IN SOMALILAND.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 34, 17 March 1914, Page 7 (Supplement)

IN SOMALILAND.

A DERVISH RAID. HOSPITAL FIRED ON. '- —.l- L—— Aft MANY NATIVES WOUNDZD. VILLAGES ABLAZE. By Calle. — Press Association. — Copyright. ADEN, March 16. Fifty Dervish horsemen fired a volley into a native bazaar at Berbera, wounding several natives. Police pur sued them for ten miles without result. The Dervishes, on the police with drawing, fired into a smallpox hospital and ignited several' villages, besides killing and wounding five friendly natives. A severe raid is reported 20 miles to the eastward of Berbera. [The British sphere of interest in Somali land, and oh the coast of the Gulf of Aden, which has existed since 1884, is known by the name of the Somaliland Protectorate, of which Berbera, with a population of about .'{o,ooo, is the chief town. It has for many years .been' a land of unrest owing to the activities of the Mullah Mohammed Abdullah. Originally, the Somaliland Battalion of the King's African Rifles formed the military force; but during 1908 ajid 1909 this was considerably strengthened by reinforcements" ~ of' Indian troops on account - of •the threatening attitude of the Mullah,' the restriction of whose activities from 1901 to 1901 had cost the British Government between £2,000,000 and £3,000,000. In January, 1909, 'the Mullah was denounced as an impostor, and in March, 1910, the Government, adopting the. view that bis influence".was declining and that the friendly tribes, if assisted with arms, would be able to defend themselves against his raids, announced that: the regular,, troops were to be withdrawn to the coast.. The ifing's African" Rifles (Somali Battalion) was then dis-. and an Indian contingent 200 strong with four British- officers, was retained as the garrison of the coa«t towns. These troops were, howeVer, dispensed with in, April/ of last year, reliance being placed on a new cam j I .constabulary, 150. strong. While th*s camel corps was engaged on .a 'reconnaisance at Odwein, in August, 1913, it encountered a strong force of the Somaliland Mullah and 1 suffered a strong -reverse, its commander, Mr R. C. Corfield, being killed. It was announced <h September of last year that ai\ Indian contingent would ..again be stationed in the coast towns. During the discussion on ,the Supplementary Estimates in the House of Commons recently, Sir G. Parker charged the Government with vacillation in Somaliland, and described Mr Harcourt's minute regarding Captain Corfield 's death *Ss callous and ungenerous. Mr Harcourt stated that the morning when Captain Corfield started- out on his reconnaissance he was warned by the Acting-Commissioner, Mr Archer,- in the presence of Captain Somers, not to engage the Dervishes, and gave undertakings to that effect,'but disobeyed his orders. He had hitherto endeavoured to hide this in Captain 1 Corfield's interests. The Camel Corps cost £58,000 annually/ It was dreary work awaiting dead men's shoes, but the Mullah was old, in an advanced state of dropsy, unable to move, and incap able of leading the Dervishes, ' and there was no possible successor when he died. Somaliland 1 was comparatively a peaceful country. During further discussion, Mr Harcourt's action in blaming Captain Corfield was criticised, and in replying he said that.it was not proposed to extend territory in Somaliland or send an expedition "against the but the Camel Corps would be increased to 500.] ' / ' ■