ITALY AND TURKEY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10303, 7 November 1911, Page 1

ITALY AND TURKEY.

ITALIAN CRUELTY DENIED. '"A CHARGE AGAINST THE TURKS. United Press Association— by .hlectrio Telegraph—Copyright. TRIPOLI, November 6. < General Caneva, in an -an interview 'denied cruelty or massacres > the Italians. He accused the Tiiiks or stripping Italians naked and shockingly and disgustingly mutilating their bodies. ITALIAN LOSSES, FIVE THOUSAND SURRENDER OF TWO BATTALIONS. LONDON, November 6. The correspondent of the '' Stanlard" estimates that the attackers on October 26 numbered 8000 Turks and 16,000 Arabs. The Italians lost 5000, deluding two battalions surrendered. ANOTHER TURKISH VICTORY. CAPTURE OF ITALIAN CAVALRY BARRACKS. CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 6. ' j"An important victory was gained on November 1, when the Turks occupied Y(ie Italian cavalry barracks, capturing largo quantities of ammunition and provisions. THE MASSACRES BY ITALIANS. SHOCKING REVELATIONS. RUTHLESS SLAUGHTER OF ARABS. MALTA, November 6. Reuter's Tripoli correspondent has made a sworn statement regarding the tnasaacres, countersigned by the correspondents of the "Morning Post' und "Daily Mirror." He declares that ,iie has made the statement at the request of the British Consul ,in Tripoli. He says 'that the correspondents of, the "New York World" and the Berlin'" Lokal Anzimger " were so disgusted that they handed their passes to General Caneva, and refused further dealings with the army. Tho statement affirms that until October S3 the Italians treated the Arabs kindly. The bersagleri rightly shot 'Arabs in the south-eastern portion of the oasis. 'Afterwards General Caneva ordered all Arabs with arms in the oasis to be shot. Finding that Arabs wero hiding arms the order was changed to one to shoot all who were reasonably suspected of bearing arms. 'Bodies of excited soldiery, often without officers, scoured the oasis for four days, indiscriminately shooting Arabs, regardless of whether they took part in hhe attaok on the bersagleri. Several parties of fifty and sixty Arabs, men and bo 3's, were collected in bands, tied, marched to vacant places and shot Vithout trial. Others were shot while working in their gardens. Some were bayoneted or clubbed to death with the butt ends of rifles. The fourth day after the so-called insurrection the correspondent saw a dfetachment meet three weaponless Arabs, obviously men T>f property, who were shot without a ,iTord of explanation. Others, who have arrived here from Tripoli state that a reign of terror exists there. House-to-house searches continue, and summary punishment is Tneted oft the least pretenco, batches of afty being executed after a minute's trial before a tribunal of officers. The " New York World " correspondent violently attacks General Calieva, and alleges that officer is never outside a bomb-proof shelter. He adds that the Arabs only mutilated corpses After the Italian massacres.

A CORRESPONDENT'S NARRATIVE. ITALIANS DEFEATED WITH HEAVY LOSS. ' DEEP DEPRESSION OF'THE TROOPS. MALTA, November 6. Reuter a Tripoli correspondent, who $s able to give an unbiassed report, states that if the correspondents in -Tripoli stated the facts they would be TOinediately expelled. Tho Turks en- , igaged on October 23 and October 26 were not moro than two thousand in jramber, yet they inflicted losses of at least a thousand. The Italian line . broken on October 26 in two places*>y fewer than two hundred Arabs, who pushed the Eighty-fourth Regiment at jlawn and gained the cover of the oasis. A hundred dismounted Italian cavalry paved the situation by a charge, killing the majority of the Arabs. Thirty of , ihe Arabs, however, held tho position v "for three days until they were blown ip by mines. General Caneva was so 'alarmed that he abandoned the outer worlds, including the Turkish fort, Mesri, The army worked, feverishly to render the inner position impregnable by entrenchments of barbed wires. The Turks and Arabs are now holding the oasis, where there is ample food and every orchard and garden affords natural defences, rendering it in ideal position as far as the Italian iine. The Turks advanced their artillery and dropped a shell into General C'aneva's headquarters. The Italians • lia.vo been driven to a point whence they cannot retire except by the sea. Tho troops have passed from the greatest elation to deep depression. There ore sandstorms daily and soaking rains ftt night. _ Many cases of cholera have occurred, including some among the troops.