DAMASCUS ORDEAL

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LIV, Issue 9025, 3 November 1925, Page 5

DAMASCUS ORDEAL

DEATH TOR. THK TTITTY. Ty Tel. I ress Assoc. C'-uo s, i it»ht. A u si. -V Z. Ca bl e A asoc. * IWv Nov. 3. B,b a.iu. London, Nov i. The Daily Express' Damascus correspondent says that Damascus is virtuitlly a dead eity afu-r sunset. The curlew is enforced at nine iu the eveuafter nhieh hotel- aru! (-ales arc closed and bouses are barred. A special court is trying suspect# speedily, sentencing t*> death the guilty. The Times Hoc N"V 3. 8.-V) a.in. I.'uuhu;, Nov 2. Ibe Times Damascus correspondent says that the city remains <jiiht. The people are thoroughly depressed. buf underneath a keen irritation of resentment appear- ..ver die fate that luis iuTallen the city. The t rants have partially resumed running. One of the main bazaars has resumed business and the people who fled front the eity are gradually returning, hut it the townsiolk are subdued, not so Hie brigands, who are roaming the surrounding districts. Not one ci dm roads outside the city gates is sale. The French are doing their best to relieve the situation', but must await heav\ reinforcements from France when it is hoped to plan a comprehensive enveloping movement. 'kite .situation is rendered more serious by the daily increasing strength of the brigands, owing to the French burning the villages, wherein it is reported they have been allowed to take refuge, converting the villagers thus rendered homeless into brigands. It is stated that now upwards of 80,000 are homeless