Killed in Sleep.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 97, 17 April 1914, Page 5

Killed in Sleep.

THE MAD MULLAH'S MARCH

TROUBLE IN SOMALILAND. [Bi Elboteio Telegbaph—Cgpybight] [United Pbess Association.] (Received 9.0 a.m.) '' . Aden, April 10. The Mad Mullah is advancing along the coast, hoping to encircle Berbera. A party of Dervishes raided the Musa Abokr pastures, . seventy miles below Berbera, and cut the throats of thirteen sleeping herdsmen. The British sphere of interest in Somaliland and on the coast of the Gulf of Aden, which has existed since 1884, is known as the Somaliland Protectorate. It has about 400 miles of coast, and extends inland 300 miles at its deepest point. The Somaliland Battalion of the King's African Rifles formed the military force originally. It was strengthened from 1908 to 1909 by reinforcements of Indian troops, owing to the threatening attitude of the Mullah Mohammed Abdullah, the restriction of whose activities from 1901 to 1904 had cost the British Government between £2,000,000 and £3,000,000. In January, 1903, the Mullah was denounced at Mecca as an imposter, and in March 1910 the Government, adopting the view that his influence was declining and that the friendly tnVs, if assisted tjvith arms, woirid be able to defend :themselves against his raids, announced that the regular troops were to be withdrawn to the coast, The 6th King's African Rifles (Somali Battalion) was then disbanded, and an Indian contingent 200 strong, with four British officers, was retained as tho garrison of the coast towns. These troops were, however, dispensed with in April 1913, reliance being placed on a new camel constabulary 150 strong. While the camel corps was engaged on a reconnaissance at Odivein in August 1913 it encountered a strong force of the Somaliland Mullah, and suffered a severe reverse, its commandant, Mr R. C. Corfield, being killed. It was announced in September that an Indian contingent would again be stationed in the coast towns. The chief town is Berbera, with a population of about 30,000.