The Press. THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 1903. THE SULTAN ON HIS MARCH.
The fighting in Morocco has it* picturesque a_ well as its political side, - and to the general reader the former is probably the more interesting of the two. How the Sultan of Morocco goes to war is described in graphic language by the correspondent of 'The Times" —the journalist who distinguished himself the other day by leading the Tangier troops to victory against a rebel tribe. The Sultan took the field in November last. He had intended attacking the pretender with an army of thirty thousand men, but the news of his proposed campaign caused a panio in the camp of the enemy. The pretender's forces dwwrted, and he fled, pursued not only by the Sultan's troops but also by some of the tribes which u_d joined in his revolt. The flight of the pretender enabled the Sultan to turn his attention to tho lawless and defiant Berbers to the west of Fe_ and Me--kinez. It was with a gorgeous show of state that his Majesty set out from Fez, the capita., at the head of his quaint and motley-coloured retinue. The description of his march ia full of colour. "Above his " head waved the Imperial umbrella of " crimson and green and gold, before him " pranced and neighed the fat led horses "trapped in their saddles of gorgeously"coloured silks; the long white -oarves "that are waved by the black slaves who "walk at the Sultan's side kept the flies "and dust off his sacred person; brass "band., with bandsmen in rainbow-coloure. "garments, struck forth into loud, if not "harmonious, music; and, surrounded by "an enormous crowd of cavalry, infantry, "officials, and, perhaps, half the tnhabi- " tante of Fez, who rode a short way with " the procession, Mulai Abdul Asia set out " on his journey." But for the brass band, one might fancy this was from a page n the "Arabian Nights!" No less picturesque is the army which the Sultan leads. Most presentable and useful of all his troops are the "harraba," or drilled infantry, a permanent regiment picked and trained by Kaid Sir Harry Maclean, the Sultan's military adviser. The artillery, -whose officers are French, possess light field guns and Maxims and pom-poms. The remainder of the army consists of infantry drawn by conscription from the various tribes, any of whom are liable to be called upon to supply men and horses should they be required by the Sultan. As the rough recruits reach camp their long white robes ore exchanged for smart red and blue uniforms, their old flint-lock guns replaced by brand-new rifles, their tattered saddles covered afresh in red cloth, clean new tents ore served out, and so by degrees "this strange collection of "tribal items, hailing from all over "Morocco, merges into a vast army.*' From early dawn till after sunset pT-ces-km threaded its way from Fez to the city of tents pitched at the first halting place, three hours' march from the
capital. " The Time- " com-pondent supplies a pen-picture of the scene:—"Droves "of camels, lurching along _t**low, mea-«__r-d pace; little band- «f -_#«_-__ "infantry; mule- packed with the baggage "of their owners, and mounted by black "slaves; tribesmen on wiry Kt-le horses, "fat officials on still fatter K-ddle-innles, "a medley of wealth end poverty, a "kaleidoscope of colours that only the "march of a Sultan of Morocco can "pre-ent." The force which the Sultan led against the Berber, last November, and which he is now employing against the pretender, numbers about forty tho_sand men. During the recent fighting Abul Aziz has shown considerable ability in directing the operations of _i_ forces. The transport and con_n_»_riat arrangements during the Berber expedition worked without a hitch, despite the fact that everything had to be carried on the "backs of mules and camels; and the Sultan manoeuvred his troops against the enemy | skilfully and with perfect success.
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Press, Volume LX, Issue 11488, 22 January 1903, Page 4
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650The Press. THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 1903. THE SULTAN ON HIS MARCH. Press, Volume LX, Issue 11488, 22 January 1903, Page 4
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