SITUATION IN SYRIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19163, 31 October 1925, Page 13

SITUATION IN SYRIA.

DAMASCUS NOW CALM. PUNISHMENT OF BRIGANDS. FRENCH COLUMN GETS CLEAR. BOMBARDMENT CONTROVERSY. By Telesrranh—Press Association—Copyright (Received 9.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z.-Reuter-Sun. LONDON, Oct. 29 A telegram from Cairo says the Egyptian newspaper, Omran, publishes a report from Damascus to the effect that the authorities have arrested the chief, Hassan el Karrath, who led the band of brigands concerned in the recent insurrection. Forty-three other insurgents have also been arrested, and 160 Damascenes and suburban residents have been charged with connivance. The paper adds that three people have been executed.

Advices received in Paris from Beirut state that the French operations against the Druse rebels continue. The whole of Syria is now calm and the people of Damascus nro returning t-o their homes.

General Dupont, a member of the Supreme War Council, who was sent to Syria on a special mission of inquiry into the recent events, has arrived at Beirut. Attacks on General Sarrail.

It is officially denied, both in London and in Faris, that the British Government has made representations to Franco as regards the incidents in Damascus. It is stated in London, however, that tho British Consul submitted a list of claims for damage to British property, Tho French declare that the lives and property of the people in the foreign colonies did not suffer.

The Paris newspapers demand the recall of General Sarrail from Syria. They sav be passed over Syria like a locust cloud and made the population regret the end of Turkish domination.

General Gamelin's column, which was surrounded in the Syrian desert, by the Druses, has arrived at Damascus. Its losses totalled 3000 killed. This makes the total French dead since August 6000. French Prestige Damaged. The newspaper Echo do Paris says the President, M. Doumergue, requested the Premier, M. Painlevc, to do what might he necessary to re-establish tranquillity in Damascus at any cost. The correspondent of the same paper accuses General Sarrail of pro-Turkish and anti-Arab leanings and of upholding Turkish Freemasonry.

Figaro and Le Matin criticise General Sarrail's alleged failure to supply information.

Le Matin says the general's report talks about the weather and the dearness of living, with a postscript of two lines with regard to the gravest events. The paper declares that General Sarrail's lack of balance i(.i damaging the -prestige of France in the eyes of the world. AMERICAN PROPERTY. CLAIMS FOR DAMAGE. NECESSARY DATA AWAITED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 9.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Oct. 29. The failure of the French authorities at Damascus to warn American residents prior to the punitive bombardment of sections of the city has prompted the United States Government to make representations through the American Ambassador, to the French Foreign Office. No American casualties are reported, but suitable claims will be filed for the property damaged when tho necessary data has been made available.