FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154  
155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   >>   >|  
ast day of September, 1914, reached a point within range of Antwerp's farthest outer forts. In order to understand the record of the following successive steps in the siege of Antwerp, a description of this city's position and the location of its double circle of forts is necessary. Antwerp was considered one of the most formidable strongholds in the world. The elaborate defenses of Antwerp evolved from the original fortifications of thirty years ago through continual additions. The location of the city offers very many natural advantages for its defense, and the engineering genius controlling the work made full use of these opportunities. From the north Antwerp has access to the sea by the river Scheldt, of which the arm nearest to the city is narrow, with six strong forts on each bank, including the citadel. Any armies approaching from the south must cross the rivers Rupel and Nethe, which practically, in the shape of a semicircle, swing around the city to the south at a distance varying from about six to twelve miles. Within this circle of flowing water, and about two miles from the city, is another circle, formed by twelve powerful forts. At a point almost due east from the center of the city and commanding the railroad to Holland, by way of Turnhout, is located the first of eight forts, designated by numbers. From there they swing to the south and west, with fort eight very close to the Scheldt and directly south to the village of Hoboken. On the other side of the river are Forts de Cruibeke and Zwyndrecht, the latter commanding the railroad to Ghent. Further north and right on the banks of the Scheldt are Forts St. Marie, la Perle, and St. Philip, the first two on the left bank and the last on the right, all three opposite the new harbor and docks. In the northeast Fort de Merkem guards the railroad to Rotterdam. Outside of this circle and in the south, outside of the Nethe-Rupel line, there is another complete circle of nineteen even stronger forts, at a distance from the city varying between five and ten miles. Starting again in the east--due east from fort one--and swinging south, these forts are named: Oeleghem, Broeckem, Kessel, Lierre, Koningshoyckt, Wavre St. Catherine, Waelhem--the last two only a few miles north of Malines--Breendonck, Liezel, Bornem, Rupelmonde, Haesdonck, Doel, Blauwgaren--the last two guarding the Scheldt at the point of its entrance into Holland, one on each bank--Stabroek, Ertbr
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154  
155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Antwerp

 

circle

 
Scheldt
 

railroad

 

varying

 
location
 

twelve

 
Holland
 
commanding
 

distance


designated
 

numbers

 

village

 

Cruibeke

 

Zwyndrecht

 

Hoboken

 

directly

 

Further

 

Catherine

 
Waelhem

Koningshoyckt
 

Lierre

 

swinging

 
Oeleghem
 
Broeckem
 

Kessel

 

Malines

 
Breendonck
 

entrance

 

guarding


Stabroek
 

Blauwgaren

 

Liezel

 
Bornem
 

Rupelmonde

 

Haesdonck

 

Starting

 

harbor

 

located

 
northeast

opposite

 
Philip
 

Merkem

 
guards
 
stronger
 

nineteen

 
complete
 

Rotterdam

 

Outside

 
semicircle