The Washington times., 1907-08-12
FEARFUL LOSS
BY THE ARABS
At CASABLANCA
General Drude Asks For
Re-enfOrCementS to
His 1000 Men.
War May Spread Over
Morocco and North
Africa.

TANGIER. Aug. I2.-From an insur-
rection and protest by arms against
being disciplined for murders, the
trouble at Cassblanca has become a
general campaign against fnvasions by
Europeans. and armed fanaucal Arabs.
fearless and confident IN their faith.
arc making attempts against General
Drude.
Fearful slaughter is in progress. ma
chine guns having inflicted fearful loss
on the Arabs. hut the tribesmen rally
after a re2uise and come back for more.
They are, for the most part. troopers
mounted on superb horses.
General Drude has asked for re-en-
forcements, declaring that with his
present force OF 2.0GC men his position
is untenable. The numbers of the
tribesmen are increasing rapidly.
Couriers Calling to War.
Couriers are going about calling the
Inhabitants 10 war. The response Is i'm
mediate It is likely that the war Will
spread throughout Morocco and eventu-
ally North Africa. General Drude is
maintaining a stubborn defense OF
Casablanca, but there Is nothing moro
to defend there than the consulateS.
The rest Of the city has been battered
TO pieces. Scarcely a house or wall Is
standing that is not filled with gaping
holes made by shells from the French
and Spanish warships. The Arabs made
determined attack on General Drude's
forces. Mounted on Eorses, the tribes
men executed a picturesque nlaneuver,
and then charged the French troops. be
ing Te-cnforCed by foot soldiery and
bushWhacheTs.
Heavy Loss in Engagement.
A hot engagement ensued. Machine
guns, mounted on the roofs OF houses,
poured hot fire into the Arabs and the
rinemen kept up "a withering fire. The
loss was heavy. Dead Arabs are strewn
all over the ground and the lighting has
kept up 90 inCessantly that time has
not been found TO bury or cremate the
dead. AS Il result pesuIence is feared.
In Casa5lanca, some Of the narrow
streets are chOked with dead MOOrs,
VINO while fleeing IN a body were trap
ped 10y French troops and moved down.
or were buried in the ruins OF buildings
pounded down by shells from the war
ships.
LoOting Of the City.
Details OF the looting OF the city es-
| tablish the fact that the situation is as
! pad AS II can be, and that the fighting
Is away beyond the proportions de
/ scribed IN meager reports. One CORE
! spondent says that the Spaniards FIRST
I began lOoung. each man guarding his
own shop and pillaging his neighbOr s.
| Then the Hebrews crept out OF their
! places Of hiding. lOotiug wherever they
could. When the foreign legion was dis
| tributed throughout the city, the de-
structiOn was complete.
| The Arabs seemed equally possessed
! Of the lust for plunder. and the WantoU
desire for destruction of property, and
! hOrdes OF them went through houses
destroying, burning, numbering. Women
and children were killed and IN many
| instances the Arabs clashed over booty
/ Many COrpSes with great bullet wounds
attest 10 the action Of the long Arabian
rifle at close range.
Two Hundred Girls Carried Of.
! The attempt 70 follow the tribesmeu
and rescue 200 Hebrew girls who were
| carried off has been abandoned tenn
! porarily for the troops have all they
| can do to hold their own position with
out attacking
The Arabs are not fighting 10 re-enteI
! Casa blanca now. That Is, the city Is
! absolutely ruined and not worthy. from
| the standpoint Of the tTibeSmen, to be
/ captured. The lighting now is purely
''in "a holy cause" the sole purpose be-
/ ing the slaughter OF the foreigners. The
! desperation OF the fanatics Is evidenced
| by the occupation Of a French hotel, a
| high stone building within the British
consulate lines and close 10 the Spanish
| consulate They poured a furious rife
| fire from the windows, and for many
/ hours held their position. Lieutenant
! De Tyssiers, who commanded thirty
| men from the French cruiser Galilee
| made a sOrtie. surprised the natives iT
| the hotel. and returned to the consulate
/ with their bayCnets dripping. Machine
/ and the tribesmen are now held at Q
| dfgrurra