The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-24 00:00:00

THE FRENCH IN ALGERIA.

The following defence for the atrocious massacre in
he Debra appears in the Moniteur Algerien, of the 15th
nitant :
In order that the public may be able to appreciate
that fatal event, it is necessary that they should know
how important it was, in a political and humane point of
view, to destroy the confidence which the people of the
Dahra and other districts placed in the grottoes of Ouled
Rhia ; all those tribes, considering perfectly secure
those abodes, proved themselves at all times extremely
unruly. Under the Turks, they repeatedly refused to pay
the taxes, and when the cavalry of the Government pre-
sented itself; the entire tribe sought refuge in the
caves and could not be compelled to pay their quota of
the tribute. Abd-el-Fader himself was treated in a
similar manner by the Ibehas, in their two revolts
against him. lie succeeded, however, in reducing them
by means of his great moral influence, which enabled
him to prevail upon the neighbouring tribes to blockade
them and cut off their supplies, but such an expedient
would be inefficient in our hands ; the Arabs do not
serve the Christians as they would serve Abd-el-Kader.
Colonel Pelissier, after a successful ghazia on the terri-
tory of the Beni Zentes, summoned the Ouled Rhias to
submit. A portion of the tribe reluctantly acquiesced,
but the others having declined doing so, the Colonel was
obliged to attack them. Their warriors, beaten in the
field, withdrew into those famous grottoes, where they
had beforehand placed their wives, children, cattle, and
furniture. Colonel Pelissier invested them, not however
without the loss of several of his men. When the in-
vestment was complete, he attempted to persuade them
to come out through the medium of some Arabs who had
repaired to his camp. The latter were fired upon and
one of them was killed. Nevertheless, by dint of per-
severance, the Ouled Rhias were prevailed upon to ()pen
a parley, which lasted the whole day, to no effect.
They always replied, " Let the French camp be re-
moved, and we will quit the caves and submit." Colonel
Pelissier repeatedly promised to respect their persons
and property, not to treat them as prisoners of war, and
merely insisted on the surrender of their arms. From
time to time they were told that an abundance of fuel
had been collected to warm them, but they obstinately
refused to capitulate, and night was fast approaching.
Was Colonel Pelissier to be deterred from his purpose by
their obstinacy? The soldiers and chiefs would have loudly
blamed him. The political consequences of such a de-
termination would have been fatal, for the confidence of
the natives in the security of their grottoes would have
increased. Should he attempt to carry them by force ?
'This would have been almost impossible, and, at all
events, he would have lost many men in that subterra-
rean war, a result equally unsatisfactory for humanity.
Should he content himself to blockade them fo-r fifteen
days ; he would have lost a most valuable time for the
submission of the Dahra, and could have afforded no
assistance to Col. St. Arnaud, who was also operating in
that district. After consulting awhile he determined
to recur to the extremity suggested to him by the
Governor-General, in a case of such emergency. A
number of faggots were thrown from above into the
entrance of the cave, which were afterwards set
on fire. At one o'clock in the morning Col. Pelissier,
moved by pity, caused the fire to be extinguished, but,
unfortunately, it was too late, the catastrophe had oc-
curred. This cruel event, which afflicts us all and strikes
our imagination by its novelty in the annals of war, is
not, in reality, more barbarous than many other prac-
tices in European warfare, which are not reproved, be-
cause. of their being regarded as indispensable evils.
War, policy, and even humanity require that recourse
be had to every means, however energetic they may b',
to hasten its termination as speedily as possible. This
is also serving the interests of philanthropy ; for wars,
protracted by the use of feeble means, are the most
ruinous and the most destructive of human life. Those
incontestable principles once admitted, we ask if the
siege of the grottoes is more cruel than the bom-
barding and famishing of the entire population of the
strong towns in Europe. It is apprehended that the
catastrophe of the Ouled Rhia will fill the hearts of the
natives with a deep hatred for us. The Arabs will cer-
tainly feel hatred towards us: that feeling has always
existed, and is likely to last much longer. 'This event
will not increase it much; but it will inspire them with
a salutary terror, which will be equally favourable to
the victor and the vanquished. The Arabs now per-
ceiving that they must submit to the French yoke, that
they possess no longer any secure retreat, wilt lay down
their arms and quietly employ themselves in agricultu-
ral and commercial pursuits, which will soon repair the
evils of war. If, on the contrary, they had merely ex-
perienced an easy repression, in accord with the in-
judicious ideas of philanthropists, they would be often
tempted to revolt, in order to recover their indepen-
dence, and those repeated insurrections would be at-
tended for them with disastrous consequences, which
would render their situation much more cruel than it is
at present, in consequence of the terrible blow with
which they have been visited. It has inflicted upon
them a serious injury, it is true; but its effects are
merely momentary.
" The interests of the victorious army, and of the en-
tire of France have also their rights. If, by our forbear-
ance, we suffer the spirit of revolt to endure, we shall
often be compelled to repress, and consequently to sacri-
fice the lives of a greater number of soldiers and more
money than if, from the onset, we had made an example.
To follow such a course would not be serving the inte-
rests of humanity and philanthropy. Energetic repres-
sions produce the same results in all countries, whether
in ordinary warfare, civil wars, or emeutes. It is prefer-
able, for the sake of society and humanity, to strike one
decisive blow, than to be obliged to strike often."

