Defeat of Italians

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 117, 7 November 1911, Page 5

Defeat of Italians

LOSE OVER 5000 MEN. TWO BATTALIONS SURRENDER WHOLESALE MASSACRE. AX ARAB CHARGE. GENERAL OA XEVA ALARMED. SAND STORMS. SOAKING RAINS AXD CHOLERA. By Cable—Press Association —Copyiight. 1 Received fi, 9.30 p.m. Malta, November 6. Reuters Tripoli correspondent, who is able to give an unbiassed report, states that if correspondents in Tripoli 6tated the facts they would immediately be expelled. The Turks engaged on October 23 and 26 were not more than two thousand; yet they inflicted losses of at least one thousand. . ,The was broken on Oc- f tober 26 in two places by less than two ; hundred Anjbs, who rushed the 84th ] Regiment at dawn and sained cover in the oasis. One hundred dismounted Italian cavalry saved the situation by a charge, killing the majority of the Arabs. Thirty of the Arabs, however, held the position for three days, until they were blown up bv mines. 1 General Caneva was so alarmed that I he abandoned the outer works, including a Turkish fort at Mesri. The army worked feverishly to render the inner posit : on impregnable by entrenchments and barbed wire entangle ments. The Turks and Arabs are now holding the oasis, where there i% ample food. Every orchard and garden afford natural defences and ideal positions as far as the Italian line. The "Nfrktv advanced their artillery and dropped a shell in General Caneva's headquarters. The Italians are driven to a point whence they cannot retire except by sea. The troops have passed from the greatest elation to deep depression There are sandstorms daily and soaking rains at night. There are many cases of cholera, and numbers of the troops are affected. SHOCKING MUTILATIONS. GREAT ITALIAN LOSSES. . .. IMPORTANT TITiKISH VICTORY. Received 6, !>,30 p.m. Tripoli, November I. General Caneva, interviewed, denies cruelty and massacres, and accuses the Turks of stripping Italians naked and

l I" HrtMII ami | fhockinglv and disjnistinnrlj* mutilating their bodies. I Thp Standard estimates that tlip attackers <in Oetober 20 numbere SOOO Turks and HI.OOO Arabs. The Italians lost :mt. including two battalions which surrendered. Constantinople. October (5. An important victory was pained on November 1. The Turks occupied the Italian cavalry barracks, containinglarge quantities of ammunition and provisions. MASSACRE IN' THE OASIS. A TERRIBLE STORY. ITALIANS ACT LIKE FIENDS. INNOCENT BRUTALLY MURDERER WAR CORRESPONDENTS TELL TIIE TRUTH.

COWARDLY ITALIAN GENERAL. Received ti. 11 p.m. Malta, Oetober 0. Renter's Tripoli correspondent, in a sworn statement regarding the massacres. which was counter-signed by correspondents of the Morning Post and Dailv Mirror, declares that the corre--pondintl - of the New York World and the Berlin Loral Anzciger were so disgusted that they handed their passes to ileuera! Caiieva and refused further dealings with the army. Renter's correspondent's statement affirms that until October 23 the Italians trcatid the Arabs kindly. The Bersaglieri were rightly killed by Arabs in the southeastern portion of the oasis. Afterwards <General Caiu va ordered all Arabs with arm- found in the oa-is to be shot. The order was subsequently changed to shoot all who were reasonably suspected of bearing anns. Bodies of excited soldiery, often with-

out officers. -enured the oasis fur four il:iy~. indiscriminately -hooting people. rtf.MnH(-< of whether they partook in tln* attack on tin* lli-r-aylieri. Si vi ral parties of between fifty and sixty Arab?, men and boys. were collected. their bands tied, and inarched to vacant places, where they were shot without trial. Others were -hot whilst working in their gardens. Some were bayi.nitted and cluMied with the butt _ > nlf of rifles. <bi the fourth day. after the so-called insurrection. the correspondent saw a detachment, mwf three weaponless Arab-. obv:on-lv men of property, whom they -hot without a word of explanation. Others from Tripoli state that a reign of terror exists. House-to-house searches continue, an 1 summary punishment is | meted out at the least pretence. Batches of fifty are being shot after a minute's trial before a tribunal of officers. The New York World correspondent, vioNniiy ai .'k- Cemrai C'aneva. and allege- that be was never outside the Iv.mb-proof sli,.]ter. and adds that the Arabs only mutilated corpses after the It.ili.in massacre*.

THE ITALIAN NAVY. PROTEST AGAINST ITALIAN ATROCITIES. Constantinople, November 5. Aji Italian squadron of six units has been sighted off the island of Chios. The Chambers unanimously determined to despatch a protest to the Powers against the atrocities in Tripoli. MORE TROOPS FOR TIIE FRONT. Rome, November 5. Foreign attaches inspected the Italian entrenchments in the suburbs, and eulogised the bearing of the troops and the measures for defence. It is semi-officially announced that General Frungoni, with another army corps, is proceeding to Tripoli. The Government is determined to. carry the war to a finish with the utmost energy. ! A SOMBRE PICTURE. VIEWS OF RENTER'S CORRESPONDENT. London, November 5. Reuter's correspondent, who has ar- | rived-at Malta from Tripoli, paints a [sombre picture of the' s : ituatioii there. JHe states that Tripoli is practically | besieged. The Arabs are holding fourfifths of the oasis. The. retirement. greatly discouraged the troops. I General Caneva's orders were directly res])on.sible for the slaughter of Arabs.