The exclusive service telegram: published in these columns yesterday morning indicated that a brilliant retreat from Antwerp had been achieved by the British forces. Reuter's detailed message published this morning clearly shows that another page of fame has been added to the history of the work of British arms A Marine Brigade and two Naval Brigades were sent, presumably from Ostend, to Antwerp, and they took with them some heavy naval guns. On Tuesday morning last the Belgians were forced to give ground and this enabled the heavy German artillery to occupy commanding position. Notwithstanding the ruthless bombardment and the pressure of superior numbers the garrison held out until Fridag afternoon when it was decided to sacrifice Antwerp in the interests of the main strategic situation, The British offer to cover the retreat of the Belgians was declined in the spirit which ha" made the Belgians famous throughout the world, and the British with their guns ant equipment began ® Jong night march to Seint Giles, This village is not marked on the maps, but the Admiralty statement that the bulk of the Ist Naval Brigade was cut off by the German attack north of Lokeren, indicates that it is farther to the south-west. Lokeren in twenty miles from Antwerp and the distance from the fallen fortress to Ostend, which two of the Naval Brigades succeeded in reaching with their armoured trains and heavy guns, is about sixty-seven miles from Antwerp. The statement that the naval aviation park also return. ed safely to its base bears out our Presumption that the attack on the Zeppelin shed at Dusseldorf was made from Antwerp. Distasteful as the retreat must have been to the naval men their achievement is a brilliant one. The retreat of the Belgians was no less successfully accomplished, and they tive to fight another day.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.