THE SITUATION IN MOROCCO.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8518, 24 August 1907, Page 4

THE SITUATION IN MOROCCO.

Received August 23, 9 a.m. MOROCCO, August 22. The Pretender rules in the northeastern part of Morocco. The Sultan Abdul Aziz's authority is non-existent outside Fez. Tribesmen are growingly convinced that he sold the country to the French. Proclamations by Mulai at Marakesh have added fresh fuel to the elements of disintegration. DETERMINED ATTACKS. ARABS BOLDLY CHARGE THE FRENCH. Received August 23, 9.30 p.m. MOROCCO, August 23. A vast horde of Arab horsemen on Wednesday morning, during a fog, surrounded Casablanca, charging the French camp with superb courage, despite the tremendous artillery fire from the batteries and warships. When the fire had checked the advance, General Drude sent out the Tirailleurs with a battery of mountain guns against a large force of A"abs concentrated on the seashore. Quite regardless of the Gloire's tremendous fire, and led by a kaid dressed completely in red, the Moors boldly charged the infantry, but the artillery, warships, ani machine guns stopped them. The kaid stood boldly on the skyline of the hills refusing to retreat even when left alone. He was repeatedly fired at by the French,and seemed to bear a charmed life since the shells, shrapnel, and rifle fire failed to touch him. Finally he rode away an id cheers from the French. During the interlude three Arabs advanced to within five hundred yards of the French position and removed a saddle from a dead horse. They the-i retired unhurt under a perfect hail of bullets, and shrapnell shell. Suddenly a great mass of horsemen on the seashore again charged at a gallop under the kaid, in close formation, over open ground, hardly losing a man, though every gun on land and sea was firing. At a range of 1,500 yards tie Gloire landed a shall right in tl e centre of the hor emsn. Many them fell, but the rest getting within 400 yards of tl e •fureign legion before the infantry's withering volley and the tiring of the mountain guns of the Tirailleurs stopped the charge. The solid 1 mass of horsemen wavered and then broke, regainirg 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. FOUR HOURS OF FIERCE FIGHTING. Received August 23, 9.52 p.m. MOROCCO, August 23. In the battle on the seashore theArabd charged for nearly two miles under an infernal fire. The horses, were utterly spent when the charge stopped. Later a third attack was made, with the same reckless heroism, and with the same result. Altogether there was four hours' fierce fighting.