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Show BELGIANS EXPLAIN DEFEAT OF ARMY BEFORE ANTWERP LONDON. Fept. M. S:4." a. in. A dis- j patch to Renter's Telegram company from Antwerp contains the following official of-ficial communication Issued by the Belgian Bel-gian government: After four days of hard lichting our field troops, which left fortified positions posi-tions at Antwern to attack the German Ger-man forces in the Brussels- Lou vain -Malines triangle, have returned within with-in th outer ring of the Antwerp fortifications. for-tifications. The sortie, which at first seemed to be merely a skirmish operation against covering troops? left by tho enemy in front of Antwerp, developed into an action on an extensive scale. The enemy's position was very strong owing to the nature of the ground and the earthworks thrown up during dur-ing the last fortnight. The necessity for holding this position posi-tion at all costs obliged the enemy to call for all available forces. Thus the third German army corps, which had left Nino vp for Nedebraeckel. re-t re-t nrnrd hastily and the ni nth corps, whirh was already marching southward south-ward on the Aiideri.-u-do-n.uyen road, was likewise refilled. . Moreover Inndwehr and landsturm detachments stationed fo the south of Brussels, as well as lri.Ofhl marines, who arrived at Brussels some days a to. took nart in the fighting. The result attained is of capital importance from the point of view of ' the allies'" staffs, since in consequence of our intervention two German army corns have been unable to go to the assistance, of the German armies which are retreating in France. Tn view of this concentration of all the German forces available in this vicinitv our army found Itself, at the end of the fourth day, in the presence of superior numbers, whereupon it returned re-turned to Antwern. Our army continues to be a constant con-stant menace to the Germans and will oblige them to mobilize Important forces which evidently are needed urentlv In Kranep. The losses of both sides during the four days' fighting have been heavy, tes'ifving to the stubbornness of the conflict. The fire of the Germans was very poor, however. and the wounds sustained by our men. 'generally 'gen-erally speaking, were of a slight character. |