FRENCH ATROCITIES IN ALGERIA. [From the Cape Frontier Times.]

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 31, 3 January 1846, Page 4

FRENCH ATROCITIES IN ALGERIA. [From the Cape Frontier Times.]

A wanton act of cruelty, as savage and revolting as any recorded in history, has been committed by a French officer in Algeria. The details will be found below. '1 he struggle between the French and the natives in the North of Africa has not been war. War, barbarous as it is at all times, has nevertheless its civilized usages and customs. Military commanders who needlessv inflict torture upon an enemy should be punished. If no law can touch them a law ought to be made. Unnecessary cruelty toward an enemy ought to be punished as a crime. In war the greatest possible degieeof mercy should be mingled with thejleast possible amount of severity. This doctrine should be expounded to the officers of the French at my, and they should not be allowed with impunity to extinguish the rights of mercy in the rights of v\ ar— as has been the practice since the French government has attempted to colonise the North of Africa, by expelling and destroying the in- j habitants. And there are men who even dare, in the 19th century, to support such atrocities by blasphemously polluting the name of the Almighty. Marshal Bugeaud, one of the French geneials in Africa, lately informed the Moors in a proclamation that it was God's will that the j French should govern iheir country, and that in resisting French rule they were opposing the ! Divine will! The Akbar of Algiers of the 5 th, July last, has the following 1 from Orleansville:-— " There has just occurred in the Dahara one of those terrible events which deeply afflict the mind of those who witness them, even when convinced of their frightful neces ity, and wheu they are justified in declaring that everything possible was done to prevent the catastrophe. It is known that the corps commanded by Colonels Pehssier, St.Arn.aud, and de l'Admirault have been carrying on combined operations iv the west. Col. Pelisser was busy in pursuing the Ouled Riahs, who have never yet submitted, as they live in immense caverns where it would be madness for the troops to enter. On the 18th of June, finding themselves closely pursued, the Ouled Riahs, flew to their usual place of refuge. After having surrounded the caverns, some faggots were lighted and thrown by the. Fiench troops before the entrance. Alter this demonstration, which was made to convince the Arabs that the French had the power, if they pleased, of suffocating them in their hiding place, the colonel threw in lelters offering to them life and liberty if they would surrender their arms and their horses. At first they refused, but subsequently they replied that they would consent if the French troops would withdraw. Tim condition was considered inadmissible, and more burning faggots were thrown. A great tumult now arobe, and it was known atterwards that arose from a discussion as to whether there should be a surrender or not. The party opposed to a sunender carried i heir point, and a few oflhe miuority made their escape. Colonel Pellisser, wishing to spare the lives of those who remaiued in the cavern, sent some Arabs to them to exhort them to surrender. They refused, and some women who did not partake of the savage fauaticism of the majority, attempted to fly, but their husbands and relations fired upon them to prevent their escape from the martyrdom which they had themselves resolved to suffer. Col. Pelissier then suspended the throwing of the burning faggots, and sent a French officer to hold a parley with the Ouled Riahs, but his messenger was received with a discharge of fire arms, and could not perform his mission. This state ot things continued till the night if the 19th, when, losing all patience, and no longer having a hope of otherwise subduing these fanatics, who formed a nucleus of revolt iv the country, the fire was renewed and rendered intense. During this time the cries of the unhappy wretches, who were being suffocated, were dreadful, and then nothing was heard but the crackling of the faggots. This silence spoke volumes. The troops eutered and found 500, dead bodies. About 150, who still breathed, were brought into the fresh air, but a portion ol them died afterwards."