Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-05
Army of 25,0 900 Men in TripoIi,
With Backs to Sea, Men,
aced by Enemy.
REPORT SAYS CHOLERA
is RAGING IN CAMP
Correspondent Sends Uncensored
Dispatch to London From Malta.
DECLARES NEWS rs DoCToRED


vaders Are Forced
Back.
LONDON November 4.-"Anaaias in his
palmiest days never wrote half as many
falsehoods and misrepresentation as have
appeared in the Italian press and in the
official statements issued by the Italian
government" telegraphs the correspond
ent of Reuters Telegram Company. Linn
ited, at Tripoli, who arrived at Malta to-
day.
From Malta he was able to send an un-
censored message which contains pessi-
mistic description Of the condition Of the
Italian army around what he terms the
besieged city of Tripol. He says:
ITO sum up the results of the cam
paign: The Italians hold. with nearly
twice as many men, half the ground that
they held three weeks ago. They have
lost in killed and wounded, not counting
tie sick. we'll over 1000 men. Many
Arabs have been killed and vast numbers
were shot in cold blood. Now 25,UOO SOL
diers find themselves with their backs to
the sea, cIamped and confined. with an
active enemy within few yards of them
and with cholera raging among them:
for, despite official efforts to conceal the
truth. there have been many cases among
the troops, and the civil population is
suffering SO much that whole streets in
Tripoli have been closed by armed SEN
tries.
Italians Fight Bravely.
There has been no disgrace. On the
contrary. the Italian troops fought with
off a
noble example"
The correspondent says Of the engage
ment of October "a:
Far from being a decisive victory. the
night nearly ended in disaster. and would
have If the enemy had had a few thou
sand men at any point instead of a
few hundred. The Italian line was broken
In two places by less than 200 Arabs.
who had reached the cover 6f the resi-
DENTAL oasis. thus placing themselves
between the town ard the line of de-
Tense. The situation was saved only
cavalry. who lost heavily. but managed
party.
Thirty Arabs held out for three days
in house in the oasis. and could not
be dislodsed until the building was blown
up by mines. If they had been several
thousand strong instead of 200 the Arabs
would have had Tripoli completely at
Outer Works Abandoned.
Gen. Caneva. commander of the Italian
forces. according to the correspondent.
became so alarmed that he abandoned all
the outer works southeast of the city. in
Guiding the strong Turkish fort Mesri.
The whole army worked feverishly
Strengthening a new position with barbed
wire entangIements. and were kept under
arms dunng the night. Reinforcements
from Ita.y were dispatched SO hurriediy
that the 18th Italian Regiment arrived in
ordinary unitorms, without their helmets.
The Arabs have advanced their ait.l-
lery, and are shell.ng the italians. One
shell dropped into uen. Caneva's head
quarters The foreign military attaches
have been kept aboard boat and not
permitted to land, the explanation given
beng tnat il would be too dangerous for
them 10 go ashore.
TURKS Hold Oasis.
The Turks and Arabs, the correspond
ent says, no d the oasis which is fifteen
miles long and from two to FIVE miles
deep, where they can subsist on dates and
oliVe until April, meantime harassing
the Italians by nightly raids. Every yard
OF the oasis forms a natural defense,
which must DE fought for. There are no
signs OF any preparations on the part OF
the Italians to advance. The correspond
ent describes the spirits of the invading
army as de-oralized. The men expected
a short and sharp campaign. Insteau.
they are lying in the trenches with sand
storms blowing over or rains soaking
them. with continual night alarms. They
are Disguised with the war and hate the
country They long to return home. In
hn rdS ~ he
The officers sigh for the pleasures
of Rome. Milan and Turin: the mill
hand from San Francisco prays for d
speedy return to the land of sun
lighter from New York dreams of
Tammany Hall and his three dollars
per day" The dispatch continues:
Slaughter Is General.
For four days after the engage
ment OF October % the Italian SOL
diers engaged in indiscriminate
slaughter OF the Arab population un-
der Gen. Caneva's sanction. Caneva
first issued a general order to shoot
all Arabs found with arms, but only
when caught by troops in charge of
officers. The troops complained that
numbers Of Arabs had hidden their
arms and resumed their work as hus-
sued another order. 10 shoot all Arabs
who could reasonably be suspected of
having borne arms.
The blood of the men was m naturaI-
ly, as they had seen their comrades shot
from behind and. IL is reported even mu-
ulated, though of this 1t is impossible to
ascertain the truth. ' ith their excitab,e q
temperance and highly developed imag-
inatiun the Italians suspected every uv
ing soul of guilt. and for four days gangs
nf cff4
every one they encountered"
Instances Of Cruelty.
The correspondent gives instances wit
messed by himself and his colleagues and
follows with signed statements by the
latter. made at the request of the British
consul, and affidavits OF three German
residents in refutation of the Italian
premier's denial that women and children
We're shot. These statements, which are
likely TO stimulate the agitation against
Italian methods, are beginning to excite