CRUSHING THE RIFFS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 625, 30 September 1909, Page 8

CRUSHING THE RIFFS.

SPAIN'S TASK REPORTED NEARLY DONE. (By : Telegraph-Prcsa ; ABsociatibh-fOopyriffht.)' •London,' September 28. '• ? Be^terX'Agency .reporte; that; the' Spaniards' have' captured Zolwan (inland of Melilia),"'the Biffian : .strongho].d in Northern .Morocco'. -. , > Military operations, are nearing'. an, end. The' Biffians at Mt.. Guru'gu (near Melilla) are isolated and surrounded. ' ' ' '•"■•'.■ GERMANY AND THE SPANISH POLICY.' ; In view of serious mis-statements which appear to have been copied from the German press by certain Spanish journals, >M. Andre Meril,:in the "Echo de- Paris," published in : July a. denial that at any time negotiations, have taken' place between Spain and the other Powers, in. particular /France, Great Britain, arid-Gertaany, with the object of obtaining' the sanction of the latter to a Spanish conquest of the country of the Eiffs, On the' contrary, Prance had ■ been informed by the' Spanish Government that the military operations in the Melilla district are not designed as a prelude to the. occupation of the Riff.: It is pointed out that, in • accordance 'with the Algcciras Act, the Powers have, consistently recognised the .secular rights of Spain in'the Melilla repon. At no. time has there been any question of negotiations with a view' to a Spanish occupation of the Eiff. The insinuation made in- German journals that, French influence is responsible for the enterprise upon which Spain has embarked is- described as baseless and absurd." It : was': only: recently that the French Foreign Minister, MiPichon, was informed by. the Spanish Charge d'Affaires that his Government' proposed to administer a lesson to. the .Eiffs in consequence of the murder of Spanish workmen engaged in the construction' of • the railway line to the ;Bohi Bu Ifru mines. In the interests of civilisation . and in view of the friendly character of the relations between France and Spain, the French Government, together with the. press and the public, were unanimous \in hoping that this chastisement would be, as severe as it ■ is" | merited.v . ' : "'•■'.'•'■." ■ '.