The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-25
DEFEAT OF SULTAN RABAH.
The French Are Taking Possession of the
Lake Tchad Region.

Lhke Acuhu nektons
Great Britain and France signed a treaty In
March. last year. by which the Central Soudan.
including the group Of native states around
Lake Tchai I. zane within Frances exclusive
sphere Of influence. THE SrN said at the time
that France would not be able to control a foot
OF the vast region til she had conquered the
Sultan Rabah. whose capital wa near ths
south end Of Lake Tchad who. by fifteen
years Of oon1uests. hal carved out "A large em-
plre for himself. After destroying the first
French expedition that entered his t~crritorv
last summer. he at last met a severe da'Nat at
the hands OF n strong French force advancing
from tho French Congo region. The victory.
however. does not appear to have been decisivs
for the French commander reports that he IL
not strong enough to advance to Lake Tchnd
and he is content. for the present. to hold his
ground AT Tounia without challen ging liabah
10 another fght.
Last year France sent out three expeditions
from Algeria, Senegal and the French Congo.
respectively. to converge upon the Lake Tchad
region and establish her influence there. This
adv ance OF the party from Soncgi Il was checked
In n most abrupt and tragic manner through
the murder in cold blood of Col. KlObb by the
two leaders Of tho expedition whom he had
been sent TO superscdc. \ few days later the
murderers were put to death by their " fol.
lowers and thus the expedition ended. The
Foureau-L amy expedition. with n baggage
train OF l.2O camels and some horses, crossed
the Sahara and, at last accounts. was on the
southern edge Of the desert. not vet having
ventured into Rablh's territory, The advanc,
detachment of The third expedition. known as
the Gentil- Brctonnet mission. coming from
the northern Congo basin. entered I,abah's
I'll Tram IN .Anth amt NNn t.rn t.a l %
annihilatcd. Rabah himself lel the attack
upon the party, which was com nanled by NJ.
companions and all but three othjs Scnrralaso
sharp,hooters were slain on the Held OF battle.
n; a." H'hag!e. was taken prisoner. aud the
Gentil, hearing Of tho fate VI his advance party.
wisely returned. 10 the French Congo for re-.
enforeeme9ts. Alter securing the as.istanc.
the French Congo. he returned north. and II IL
he who now reports IA great but dearly won vie.
tory over the conIueror OF ,he Central Sondan.
NJ. Gentil is well rcmem herrl as the enter.
%nrising traveller who in 1897 carried u small
steamer, the Leon Blot, across the Shari. Congo
divide, launched it in the shari ami steamed
%torrrise that won MIN much rrnown. At That
time lie stcle n march on Rahah ana he an his
%tentate got after him. Al last, however. he mas
met Rabah at Kouna. some distance south Of
the lake where he found the Sultan strongly
intrenched. with l2,oUO men. 1900 rifles and
three cannon. Gentils party was only n hand.
ful in comparison. but their superior skill in
the use OF firearms won the day. The shells
from Gentips feel guns DESTROYED two OF
Rabah's cannon. The fight was long and hard.
Habah .himsalf was wounded and at last his
forces fled. He had conquered scores OF native
chiefs in his long fight for empire, but his
soldiers were no match for the trained sharp
shooters OF Senegal under European command
But Gentils force was so badly crippled that
he did not think II wise to venture further
north Forty.three Of his men were killed and
four Europeans and lOj sharpshooteS, were
wounded With only half Of his force left for
service Gentll decided to attempt nothing
more than 10 hold his ground and at last ac-
counts his party was in camp not far from the
scene OF the terrible fight. He reports that
Rabah was completely dcmOraliZel by his
losses which were between 1000 and 1900
Killed. The governor Of the French Congo has
sent strong recnforcements TO ENABLE Gentil To-
continue his march north, and The Sultan ot
Bagirmi,over whom Rabah has lonStyrlnni2ed.
poets are that Rabahs reign OF terror is about
over and that Gentil will be able to carry out
his plan OF marching north an joining forc,s
with the. Foureau.Lamv expedition which
brought from Algeria "A large supply Of mu-
nitiOns and. in a military sense. is the strongest
party that ever crossed tho Sahara.
Rabah is between 30 and - years OF age.
For more than fifteen wears he has played an
important part in the history OF Central Africa.
THE SuN has already told all that IL known OF
the conquests by which this son OF a slave
woman succeeded in founding. In the coun-
tries around Lake Tchai. one ~ those power-
ful military empires that appear and disap.
pear with such rapidity in Africa,