touch with Belgian patrols. A series
of engagements took place. The Germans tried to seize the bridges across
the Dyle at Haelen, and at Cortenachen on the Velpe, a tributary of the
former river, mainly with the object of outflanking the Belgian left
wing. The Belgians are said to have numbered some 10,000 of all arms,
and were successful in repulsing the Germans.

On August 13, 1914, similar actions were continued. At Tirlemont 2,000
German cavalry swept upon the town, but were beaten off. At Eghezee on
the extreme Belgian right--close to Namur and the historic field of
Ramillies--another brush with the Germans took place. Belgian cavalry
caught a German cavalry detachment bivouacked in the village. Sharp
fighting through the streets ensued before the Germans withdrew. In
spite of the warning of the Belgian General Staff, and similar advance
German notices, the citizens of some of these and other places began
sniping German patrols.

Meantime, moving over the roads toward Namur, toiled the huge German
42-centimeter guns. The German General Staff had taken to mind the
lesson of Liege. Each gun was transported in several parts, hauled by
traction engines and forty horses. Of this, with the advance of Von
Kluck and Von Buelow, the Belgian General Staff was kept in total
ignorance by the German screen of cavalry. So ably was this screen work
performed that the Belgians were led to believe the Germans had
succeeded in placing no more than two divisions of cavalry, together
with a few detachments of infantry and artillery, on Belgian soil. They,
in fact, regarded the German cavalry skirmishing as a rather clumsy
offensive.

As we have seen, the resistance of Forts Boncelles and Loncin at Liege
held back the main German advance from seven to ten days. Their fall
released into German control the railway junction at Ans. With that was
included the line from Liege up the left bank of the Meuse to Namur.
Also, another line direct to Brussels.

On August 15, 1914, the cavalry screen was withdrawn, and four German
army corps were revealed to the surprised Belgian line. In this
emergency, clearly their only hope lay with the French. In Louvain,
Brussels, and Antwerp, anxious questions lay on all lips. "Why do not
the French hasten to our aid? When will they come? Will the British fail
us at the twelfth hour?"

Eager watchers at Ostend beheld no sign of the promised transports to
disembark a British army of support in the day