The Portland daily press., 1894-02-10
FIGHTING FOR A DESERT.
No Longer Any Doubt Of the Loss Of
the French Column.
WHY FRANCE is SPENDING LIVES
AND MONEY IN FRANCE.

She Hopes to Cover the Sahara With
Railroads Connecting Her Possessions
Seventy-Nine We're Killed in the
Massacre Near Timbuctoo-The Town
Is Still in the Hands of the French but
Is Surrounded by Natives.
Paris, February 9.-Latest advices
from St. Louis, Senegal, say dispatches
bearing date Of January ~, have reached
there from Timbuctoo. THESE dispatches
state that Colonel BONNER of the marine
artillery, who was in command of the
French troops who captured Timbuctoo,
had, with nine European commissioned
officers, two European sergeants, sixty
one native sharpshooters and six native
sergeants have been killed by Tuaregs
Whent he dispatches left Tim mbuctoo, the
city was surrounded by Tuaregs. Captain
Phillis, upon whom the command Of the
French forces devolyed after the death of
Col. BONNER, sends native notice to the
government of Senegal th at he is hold
ing Timbuctoo with 800 rifles and six
cannons, and intends to hold out until
reinforcements arrive.
For many years France has been adj
vancing steadily into the country south
of Algeria She has met with many
successes and many reverses In the
Oasis of Touat and in, the Tuareg
country, Immediately south of it, where
the above cable says the Timbuctoo
flying column has been surprised and
defeated, France has had constant
trouble through the intrigues of the Sui
tan of Morocco. The Oasis of Touat is
in the great Desert of Sahara, nearly
equi-distant from Morocco and Algeria,
The chief town is AGably. 1t IS on the
caravan route from Tripoli to- Timbuctoo
and is one of the most important places
in the desert. 1t is; said that France is
moved to the acquisition of this territory
by her desire to control the country back
of Algeria to Senegal, SO that she may be
able to construct a railroad to connect
those two Frenh possessions in Africa.
The inhabitants of Touat are warllke
and fanatical, and many massacres OF
foreigners, particularly of venturesome
French explorers. have occurred there.
The railroad spoken of is to extend
from Algeria southwark through
Laghouat Ouargia and Touat to Bamba.
Thence it will run westerly to Ilmbuc
too, and from there will extend to the
WoSU COdSU Ol AIElCdt clutllS az NJ. AotaAf!s
Senegal. From Bamba it is proposed to
build a branch line in a southeasberly
direction extending into and tapping the
central and eastern parts of the French
Soudan.
Beyond the oasis of Figuig. which, it
was conceded, belonged to Morocco, the
Saharian region was little known and
there appeared to belno claimant for it.
Since that time French colonists have
gone further south. By the occupation
Of Senegal and the extension of French
domination toward the Niger, France has
to some extent control of the Sahara.
That immense tract is said to be in reall-
ty much less of desert than is popular
ly supposed. The French say it is the
Hintere and of theirqAigefian colony. At
any rate, an arrangement was made IN
1890 with England by which Frances
claims were formally recognized.
Morocco, in trying to get grasp OF the
region that was reserved by the treaty OF
1915, cuts off the French road to Tim.
buctoo. Touat is in the same meridian
as Alpiers. Besides, the Sultan OF
stantly stirring up the natives OF that
district to resist the French and hence
menace Alglers.
There are about two hundred thousand
people who inhabit the oases of Gouara.
Aougerout, Touat and Tidikelt, which
all lie in group in the desert, and they
are warlike and fanatical. The region
is much traversed bv caravans on their
way to and from the Soudan and
Morocco. The oasis of Touat is of great
Importance to France as basis of opera
tions in her attempts to open up the
country between the oasis and Lake
Tchad. and though the attempts to
subdue the warlike natives of the
country will necessitate large expendi-
ture of money, to say nothing of the
lives of the soldiers, it is believed that
France will persist in her determination
to rule the oasis.