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TO BELGIUM 207
this way. In another fort were found forty bodies, which
showed no trace of injury. It was evident that these men had
succumbed to the gases of the projectiles or had been choked
by the concrete dust which is said to whirl up in the most
appalling manner and to penetrate everywhere. The air
pressure had also flung many soldiers against the walls of the
casemates, and they were subsequently found with broken
skulls.
One of the lessons which may be said to have been learnt
in the present war is that even the most modern fortifications
equipped with the most superb armoured turrets are useless
when opposed by artillery of the calibre of the great German
mortars. The circumstance that the projectile does not burst
until it has penetrated into or even through the concrete bed
gives rise to a havoc which challenges all attempt at description.
Everything within the " bomb-proof arch " thus struck is rent
asunder and destroyed without leaving a trace. The pro-
jectile first operates from above downward, and then from
below upward through the explosion.
The 42-cm. mortars are brought up to their emplacements
on rails laid down especially for their conveyance.
From fort No. i we returned to the town, which is at its
prettiest at the point where the Sambre falls into the Meuse.
South of the Sambre an exceedingly picturesque road winds
its way up to the crest of the Citadelle height, on the slope of
which the Stadion is also situated. Of the magnificent Grand
Hotel Namur-Citadelle, which looked down from the top of
the hill, there is nothing left but a skeleton of iron girders and
brick walls. The proprietor was a German, and the Belgians
suspected that on the approach of the Germans from the north-
east he signalled to his countrymen. The building was there-
fore burnt down. But the view is left, and it is nothing short
of superb, especially up the Meuse valley with its innumerable
villas and chateaux lining the banks in the direction of Dinant,
which are, or rather were, inhabited by wealthy Belgians, for
most of them have gone away on account of the German
occupation.
The town of Namur itself has only suffered slightly from
the ravages of war. The Hotel de Ville has become a ruin,
like many houses in its neighbourhood. But it is estimated
that only about twenty houses in all have been wrecked by
shell fire. The Germans have been blamed for the destruction
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