SITUATION IN MOROCCO.

Otago Witness, Issue 2803, 4 December 1907, Page 19

SITUATION IN MOROCCO.

A SANGUINARY ENCOUNTER. . CRITICAL STATE OF AFFAIRS. TRIBESMEN JOINING THE REBELS. MOROCCO, .November 26. In the recent fight between the French and the Benihassen tribe the latter lost 1200 killed. Colonel Telineau, foreseeing the attack, had posted 1200 of his troops advantageously. November 27. Tribes that hitherto were neutral have . joined the Benis JEasser, and the situation is critical. Reinforcements are urgent lest the French may be overwhelmed. There is great alarm among the Europeans and the natives all along the Al- | gerian frontier. ] The" Sultan Abdul Aziz is 00-opexating. with* the French to crush the Benis Hasser, November 28. Mulai -Hand's forces inflicted a severe defeat on the troops of the Sultan Abdul Aziz, near Rabat. The Moors made two incursions into Algeria, in the vicinity of Kiss. French troops are hurrying forward to defend Nemours. November 29. Several thousand of the Benishaseer tribesmen and the members of two other tribes crossed the Algerian frontier and attacked Babelassa-. •' The French were at first compelled to retire, but when reinforced they regained Babelassa and drove the Moroccans over the frontier. For a time the French were in a tight corner. Eleven Tirailleurs and an officer weTe killed, and a number of others v were wounded. The fight lasted for six hours. December 1. The French repulsed a severe night attack on Menasseb by the Kissa tribe on Friday. Over 300 Moors were killed and 500 were wounded. A French trumpeter was also killed. December 2. Details of the fight at Menasseh &how that 3500 of the Benis Hassen tribe at Agabal, Morocco, entered Algeria^ and attacked an elevated fort at Sidioissa, in the vicinity of Babelassa. Contingents from different tribes attacked portion of the foreign legion, which was supported by a company of Tirailleurs, a section of a battery of mountain artillery, and a squadron of S ahie. The attack was exceptionally vigorous and well sustained, but it was repulsed with great gallantry. Whole lines of tribesmen who were attempting a flanking movement were mown down by guns posted on a height. One hundred and thirty-six shells were fired. The Benis Hassen tribe returned to Agabal, but the supply of provisions and ammunition was rather short. A large number of the Attias tribe on the Algerian side joined the Benis Hassen tribe, but the arrival of French reinforcements reassured the border population. General Liantey proposes to drive the , Benis Hassens to the mountains and then surround and starve them into submission. He has been empowered to temporarily operate in Moroccan territory to safeguard the Algerian frontier, but his occupation is restricted to Ujda. A large column is- concentrating at Sididjennan, in Algeria, and this will ultimately co-operate with the force at Ujda in making a mobile sweep along Kissa to the sea. ALGIERS, November 30. Two Algerian tribes of Moorish origin have joined the Moorish rebels. PARIS, November 27. The commandant at Ujda reports that a force which was reconnoitring encountered 1500 Arabs, and that the French were compelled to retreat after sustaining 1 eight casualties. The French accounts of the late fighting

at Temys show that Colonel Telineau's infantry was almost surrounded on Sunday morning during a mist. Though the machine guns inflicted terrible losses on the enemy, the Arabs renewed the attack with desperate fury, and threatened to overwhelm the camp. Then 200 French spahis repeatedly charged and engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand struggle, ultimately compelling the Arabs to retreat. SIR HARRY MACLEAN, i LONDON, November 28. Reuter's Tangier correspondent reports that Sir Harry Mac Lean will be released directly, as Raisuli has agreed to terms for the ransom ,of his captive. November 29. The Standard's Tangier correspondent reports that the British Government has agreed to pay Raisuli £20,000 to secure the release of Sir Harry Mac Lean and his imprisoned friends, and to afford Raisuli and the immediate members of hie family protection for their past misdeeds. The sum of £5000 will be paid immediately Sir Harry Mac Lean is released, and the balance will be invested for three years and the income' paid to RaißulL