THE MOROCCAN TROUBLE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2167, 24 August 1907, Page 2

THE MOROCCAN TROUBLE.

SOME FIERCE FIGHTING. SPLENDID COURAGE OF AIOORS. United Press Association—Copyright

Received August 23, 9.30 p.m. MOROCCO, August 23. A vast horde of Arab horsemen on Wednesday morning, during a fo''. surrounded Casablanca, churning the French camp with superb courage, despite tremendous arbillerv fire from tlio batteries and warships. When tho fire cheeked the advance Col. Drude sent out tirailleurs with mountain guns against tho largo force of Arabs concentrated on the sea-shore, quite regardless of tho Gloire’s tremendous lire, led b ,r a Kadd dressed completely in red. Tho Aloors boldly charged the infantry, but tho artillery and the warship’s machine guns stopped them. Tho Kaid stood boldly on the sky-line of the hills, refusing to retreat even when left alone. He repeatedly fired at tho French, and seemed to boar a charmed life, sinco shells, shrapnel, and rifle fire failed to touch him. Finally bo rodo slowly away, amid tlio clioers of e French. During an interlude three Arabs advanced within 500 yards of tho French position, and removed a saddle from a dead horse and retired unhurt, under a'perfect hail of bullets, shrapnel, and shell. Suddenly a great mass of horsemen on the seahoro again charged at a gallop under tho red K-aid in close formation over open ground, hardly losing a man, though every gun on land and sea was firing at a range of 1500 yards. A Gloire shell landed right in the centre of the horsemen. Alany fell, hut the rest advanced, getting within 400 yards of the foreign legion before the infantry’s withering volley firing, the mountain guns and the miitralleurs stopped the charge. The solid mass of horsemen wavered and then broke, regaining the shelter of the Hills. For a while the red Kaid charged alone, and then turned, slowly riding for cover unhurt. A third attack was repulsed.

A TWO-MILE CHARGE. HORSES UTTERLY SPENT. Received August 23, 9.52 p.m. AIOROCCO, August 23. In the battle on the seashore the Arabs charged for nearly two miles under an infernal fire. The horses svere utterly spent when the charge was stopped. Later a third attack was made with the same reckless heroism and the same result. Altogether there were four hours’ fierce fighting.