SINGULAR AND FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Tuesday
Mr. Bedford held an inquestsat St. George's Hospital on the body
of James Conner, aged twenty-eight years. It appeared by the
evidence that on Friday last the deceased was employed at some new
houses now in the course of erection in Eaton-square, Pimlico.
Some other workmen were building a platform near the top, beneath
which deceased was standing, when a large iron chisel, about 18
inches in length, fell from the platform, and struck deceased upon
the head, cutting clean through the cap. He was immediately
picked up, covered with blood and quite insensible, and conveyed to
the above hospital in one of Mr. Cubitt's vans. Mr. Johnson,
house.surgeon, said deceased, when admitted, had sustained a lace-
rated wound, between two and three inches in length, on the back
part of the head, through which his brains were protruding, and
adhering to the hair and clothes; a considerable quantity of brain
appeared to have been lost. Deceased died on the following day
Verdict, " Accidental death."

•
SERIOUS OFFENCE ON THE GREAT WVTEF N
RAILWAY.— Wednesday's Government Police Gazette contains a
description of two men, John M`Kenzie and John Stewart, who
stand charged with having committed a misdemeanour, in placing
a waggon on the hne of the Great Western Railway in the neigh.
bourhood of Standish, in Gloucestershire, and endangering the
lives of divers of her Majesty's subjects, and who having absconded
on the 16th instant, warrants have been issued and rewards offered
for their apprehension.

STATIONERS' AND PAPER-MANUFACTURERS' PRO-
VIDENT SOCIETY.—The sixth annual meeting of this institution
took place on Tuesday evening, at the Gerard's Hall Tavern, City,
Vl. Gaussen, Esq., one of the Vice-Presidents, in the chair. The
report of the last year's proceedings was of a highly satisfactory
character. The object of this society is, first, to raise a capital of
10,0001., and then grant annuities or give relief to masters and
their assistants in the trade who may, from age, infirmity, or needy
circumstances, require pecuniary aid. It appears that the capital
is already 5,500/. There is also a separate fund progressing to
erect an asylum.

At the Br, afford Petty cessions ye:terday, a ma
named John Jones,of Greenford, was committed for trial, charged
with assaulting his wife on the sth inst., who has only just re-
covered sufficiently to give evidence against him. They quarrelled
about her treatment of a child, when Jones struck his wife two
blows on the head, one of which caused concussion of the brain
and made her insensible, in which state she remained for two days
Her life was at the time in great danger,