ARAB INSULTS TO BRITISH SOLDIERS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1213, 29 May 1885, Page 3

ARAB INSULTS TO BRITISH SOLDIERS.

The Standard correspondent at Cairo says : — 1 ‘ 1 have lately had occasion to comment upon + he increasing insolence of de meaner on the part of the Native population towards Englishmen, and am glad to have to record an occurrence which took place, which is likely to put a stop for some time to the recurrence of such exhibitions of insolence, Two unarmed Hussars, when passing the other day through the village of Matarieh.near to Adbjissiyeh.were attacked and severely beaten by some of the inhabitants. As this is nut the first time that such an prcurrence/has taken place at this .village, which has'a bad reputation, it was Mete' mined that summary punishment ' should be inflicted upon the offenders without the usual'delays and formalities attending theaction of-the tribunal. Acc irdmgly, the Provost-marshal, with a company 0 of mili ary police, went out to Matarieh. On approaching the villiage the police broke into a gallop and rode into it, taking the inhabitants completely by surpri ,e. In two minutes a cordon was formed round the villiage, and several of the people who attempted to escape into the orange groves were overtaken and sent back. The village sheiks were summoned and ordered to produce the men who had committed the assault. They.of course,professed ignorance, but a watch was produced, and they w-re told that unless in a quarter of an hour they gave up the men they themselves would be flogged This quickened their recollection oftheaffdr. Four men were pointed out as having been concerned in the attack on the Hussars, ami after an animated chase through the village, over house tops and through gardens, they were captured. Two of them were foun Ito be Soudanese, 'The four captives were identified by the Hussars as being their assailants, and they were at once tied up to a tree in front of the Mos que, and were then, in the presence of the assembled villagers, severely flogged, one afier another, first with a stirrup-leather, and then with thecourbash by the military police. The men were then turned loose with a warning that the police would in furturo be armed with r-evolvers, and would have orders immediately to shoot any who in-ght attack Englishmen.- -This wholesome vindication of English authority cannot at the present (juncture, be too highly commended. It is the first instance which has yet occurred of the English authorities setting their foot down, and its effect will be most beneficial