FIGHTING IN TRIPOLI.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10470, 7 November 1911, Page 5

FIGHTING IN TRIPOLI.

DARING OF THE ARABS

ITALIANS DRIVEN TO THE SEA

'(Received Last Night, 9.35 o'clock.) MALTA, November 6.,

Router's Tripoli correspondent, who is able to givo an unbiased report, states that if the correspondents at Tripoli had stated the facts they would have been immediately expelled. The Turks engaged in the fighting on the 23rd and 26th of October wore not more than two thousand, yet they inflicted losses of at least one thousand. Tho Italian line was broken on the 2Gth in two place.- by less than two ■hundred Arabs, who rushed the 84tb Regiment at dawn, and gained cover in tho oasis. One hundred dismounted Italian ■cavalry saved the situation by a charge, killing the majority of the Thirty, of the Arabs, however, held the position for, three days, until they were blown up by mines. - ' General Caneva was so alarmed ■that he abandoned the outer works, including the Turkish fort at Mesri. The army worked feverishly to render the inner position impregnable, entrenchments and barbed wire entanblemente being constructed. ' The Turks and Arabs are now holding the oasis, where there is ample food. . Every orchard and garden will afford a natural defence. It is an ideal position so far as the -Italian line is concerned. The Turks advanced with their artillery, and dropped a shell in General Caneva's head-quarters. The Italians have been driven to a point from whence they cannot retire, except by sea. ,The troops have passed from the greatest elation to a condition of the ■deepest depression. Sand-storms are experienced daily, with soaking rains at night. Many cases of cholera have been reported, including some among the troops.

UNSPEAKABLE HORRORS

BRUTAL ATROCITIES OF ITALIANS.

A REIGN OF TERROR

'(Received Last Night, 10.30 o'clock.)

MALTA, November 6. Reuter's Tripoli correspondent has •sworn to the statements concerning the massacres. This was countersigned by the correspondents of the Morning Post and the Daily Mirror, he de.T clares, at the request of the British Consul at Tripoli. The correspondents of the New York World arid the Berlin Lokalan-Zeiger were so disgusted that they handed their passes to General Caneva and re fused to have further dealings' with the i army. * The statement affirms that until October 23rd the Italians treated the Arabs kindly at Bersaglieri, andright- ,, ly shot the Arabs, in the south-eastern portion of the basis. ' \ Afterwards General Caneva ordered ' all Arabs with arms in the oasis to be Bliot. ;

Finding that the Arabs were hiding their arms, the order was to shoot all who were reasonably suspected of bearing arms. Bodies of excited soldiery, often without officers, scoured the oasis for four days, ■ indiscriminately shooting the Arabs, regardless of whether they partook in the attack on Bersaglieri. Several parties of fifty and sixty Arab men and boys were collected. Their hands were tied, and they were marched to yaeant places, where they were shot without a trial. Others were shot while working in the gardens. Some were bayonetted and clubbed to death with the butt ends of the rifles. On October 27th, after a so-called insurrection, the correspondent saw a detachment meet three weaponless Arabs, obviously men of property, and •shoot thorn without a word of explanation. Other reports from Tripoli state that that a reign of terror prevails. house searches continue, and summary punishment is meeted out on the least pretence, batches of fifty being executed after a minute's trial before a tribunal of officers. The New York World's correspondent violently attacks General Oaneva. He alleges that the General was never outside bomb-proof shelter, and adds : "The Arabs only mutilated the corpses after the Italian massacres."

THE REPORTED CRUELTIES

ANOTHER STORY. * ITALIANS LOSE FIVE THOUSANDS. (Received Lasct Night, 9.35 o'clock.) !.., . TRIPOLI, November 6. , General Caneva, in an interview, denied the reports of cruelty and massacres by the Italian troops. He accused the Turks of stripping the Italians naked and shockingly and •disgustingly mutilating their bodies. The Standard estimates that the attackers on the 26th numbered 8000 Turks and 1600 Arabs. The Italians lost 5000, including two battalions, which surrendered. ANOTHER TURKISH VICTORY.

ITALIAN BARRACKS OCCUPIED,

CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 6. An important victory was won by

ITALIANS SUFFER DISASTER

United Press Association—By Elestric Telegraph—Copyright

tho Turks on November Ist

The Turks occupied the Italian cavalry barracks, and secured largo quantities of ammunition and provisions.