LORD BALFOUR

Hokitika Guardian, 14 April 1925, Page 4

LORD BALFOUR

DAMASCUS DEMONSTRATION. APBUtALIAN AND N.Z. CABLB ASSOCIATION. LONDON, April 10. A despatch from Beirut says:—Earl Balfour and Ills party were forced to leave the city of Damascus owing to the continued demonstration by the Syrian mobs. French soldiers were called out to suppress the disorders, and they used their bayonets in dispersing the angry crowd, which stoned them. It is estimated that forty were injured. The Syrian police escorted Lord Balfour and -his party as far as Cliorta. while the police of the Lebanon district accompanied them to Beirut. Upon the. party’s arrival in the latter city, they immediately hoarded a French steamer, which sails on April 12th.

Meanwhile there are French soldiers guarding the wharf where the vessel is lying, who are forbidding anyone to go aboard. Yesterday opened here ominously, but quietly. The shops ami offices were closed. Crowds thronged the streets, but shortly nftcr midday, a roar from the crowd was audible from Lord Balfour's hotel, a quarter of a miles from the Square.

Despite the efforts of mounted police a mob of five thousand, using sticks and stones, broke through the cordon, and then rushed the hotel, driving hack a small force of mounted police and gendarmerie. One French gendarmerie officer singly charged the crowd, and he broke their formation, thus enabling his men to rally, and to push them hack to a sale distance. The F.ench gendarmerie repeatedly fired in Hie air. Finally African cavalry was brought up and then crowds tied to the sides of the streets, before the African soldiers’ swords. Then light armoured Cars arrived on the scene in the afteinoon. while fresh Colonial troops were marched into the town in the evening, and they took up positions in the Square to prevent any of the mobs from reassembling;- Thu civilian casualties totalled about fifty, of which fifteen were taken to the hospital, three being in a dangerous condition. Lord Ralour was very distressed, but he expressed great satisfaction that none of the rioters were shot. General Sarrail (French Commander) Visited Lord Balfour at his hotel in Hie afternoon. The General evidently recommended Lord Balfour s louring Damascus, for an hour later. while General .Sarrail halted his motor car on the Diego, opposite the hotel, causing all eyes to centre on it, and while a further diversion was created by aeroplanes living overhead and dropping smoke bombs. Lord Balfour lelt the hotel ill a motor ear unnoticed. LONDON. April 11. The ‘’Morning Host's’’ Cairo correspondent states:—“lt is reported Lord Balfour is disillusioned and that lie stated lie would not have come to Syria if he had been warm’d.”