PLIGHT OF SOMALI FRIENDLIE.,

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1907, 15 November 1913, Page 5

PLIGHT OF SOMALI FRIENDLIE.,

CONGO ATROCITIES EQUALLED. PATHETIC SCENES. By Teleeraph-PreEe Association-OopyrieM London, November 13. Mr. Alan Ostlor, the correspondent of tlio "Daily Express," states that since the withdrawal of British support from the I'riendlies in Somaliland, there have been atrocities equal to those in the Congo. The Colonial Oflico, he says, is seeking to suppress the facts. Theformation of a camel corps was largely tho outcome of these horrors. Tlio native quartor of Berbera in July, 1912, was filled with starving, mutilated friendlies, some of whom trailed themselves along on their hands, owing to their feet having been lopped off. The withdrawal of British troops from the Somali hinterland, is thus reviewed in "The Time 9," in a leading article dealing with the disaster to the camel corps: "Though we endorsed, the decision to withdraw from the interior of Somaliland, we did eobeeause wo believed that the withdrawal wonld be strictly adhered to. What we said was, in effect, that the interior must either bo perraanenly occupied and garrisoned, or abandoned; and we urged that Somaliland was not worth, the Tisk and expense which occupation involved. Mr. Hnrcourt, having first evacuated the interior, most' indiscreetly tried tho effect of punitive expeditions in insufficient strength. We cannot sufficiently condemn such unwisdom. Tho Teal reason why Great Britain desires to tain her lien qt Somaliland is to prevent other rations from occupying the conntrv: :: The far larger area of Italian Somaliland is sufficiently earmarked by two or three small coastal garrisons. Now that the boundaries of our territory are demarcated, a similar policy would have served our object. There is no intermediate course. If we still think we aro in honour bound to protect the friendly tribes, we shall not do so by the expedient of a few native policeiuen mounted on camels. Wβ mnst build a railway from Berbera thorugh Buroa to our frontier at Bohotle; we must send a largo force to crush the elusive JFullah finally and for ever; we_ must maintain garrisons at tho principal bases.in the interior; on<) wo must be prepared to spend more millions and to wacro lonir and harassing warfare without the.slightest prospect of any Teturn. Such occurrences as the disaster at Odwein Wells will ,«oon compel the Government to make their choice. Quite possibly a new situation has already been created."