American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-06-11
The French Occupation OF Tanis.

| The Tunisian army is supposed to
number some 10000 troops of all arms.
but the body-guard alone is pretty well
equipped. and there may be two or
three other regiments, wretchedly clad
and poorly paid, that occupy a few
fortified positions on the coast. but that,
as now organized, are utterly incapable
of entering on a campaign. This army
on paper, however, is commanded By
| upwards of thousand officers, among
whom are two hundred General. Adj
mirals AMI others of high degree.
| These officers, as, indeed, all the court
| officials, allow their subordinates to
pick up precarious existence as they
can, and the soldiers deem themselves
happy when they are placed on duty at
the guardhouse. as there they are in
sured some scanty provisions until re-
lieved by sickness or death. All these
people, high and low. are thus depend
ent on court favor and charity for their
subsistence, and it is not astonishing
that the Bey is sometimes driven to the
employment of such resources as may
undermine his power. chic among
which is the tribute levied from the
wandering Arabs that form the main
part of his population. These tribes
are made up of rowing bandits, prin-
cipal among which are these Kroumi s,
who, by their forays and depredations
on Algerian territory, have brought
about the invasion of Tunis, and that
which will probably eventuate in a
French protectorate for that country.
These Arabs are brave and enterpris-
ing, cruel and bigoted, disdaining tho
authority of the Beg as they do both
suffering and death, and it is only by
an agonizing one influential tribe
against another that some semblance of
power is vested in the Regency. These
tribes generally occupy mountain fast
nesses on the frontiers of Algeria, on
the fringe of the desert, where. when
pursued, they can find safe refuge.
Since the French first occupied Algeria
in 1880, the Kroumirs have made each
spring foray similar to those of the
Mexican Indians on our territory, and
have then crossed the frontier with
their spoils.
There is thus strip of land some
thirty miles IN breadth between Tunis
and Algeria, that is in many parts of
the richest description. but that
through these bandits is rendered quite
uninhabitable. Thee razzias are made
in the early spring, when the cattle are
driven to the mountain pastures, and
are generally composed of about two
hundred Arabs, strongly armed and
mounted on swift horses. They range
sometimes at q great distance from
their Businesses, and almost invariably
return with herds of camcls, horses and
cattle, the product of which forms their
means of subsistence for the remainder
of the year. These expeditions are
sometimes unsuccessful. especially when
they are met by the French troops or
their native allies, but owing the fleet
ness of their horses and the Intimate
knowledge they possess of the country,
pursuit is generally made in vain, as
the Tunisian Government would not
allow the French column to pass the
frontiers. This state of affairs led to
angry recriminations and complaints,
and last year, under pressure. the Bey
granted an indemnity of 200, 600 francs
and insured the restitution of upward
of thousand head of cattle, forming
rough estimate of the depredations
made by these tribes on Algerian terri
tory. This spring, however, on re-
newal of these complaints, the Tunisian
delegates not only refused all indemnity
for such theits, but actually brought
counter claim against the Algerian
tribes amounting to heavier sum
than The French called for, and later
tried to exact the cession OF a strip Of
Algerian territory, as they claimed that
the French had invaded the Tunisian
frontiers. This is the main origin of
the trouble between the two Powers,
and although the tribes have now Of
fered to submit to the Bcy, the French
have entered on n camgaign that must
lead to the subjectOn, If not the sper-
sion of the Kroumir and Ouchetetas
tribes. ---Cor. San Francisco Chronicle.