The Washington times., 1908-08-23
Morocco'S Sultan Flees Be
fore Brother, After a
Bloody Battle.
COUNTRY IN HANDS
OF THE PRETENDER
Aided in Final Campaign by Eng
liShmen, Whom He Promises
Vast Concessions.

PARIS. Aug. 29.-IIis army crushed by
the forces of his brother, he himself
barely escaping capture. and today a
refugee seeking protection under the
French flag. Muley Abdul Azziz, Sultan
of Morocco. has lost his throne 10 MuIaI
HaEd, the pretender.
The overthrow OF the Sultan's army
receipt Of the news which tonight sur
prised all France, occurred nifty miles
from Morocco City. and was the bloodi-
est battle in the campaign which Mulai
Hafd, the Sultan's elder brother, has
conducted for the Sultanship, using "a
religious war as his weapon of con-
quest
Full details Of the battle are lack
ing, but It is reported that thousands
fell in the engagement and that the
Sultan's forces. the advance guard alone
of which was engaged In the early fight
ing, was put to utter rout The burst
ing Of several of the Sultan's cannons,
due to Ineffective gunnery, threw his
soldiers into a panic. and started the
mad rout.
Sultan in Hiding
It was at first reported that the Sui
tan had fallen into his brothers hands,
a
mander at Casablanca tonight says that
Abdul escaped with remnant Of his
army. and is now hiding somewhere
within the French zone.
The news Of the overthrow OF the
Sultan has thrown the war Office into
quandary. as news from Morocco
early in the week indicated the com
pIete defeat Of the pretender, in an en-
gagement near Elkela, and the sur
render OF Morocco City, which had been
held by Mulai Hand. Nfulat was report
ed IN fight, and his army badly seat
tered.
Todav's news indicates either that the
pretender's forces were heavily recruit
ed. probably by the Algerians, among
whom an uprising was fomented by
NTulaf or that the reported defeat
Of Mulai was a clever ruse worked by
the English ohicers who. as soldiers Of
fortune, Joined the pretender's army un-
der promise Of valuable concessions
from Mulai in the event OF his ascend
ancy to the throne.
In the event OF Mulai Hands COM
pIete triumph and the overthrow OF the
sultan, there is little doubt that France
will recognize the new regime, as her
pollcy all along has been to let Morocco
work out internal troubles alone. so
long as French interests were not i'm
periled.
Much Alarm Felt.
There is no concealment of alarm,
however, should Mulai attempt 20 throw
too much power TO the adventurous
Fnglishmen who have engineered his
campaign. These concessions are sup
uosed to include mines. railways, and
the reorganization Of MoroccO's flnan-
cial system, which France win not will
ingly submit to.
Three months ago it was clearly seen
that the Sultan was in immient danger
of overthrow. The uprising headed by
his brother swept the country, Moslem
hordes joining nim by the thousand.
MuIais cry was that the Sultan was
RAPIDLY becoming Christianized. and was
deserving the old Moslem faith. With
such 2. shibboleth il vas no trouble for
him to rally a lsege army.
BIuIai proclaim himself Sultan Of
the whole kingdom OF Marraikesh. the
southern capital at that time, and
shortly afterward he entered Fee. the
northern capital, al id the acclamations
of the populace and surrounding tribes
Moroccos third capital also was taken
by the pretender.