Evening star., 1907-09-04
WEARING ON FRANCE
Continuous Moorish Attacks
Try Her Endurance.
SITUATION GETS SERIOUS
Mulai Hafg Threatens to Proclaim
Holy War.
MONDAYS CASA BLANCA FIGHT
Allied Force Will Have to Be Largely
Increased Before Order Is
Restored.
SITUATION GETS SERIOUS
CASA BLANCA FIGHT

PARIS, September 4.-The news of Mon
days sanguinary engagement near Casa
Blanca has shocked as well as surprised
France. The fighting demonstrated that
the Moroccan situation is steadily growing
more serious, and that although France is
constantly victorious the dogged, fanatical
resistance of the Moors, who appear to be
mobilizing in larger numbers, may neces-
state a distinct enlargement Of the allied
forces in order to bring the fighting to an
end.
The fierce assaults of the enemy are be-
lieved to be due to Frances failure to an
initiate the Moors during the early stages
OF the expedition, a result which France
was unable to accomplish on account OF
the restrictions imposed on her by the AL
geciras convention. NJ Regnault, the
French minister at Tangier, left Paris to-
day for Spain. where he will confer with
the Spanish officials on the subject of the
enlargement Of the action and corporation
of Spain and France.
Premier Clemenceau today conferred with
War Minister Picquart on the develop
ments in Morocco.
Conference Of the Powers.
The Libre Parole declares that the cabi-
net has considered a proposition made to
Gen. Drude, commanding the French forces
at Casa Blanca, by Mulai Hafig, that If the
recognize Mulai Hafig as sultan he will un-
dertake to restore order. He asks, as a
pledge Of good faith, that the powers per-
NIT him to have the arms and ammunition
which are detained at Mogador, and says
II his proposition is not accepted he will
preach a holy war.
The cabinet, the Libre Parole adds, has
resolved to place the matter before the
powers. but at the same time 1t was de-
cided to send Gen. Drude further reinforce
ments Of artillery and colonial troops from
Senegal.
Enemy's Losses Heavy. ~
CASA BLANCA, September Slight
Frenchmen were killed and seventeen
wounded m an engagement yesterday ont
side the camp The dead include Maj.
Provost Of the LIST Battalion of Foreign Le-
cation and Lieut.. Benizzas OF the I'd Bat
talon of Algerian Sharpshooters. The
Moors concentrated the largest force they
had yet mustered in this vicinity, and re-
turned to the attack again and again after
encountering the deadly fire of the French
losses are described as enormous. The
fighting was started by an attack made by
the Moors on French scouting party.
French Foreign Legion.
Dispatches from Casa Blanca announce
that in yesterdays fighting the French loss
included Commandant Provot, who was in
command of the detachment Of the Foreign
Legion.
Commandant Provot, with two companies
of the Foreign Legion and half q battery of
quick frers, was the officer who was sent
out on a reconnaissance by Gen. Drude
August 30 and was surrounded by 1.5O0
Arab horsemen. He behaved well. Form
ing mis- 800 legionaries into a hollow
square he stood OFF the enemy till REIN
forcements could reach him, when the
Arabs were defeated with heavy loss.
The Foreign Legion, as its name lndi-
Gates, Is recruited from foreigners. Men of
any nationality are accepted and they form
what is perhaps the finest assortment Of
miscellaneous adventurers to be found any,
where. The officers are nearly all French,
that. One of the officers now serving in
front Of Casa Blanca Is Japanese. Tho
legion consists of two regiments. of two
battalions each, a battalion being about 500
men. The term OF enlistment is five years,
and the headquarters of both regiments are
in Algeria. The legion is not sent to
France, but is used in any Of the colonies
where it may be required.
Spanish Refugees.
CADIZ, Spain. September Am officer OF
the Spanish warship Numanoia, now of
Tangier arrived here today. He reported
that a number Of Spanish families have
sought refuse on the vessel and that alarm
reigns at Tangier.
Raisuli Sits Still.
TANGIER, September 4.-Natve advices
received here today say that Raisuli is
camped with the Ben Istan tribe and has
declared to it's leaders that he does not in
tend to march either on Tangier or on
Tetuan.