The herald., 1893-10-04
MAsSACRED BY THE MOORS,
Slaughter Of Spanish Soldiers
in Morocco.
The Battle at Aelilla Was Fierce
and Bloody.
A Note Sent to the Sultan by Spain De
manding Full Repsration, and
Naval Squadron to
Enforce 1t.

By the Associated Press
MADRID, Oct. 3.-The council OF min
listers held long sitting today to dis
cuss the Moorish question. 1t was de-
cided unanimously that the Moors must
be severely chastised for the attack on
the Spanish troops. The gunboat Cueroo
was dispatched to Melilla. The ship Lelas-
pi also sailed with troops to reinforce the
Melilla garrison. The latest reports of
the battle say 100 Spaniards, or about
ene-third of the force engaged, are hors
du combat.
Further particulars of the fight be-
tween the Moors and Spanish troops who
were engaged in erecting fort near
Melills, show that the fighting was of
the most desperate character. Three
hundred Spanish troops were attacked
by 5000 Moors, armed with Winchester
repeating rifles. The Spaniards
withstood their charges repeatedly,
fighting with the utmost discipline and
bravery till their ammunition was near
ly exhausted, when they were forced to
retreat, and at the same time protect
the laborers at work on the fort. Again
and again, on the retreat to Melilla, the
little body of troops seemed about to be
overwhelmed by the force of superior
numbers and the fanatical bravery OF
the Moors, but, forming back to back,
they fought off the pursuers until final
ly reinforced by small squadron of
cavalry from Melilla. Most desperate
fighting continued up to the very walls
of Melilla fort, from the ramparts of
which continuous fire from rapid-fire
guns was poured into the pursuing
Moors, relieving the stress upon the
small body of retreating Spaniards, and
allowing them finally to get safely in
side the fort.
The suherings of the Spanish troops
throughout the day of battle, beneath
the burning sun, without food and water.
is almost beyond comprehension. The
Spaniards tried as much as possible to
rescue their wounded from the hands of
the Arabs, but the inferior number of
the Spanish troops prevented them
from saving many of the brave soldiers
who were wounded, and who were
killed numerically by the charging
Arabs. The guns of the fort were ad-
mirably handled and their fire wrought
terrible havoc among the Moors, but
the number of Moorish soldiers killed
will probably never be known, owing to
the fact that the Moors managed to
carry off their dead and dying. The
Spanish troops destroyed the Arab
villages on the heights, and also num-
Der of the mosques and houses, and did
all the damage possible in many ways
to the enemy.
After the Moors had retreated for good
beneath the walls of the fort it was seen
that Is Spsniards had been killed, and
35 more, including two officers, wound
ed. The Spanish troops at Melilla are
now in very unenviable position, sur
rounded by force of Arabs which is be-
ing increased hourly, and for the time
are very hard pressed. A mounted mes
senger sent to the coast brought the news
of the battle. Large reinforcements of
troops have been ordered to leave Mala-
ga and Seville for the front.
When this dispatch wss sent rein
forcements were already leaving Spain,
and before many days have passed the
garrison at Melilla will be in position
to take the offensive.
At meeting of the cabinet today it
was decided to dispatch a diplomatic
note to the sultan of Morocco, whose
authority, however, is merely nominal
over the desperate tribes OF Arab and
Morish horsemen. to protest against the
action of the Moors and insist upon
redress. In addition Spanish warships
will be Immediately sent to Tangier to
support the diplomatic note referred to.