Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-25
SHEIK ABDALLAH'S FORCES.
Brooklyn Eagle.


II is not the FIRST time that Sheik Alb
dullah has annoyed the British lion. He
has an aggravating way of disturbing
that animals repose just when he is pre-
pairing Tor a period of we'll earned somnO-
lence. To be under the protection of
Christian power is always a thing ex-
ceedingly distasteful to people of Moham-
medan faith. but nowhere have the adher-
ents OF the prophet been so successful in
resisting European inroads as In this re-
gion. More than once they have proven
.victors, and never during the past thirty
years have they acknowledged the rule OF
Great Britain or of the. Khedive Of Eu-
rope. The Mullah may be mad. but there
seems to be considerable method I'm his
madness.
Lieutenant Colonel Eric ]. Eagles
Swayne was placed in command of the
British operations against Sheik AbdullalI
when the present trouble came to a head
about month ago. He is thoroughly ex-
perienced in the irregular fighting he is
called upon to lead. He gained a pretty
thorough knowledge OF Somaliand hunt
ing big game. 1t is a country full OF wide
elevated plains, over which roam great
herds of wild beasts, who prey upon one
another and are in turn hunted by the
natives. Just who the natives are is UNI
certain. They themselves claim to be de-
scendants of noble Arabs driven away
from the neighborhood OF Mecca by the
invasion OF Mohammed. They have no
written history, but every child is taught
his family genealogy and most of them
can recite it for from twenty-five to
twenty-four generations back, which
would bring them back about to the days
OF Mohammed. Prior to that there is no
evidence OF their having inhabited the
land. though there is plenty Of evidence
OF its having been the scene of an earlier
and highly organized civilization. Proba-
bly, the Somalis are of arabic origin. Ger
tainly they are not of the negroid type of
me native African races.
Lieutenant Colonel Swayne modestly
asked for 5000 men. The home govern
ment decided that in that case he prob
ably needed a bout 5000. He trained native
levies who. England icomfortabl told IT.
self. could flight i'm these regions under
conditions that would kill other troops"
And so Colonel Swayne was expected to
make bricks without straw. win battles
without men. The native levies had not
the training and the steadiness of John
Bulls regular troops and they gave way
before the ardor of the Mullahs attack.
The British arms had met disaster and
Colonel Swayne was invaded home Ito
act as adviser to the Foreign Office" And
General Manning was sent out to com
mand a force of 5000 British troops and
subdue the rebellion. The rebellion, it is
assumed, will not be subdued until Britain
is given as a peace offering another big
slice of African territory.
3 That General Manning is to have 5000
British troops does not for a moment
mean that he is to be backed by an army
of 5000 Englishmen. Probably Africa,
since the days of the Cartha ginians. has
seen no such army as that is to march
under the British colors in this Somali-
land expedition. Such varied types OF
fighting men, serving under a mere hand,
full Of officers of a totally different race
and creed. unaccompanied by troops of
their own nation. have probably never
been seen before Five thousand war
riors.-Sikhs from the Punjab. Hindus
from Bombay, black regiments from East
Africa and Central Africa, and regiments
of Soudanese. A complete native hospital
train from India. and In all that British
host about to fight under the Union Jack
not a single company of English troops,
and 80 few officers OF the English race
that they might easily pass unnoticed in
the crowd The newly conquered Beers
even volunteered to form a regiment for
service In East Africa. but the govern
ment. thanking them for their offer. could
not see it's way to availing itself of their
services.
Opposed to these the 1ullah has 1900
rifles "a Maxim and about 1000 spearmen,
and his force is growing during the Brit
ish delay through the necessity of coll
lecting transport. establishing wells. food
depots and transport reserves for the line
Of communication. Also the British are
of necessity awaiting supplies, for the
country is without resources.