THE WAR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 71, 7 November 1911, Page 5

THE WAR.

DEFEAT OF ITALIANS

LOSE OVER 5000 MEN

(By Electric Telegraph.—-Copyright.) (United Press Association.) Alalia, November G. Reuter’s Tripoli correspondent, who is able to give an unbiassed report, states that if correspondents in 'Tripoli stated the facts they would immediately lie expelled. The J uries engaged on October 23 and 2G were not more than two thousand; yet they inflicted losses of at least one thousand. The Italian line was broken on October 26 in two places by less than two hundred Arabs, who rushed the B!th Regiment at dawn and gained cover in the oasis. One hundred dismounted Italian cavalry saved the situation by a charge, killing the majority of the Araus. Thirty of the Arabs, however, hold tiie position for throe days, until they wore Mown up by mines. General Canova was so alarmed that ho abandoned the outer works, including a Turkish Tort at Alesri.

The army worked feverishly to render the inner position impregnable by entrenchments and barbed wire entanglements. The Turks and Arabs are now holding the oasis, whore there is ample fond. Every orchard and garden afford natural defences* and ideal positions as far as the Italian lino. The Turks advanced their artillery and dropped a shell in General Caneva’s headquarters. The Italians arc driven to a point whence they cannot retire except by sea.

The troops have passed from the greatest elation to deep depression. There «re sandstorms daily and soaking pains at night. There are many cases of cholera, and numbers of the troops are affected.

A STATEMENT DENIED

IMPORTANT TURKISH VICTORY

Tripoli, November 0. General Caneva, interviewed, denies cruelty and massacres, and accuses tiio Turks of. stripping Italians naked and shockingly and disgustingly mutilating their bodies. The Standard estimates that the attackers on October 23 numbered 8000 Turks and 16,000 Arabs. The Italians lost 5000, including two battalions which surrendered. Constantinople, October 0. An important victory was gained on November 1. The Turks occupied the Italian cavalry barracks, containing large quantities of ammunition and provisions. MASSACRE IN THE OASIS. , Malta, November 0. Renter’s Tripoli correspondent, in a sworn statement regarding the massacres, \wliich was counter-signed by correspondents of the Morning Pose and Daily Mirror, declares that the correspondents of the New York World and the Berlin Local Anzeignor were so disgusted that they handed their passes to General Caneva and refused further dealings with the army. Renter’s correspondent’s statement affirms that until October _ 23 the Italians treated the Arabs kindly. The Bersaglieri were rightly killed by Arabs in the south-eastern portion of the oasis. Afterwards General Caneva ordered all Arabs with arms found in the oasis to he shot. The order was subsequently changed to shoot all who were reasonably suspected of hearing; arms.

Bodies of excited soldiery, often without officers, scoured the oasis for four days indiscriminately shooting Sole, regardless of whether they parv in the attack on the Bersaglieri. Several parties of between fifty and sixty Arabs, men and hoys, .were collected, their hands tied, and marched to vacant places, where they were shot without trial. Others were shot whilst working in their gardens. Some were bayouetted and clubbed with the butt ends of rifles.

On the fourth clay, after the socalled insurrection, the correspondent saw a detachment meet three weaponless Arabs, obviously men of property, whom they shot without a word of explanation. Others from Tripoli state that a reign of terror exists. House-to-house searches continue, and summary punishment is meted out at the least pretence. Batches of fifty are being shot after a minute’s trial before a tribunal of officers.

The New York World correspondent violently attacks General Caneva, and alleges that he was never outside the bomb-proof shelter, and adds that the Arabs only mutilated corpses after the Italian massacres. ' ,

MESSAGE TO THE POWERS

TURKISH TRANSPORT SUNK

(Received 7, 8.5 a.m). Rome, November 6. General Frugoni is superceding General Caneha, who has been appointed Governor of Tripoli. An Italian message to the Powers states that the continuous success of the Italian arms renders resistance useless, and if peace is signed it will enable Italy’s policy to ho inspired by her interest in the maintenance of the territorial status quo in the Balkans, whereof the _ consolidation of Turkey is an essential factor. An'ltalian cruiser sunk a Turkish transport at Akabah, in the Red Sea. The majority of the crow were rescued.

A CORRESPONDENT’S PROTEST

TALES OF HORROR

ITALIAN SOLDIERS PARALYSED

(Received 7, 9.15 a.m.) Loudon, November 6

Mr. McCnllagh, the “Westminster Gazette’s correspondent in Tripoli, lias returned his papers- to General Caneva as a protest against the atrocities perpetrated. Mr. MeCullagb photographed scenes of horror which lie describes as worse than any Hussian pogrom or Armenian massacre. No less than 300 women and children wore shot, and -100 men, of whom not one hundred were guilty. Mr. McCnllagli says ho saw fifty men and children executed in one batch. Cripples and blind beggars were deliberately shot, and sick people whose houses were burned, were left on the ground and were refused a drop of water. The Italian soldiers are paralysed with fear, as the enemy’s persistency, day and night, is affecting their imaginations and nerves.

THE CHOLERA FIEND

A HEAVY TOLL

(Received 7, 9.-15 a.m.) London, November 7

Advices from Malta state that the bodies of fifty cholera victims wer" collected in the streets of Tripoli on Sunday. Forty cholera cases are being reported daily in the Italian army. There is a pestilential stench arising at the oasis, where the recent massacre occurred.

STEAMER'S EXCITING RUN. NO LIGHTS: MANY MINES. (Received 7, 10.30 a.m.) Melbourne, November 7. The steamer Berlin, from Smyrna, had an exciting time running down the Turkish coast, where all lights were out and submarine mines were scattered about on account of the war. The captain had an intimate knowledge of the coast, and managed to steer clear of danger.