The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-29
Arabs Slaughter Another Party
of French Troops
DUTCH DISASTER IN Lamsok.
Victorious Japs Landing Troops 10
Capture Chinese Capital.
The Chinese in Korea IN BE Cut oR
Prem Their BASE Of Supplies BY
japanese seiEare OF the Passes Lead
Inc From Nsncharla-

q
received az -. Lonis, the Freaeh garrison
81 Iimhuctoo, after three days desperate
lighting with Tuaregs and other hssals
tribes whica have been besierinE that
city, made sortie. The hcleagnerInr forces.
in overwhelming numbers. fell upon the
sortie party, fairly annihilating II. This
news created CONSERVATION in army cir
eles, as il Is the second serious resistance
the French have met with in the vicinity
of Timhuetoo since that important Sou
daness town was occupied by them early
in the present year.
A French column. COMMANDED by Col.
BANNER. arrived at Timbaetoo January 1.
and two davs later 3 detachment OF
troops. with Col. BANNER at its head. sc-
companied by Col. Hugier aud the entire
stall, started out on = accommodating ex-
pedition. leaving Capt Philippe. as senior
captain, in charge OF the pos; at Tim
huctoo. This French detachment, in some
manner never fully explained 10 the pub
lie, was surprised while asleep in camp at
Dougoi, two hours march north of Gou-
dam and three DAYS march from Timbuc-
too. Tho Arabs. chiefly TuAregs. mounted
and on foot aud armed with lanees
and knives. entered the French camp by
several sides during the darkest hours of
early morning and overturned the stacked
arms in front Of the sharpshooters, who,
being surrounded. were unable 10 seize
their rifles 10 defend themselves success
fully. The Arabs massacred nearly the
entire detachment, consisting of the fifth
and eleventh companies of Soudanese
sharpshooters. A French officer, Capt.
Nigotte. though seriously wounded in the
hand, succeeded in escaping 20 a platoon
OF soldiers left some yards behind the
main camp TO guard some captured aocks.
This platoon was under the command of
Lieut. Sarda. II retreated to rimbuctoo,
bringing with il few wounded men who
had escaped the massacre At Dougoi.
The Tuaregs pursued the retreating sol
diers and practically invaded Timbuetoo,
which Capt. Philippe made haste to de-
fend pending the arrival of reinforce
ments. Ii was stated that at DougoI the
French lost nine officers, two European
sergeant-, an interpreter and one sergeant,
six eorporals and sixty-one native sharp
shooters. For the defense OF Timbuctoo
Capt. Philippe had 500 rifles and SIX can
non, but this was a very small force with
which TO hold q town of 1900 people, sit
uated amid hot, moving sands on the
verge of a morass, and having walled
inclosure about three miles in eircumfer-
ence.
But a column commanded by Col. Joifer
was on its way 10 reinforce the French at
Timbuetoo, and. having sent messengers
to the colonel and communicated with
the commander of the French flotilla on
the Niger river, the captain made the best
disposition possible of his small force,
and, with the cooperation of the populaee,
succeeded in holding out until the Joffer
column arrived. This column was CON-
posed of a company and half of sharp
shooters, a squadron of Spahis. a splendid
African cavalry. $50 auxiliary Spahis and
two guns. II also included the horses,
mules, drivers, etc. Of the first column. 10
followed the land route by Sanding.
Mouipe, NamApli. Ere. Soumpe and Gon-
dam, and met with serious opposition
during its advance. On January 20 a com
pany of sharpshooters marched on Nia-
funke, supported by cavalry and artillery.
They were confronted by two kilometres
of swamp which surrounded village. In
front OF which were 400 warriors drawn up
in battle array. The warriors charged the
French force The latter. in less than ff-
teen minutes, killed over 100 Africans.
The others took to fight and the village
was captured without any loss on
the part Of the Joffsr column. Several
other engagements took place. cannon
and cavalry being repeatedly called into
use. on February 20 the advance guard
Of the Joffer column reached Iimbuetoo.
and the latter soon afterward. Ii is, in all
probability. part Of the force OF Capt. Phil
hppe and Col Jofier, which. according to
adyices from Senegal. has been cut to
pieces BY the Arabs. IL is believed that
the garrison of Timbuetoo has. since the
Ioffer column arrived there. been again
reinforced.
The Journal des Debais has received A
| dispatch similar 10 the one made public
| this morning. This dispatch announced
that after three days lighting detach-
ment OF the garrison Of Timbuctoo made a
| sorsie. This detachment vas composed Of
| two companies. Both departments agree
/ ia stating that the detachment taking part
| in the sortie was cut 10 pieces. In
/ auiries made on this subject at tie
/ ministry Of the colonies show that
/ no confirmation OF the report has
/ been received there mp 20 this evening.
and the Official In charge expressed the
( opinion that there is no truth in the re-
/ port. claiming that II the light had oc-
/ Cured, news OF IL would have certainly
/ reached The ministry from ksyes,
I through which place all nexs must pass.
I The original dispatch from Senegal was
| received from a private source The
latest official dispatches from Ttmhuet0o
declare that the French force at that place
was inadequate to cope with the Taaregs,
who. IL is added. had been eowed by re-
cent defeats. and were indisposed TO re-
sumo ho-iilitses-
1