THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1902. SOMALILAND.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 278, 4 November 1902, Page 2

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1902. SOMALILAND.

Times without number during the Boer War we have heard it said that the lessons learned would be of immense benefit to Great Britain. No more would she underrate her foes and send an insufficient ill provided force, no more would she hesitate to take advice from those

who were at the seat of trouble and in "a position to know the exact state of affairs. Now, while still the echoes of angry sluts a- e wafted from South Africa, we find that in another part of that Dark Continent a similar series of blunders is being made. To be sure, the result will not be so disastrous a* in the Boer war, but still it will be sufficient to point the moral To begin with, it is necessary to know something of the district where the fighting is at present taking place—Somaliland, a stretch of coast along the Gulf of Aden, became a British protectorate under the Government of India in 1881. Four years ago the Imperial Govern - merit took control, and in order to maintain order among the wild tribes who inhabited the countrj ) ordered a general surrender of arras. A sullen resentment soon turned into active hostility when the Mad Mullah, a religious fanatic, took upon himself the leadership of the natives and established his stronghold in the Dolbahanta country, in the centre of Somaliland. Here he created a reign of terror, killing and looting without mercy, and he was soon so strong that he was able to defeat the Abyssinian troops sent to effect his capture. The country was rapidly falling back into its old savage state, and in 1900 King Menelik of Abyssinia proposed to Britain (which had hitherto remained quiescent) that a combined movement should be made against the Mullah. However, although strongly advised by the British Resident to accept the offer, the Imperial Government decided against any action. The Mullah continued his atrocities unchecked till 1901, when the British Government, though slow to move, was at last compelled to take action, and an expedition under Colonel Swayne left Berbera to co-operate with a force under Menelik’s famous General, Ras Makounen. After continuous heavy fighting for three months, the Mullah was utterly routed. However, he was still at large, and gathering arms and ammunition, he tried to regain his former power.

Her* the British Government committed its old'raistake —that of underrating its enemy, and a second expedition, under Colonel Swayne, was so small that its flying column was badly cut up. This temporary success has put fresh heart into the Mullah’s followers, and they are pushing their advantage forward. Reinforcements are badly needed, and as capable volunteers are forthcoming in Africa and in India there is no adequate reason for delay. It is to be hoped that the force will be got together and despatched as soon as possible, for it is evident that there is to be some heavy fighting before the Mullah can be forced to sink into the obscurity from which he sprung.