belgians Adj
vance on Wide Front in
Flanders.
TROOPS QUIT BRUSSELS
Americans Gain Two Miles
in Hard Fighting in LIE
Cateau Sector.
FRENCH ALSO ADVANCE
Enemy Resists From Disc to
Metz in Effort to Extricate
Army From Lowlands.
FRENCH ALSO ADVANCE

LONDON, Oct. 19.-Another great
section Of Belgium passed to-day into
the hands of King Albert, aided by
his British and French allies, while
In the adjoining sector in France
Field Marshal Haig's men are driv-
ing forward with resistless vigor,
gaining about five miles on wide
front. Still further south the French
are advancing in similar operation,
the purpose Of which, like that Of the
British, Is to reach and cut the
Valenciennes, Hirson, Mezieres, Metz
railroad, over which the Germans
have been receiving the bulk Of their
supplies.
In the north there is little opposi-
ton. Cavalry detachments already
have reached Eecloo and Ghent, with
British and Belgian infantry close
behind them, pressing forward with
great speed. 1t Is probable that both
of these places will be occupied to-
morrow morning II they have not al
OCSh tuhCh. AL tlC NChth III
gion, however, on both sides Of Le'
Cateau, furious fighting is in prog,
ress, the Germans striving des- \
perateiy to preserve the railroad line,
the loss Of which at this time would
spell disaster for them.
SIX Thousand Troops Trapped.
While the Germans are not yet
showing any marked signs Of disorder
the Allies are pressing them SO closely
that the orderly manner of the retreat
may be abandoned at any moment
SO rapid has been the advance of the
Allies that some 5000 German troops
have been cut Off northeast Of Bruges
and penned in against the Dutch
frontier. Holland doubtless will see
that they do not cross the line and
perforce they must surrender, as there
is no escape for them.
Refugees arriving in Holland from
Belgium report that number of ships
OH the Eecloo Canal, carrying German
officers and war material, were shot
to pieces and sunk with all on board
by Belgian troops on Friday afternoon.
The German troops. according to the
refugees, are retreating toward Ghenr
and Antwerp.
During the last fifteen days of their
occupation Of Lille the Germans took
away into captivity $1,000 or the in
habitants Of the city.
Brussels Being Evacuated.
The Amsterdam correspondent OF
the Associated Press reports that the
evacuation OF Brussels by the Ger
mans has already begun, according to
NJ. Heinrich, an Activist Belgian Dep
uty, as quoted by the correspondent
Of the Nieutcs pdn den Days at Rosen.
daal, on the Dutch frontier, who saws
the Deputy himself has arrived at
Brussels.
The evacuation reports, it Is as
serted, refer to the German troops
and not to the civilian population Of
the city.
Many German columns, with numer.
GUS guns and automobiles travelling
eastward, are passing Slus. a town on
the Holland frontier ten miles north
east of Bruges. German sentinels have
abandoned thsl- posts on tho canal at
Sluis.
Bruges Cleared of Enemy.
The Associated Press correspondent
with the allied armies In France and
Belgium reports that Bruges was re-
ported late this evening to have been
cleared OF the enemy. The Belgians arc
pressing on beyond the city, closing the
neck OF the bottle reaching to the North
htNf hn h,t1ty nP
| doubtedly have escaped from the coast
The progress elsewhere includes the
capture OF Templeuve. a mile from the
Escault River northwest OF Journal In
the sharp hghting here the British are
driving the Germans faster than they
want TO go.
North OF the Escault the villages OF
Bouchin. Reulx and Abscon have been
| captured and the advanced troops have
fought their way into the western OUT
skirts of Denain along the Reulx- -Denain
railway.
Saulsoir has been captured and seven
hundred civilians liberated. Douchy
| also has been captured and six thou
| sand civilians rescued after hard fight
ing. Bezeul. east OF lie Cateau, has
been cleared OF the enemy after hard
fighting from house to house and In
the streets and the Germans have been
! driven east OF the town.
Many Thousands Captured.
| In the last four days the Allies have
recovered more than 500 square miles OF
territory from the Germans and havo
taken thousands OF prisoners. the exact
| number of whom is not known yet. II Is
30 large. however. that Il Is clear the
German retirement ia not entirely the
voluntary movement which Berlin re-
1 poTtA try to make IL appeAN TheAen0r-