BLOODLESS WARFARE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10049, 21 May 1910, Page 4

BLOODLESS WARFARE.

The campaign that is being prosecuted with great intensity of purpose in the negro republic of Liberia, between the Government forces and the Greboes, excels even some of the experiences of Admiral Dewey's fleet against the Spaniards for bloodlessness. The "war" has been raging with comic opera fferocity for eome-

;hing like four months, and when ;he latest English mail left no caslalties had been reported on either side. According to a well-known Lonion merchant who recently returned from a trip to Liberia, no one knew exactly what was the cause of the trouble. Evan the negro President Barclay shared in the general ignorance. It is generally supposed that a ten-year-old bone of contention concerning a land dispute has been unearthed, and that this alone has occasioned the disturbance. The Greboes have never at any time wasted any affection upon the Liberians, who, being the descendants of American slaves, are regarded as "outsiders." On a recent occasion a civilised Greboe named Sptke was shot dead as he was leaving his home, and the Gieboes, with nothirg to support their theory, immediately concluded that his death was the outcome of a Liberian conspiracy. War was instantly declared. The whole of the Liberian Army, 250 strong, was mobilised and entrenched on the Republican side of the river at Cape Palmas. Well out of range the indig. [ nant Greboes entrenched themselves on the ct'.er sie'e of the river. The campaign was sustained with much determination on both sides, and up to the time the London visitor left the only casualties were two Liberian palm trees wounded, and a British merchant's ledger ruiiied by a stray bullet. There was some talk at that time of calling out the Liberian militia to bring matters to a head, but as many of the able-bodied Republicans protested strongly (one claiming exemption on the ground that his mother ejected to his fighting), the possibility of hostilities being brought lo a conclusion in this fashion seemed somewhat remote. A German gunboat offered to land troops at Cape Palmas, but as the humorous side of the rising appeared to be its dominant characteristic, the offer was and the gunboat put to sea again. Ihe Liberian Minister in London regards the outbreak as a purely local affair, and has been essured that British life and propetty are in no danger. Hiaving regard to the nature of the offensive opera tions on either side this assurance is somewhat superfluous; but there is always a danger that blood may be epilt by the purest accident. If that unforseen should arise by any mischance, battle might begin in real earnest. Up to the present, however, the cabie messages have been silent so far as anything very dreadful is concerned, and it is safe to conclude either that the patient fire-eaters are awaiting a suitable opening to develop their attack, ur that the whole thing has fizzled out by effluxion of time.