nt which seems to have
been respected, and that several citizens, both of the town and of the
village of Canne, were shot.

A Deliberate System.

A large number of places situated in the triangle between Vilvorde,
Malines, and Louvain--that is to say, in one of the most populous and, a
few days ago, one of the most prosperous regions in Belgium--have been
given over to plunder, partially or entirely destroyed by fire, their
population dispersed, while the inhabitants were indiscriminately
arrested and shot without trial and without apparent reason, the sole
object being, it seems, to inspire terror and to compel the migration of
the population.

This was notably the case in the communes or hamlets of Sempst, Weerde,
Elewyt, Holstade, Wespelaer, Wilsele, Bueken, Eppeghem, Wackerzeele,
Rotselaer, Werchter, Thildonck, Boortmeerbeek, Houthem, Tremeloo. In
this last village only the church and the presbytery remained standing.
On the few houses which have been spared may be seen the following
inscriptions: "Nicht abbrennen," (do not burn,) "Bitte schonen,"
(please spare,) "Gute leute, nicht plundren," (good people, do not
plunder.) These houses, however, were sacked afterward.

In all these villages the women who have been unable to escape are
exposed to the brutal instincts of the German soldiers.

The district immediately adjoins that of Aerschot, the devastation of
which was described in an earlier report. It extends at present to the
northwest of Brussels, where the important towns of Grimberghen and
Wolverthem have been sacked, while southeast of the capital, more than
twenty-five kilometers from the scene of military operations, the town
of Wavre, which was unable to furnish the exorbitant war levy of
3,000,000 francs (L120,000) imposed by the General Staff of the enemy,
has seen fifty-six of its houses destroyed by fire.

We must also record that on Sept. 4 and 5 bombs were hurled from an
aeroplane upon Ghent and Escloo, which are open and undefended towns.

Finally, you are aware, M. le Ministre, that the town of Malines, after
it had been completely evacuated by Belgian troops on Aug. 27, was
subjected for several days to a bombardment which has seriously damaged
the cathedral church of St. Rombaut, the pride of this ancient city. The
town of Heyst-opden-Berg was also bombarded without mercy, though there
was no strategic interest to warrant such an act.

The Plea of Armed Resistance.

The Germans, in ord