SPAIN AND THE RIFFS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 618, 22 September 1909, Page 7

SPAIN AND THE RIFFS

1 SPIRITED ADVANCE. V ; MOROCCO APPEALS TO THE POWERS. ■■•■.- ,f:V: MINES ~ ' (By';ielegraph-Prces Associatlon-OopydßM.) y. ■/-.;'. (Rec. September 21, 10.45 p.m.)' " ~-.■■•.■■•-,:V>'V' f: v '" : - .Madrid, September 21. ..' ammunition.; and-.'stores having been accumulated 7 to' render tho Spanish; Army:indeporident'of sea , communication, tho advance-: from'Melilla 'has. cqnimonced. : : Tho forty thousand troops wildly.- cheered Him announcement that tho army was to start. . ■ Tiro columns occupied Cnpo.do.Huerte, :tho Spanish warships supporting ■ ■ their, 'opera-' tions .with, artillery fire.'■■'■■ Tlio Spanish had one man killed and 28; wounded. '. : '' : ■.:' The"Maghzen : is asking the Powers to, intervene to safeguard- Moorish; territory."- The Maghzcn -alleges;' that Spain's 'action ■is .in violation, of. tho; Algeciras ' Agrepment, : and :thflt .tho whole; ; trouble is d\io■ to, Spain's crossing i the;(frontier;- and "exploiting ', mines and working railways;' ;.- f.; • \>" '?■/."■■'•■' : ; ; .' V '.'.. ''■ '■ '■ ■ ———.■■■ - -1 ;-..'^^v , - ; roghi's'bargain not recognised. ./The.Spaniards.have, been in the .difficulty, oi not knowing, whom to negotiate..with for their mining concessions—whether with the Moroccan Government at Fez, iwith the-Roghi -(a self- , constituted authority);;or with the Eiffs>.them"scltcs. They chose to ; make their/deal with the ','Hoghi,": bat his power, in that part;, has. sincoi.waned. ■'.• - The ■■■: Madrid-, correspondent i of "The "thus tells the etory:/' .-'...■\ l ■'.'■■ V "Spanish...mining .companies.; .-started '.work early.last year spmo. 15 miles from Melilla, ■ under the -protection;of the-Koghi, who- exorcised ; unquestioned: authority over the whole of .that region. -In .'.October.the tribes .revolted, defeated ;; tho Eoghi, .and : raided '■' the , mines, which; ceased ■ work. 1 ; The 'Spaniards ~placed •military ;■ posts'; at Za.'Rostinga:; and Cabo- de Agua,,. presumably'".to secure. the communications of the'island garrison in caso of further trouble. At the. beginning, of .Juno -work: was :resumed ! at. tho...mines. ',; .. :. '' ! ' '\- 'i•-■':.-.'". ..'"The. Sultans -of have constantly nndertaKon'to secure the'.good bohaviorir of tho -.Biff -.tribes .in the neighbourhood of. the Spanish/.possossibhs,. but V tho ' obligation has never' been- fulfilled/and' as a result as -'works; representing: , some-.£150,060, have, been lying idle torsseve r : months at the very gates of Melilla,: and", within- easy reach of French troops the Melina; . Mulai Hand is'underetoqd to hay.e .refused to recognise any mininS,,concession .granted ■' by. the Roghi; and further to hare insisted upon:the withdrawal of : the. Spaniards from La\Eestinga and Cabo as a-condition 'of. any. discussion." ■' .