The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-09-07
LITTLE WAR" IS
AGAIN IN SIGHT
England VIII Probably Have
to Punish Mad Mullah in
Son1aliland.
TAXPAYERS WORRYING
Military Necessity of Holding
Region Has Cost Much
Blood and Cash.
TAXPAYERS WORRYING

London, Sept. e.-British taxpayers
are worried over the prospect that pre-
oedent and prestige may domand an
other war against the Mad Mullah in
Somaliland.
Just before parliament adjourned the
country was disturbed by news of an
other "incident''-one Of the old IA
miliar stories. Two thousand Of the
MuIlah' tribesmen surrounded Brit
ish camel company Of $50 natives,
with three white officers, at a point
ono hundred miles from Berbera. The
little force was forced into zariba'
or fenced camp to defend itself against
superior numbers. "The Maxim jam
med" +" are the significant and laconic
words In the official report to army
headquarters. Captain Corfield and
fifty followers were killed, Captain
Summers was seriously wounded, and
the command fell upon boy lieutenant
named Kingdom.
Demands Punishment.
Captain Archer, at Burao, heard of
the ambush. At the head Of twenty
mon he forced his way to the rescue
and WIS successful in bringing the re-
VI khO S01hO1 SoAppi WAN S"SAoy
three wounded, back to the coast. The
cop,s lost in killed one British officer
and fifty natives wearing British uni
forms, and according to all traditions
this calls for punishment.
OF Britain g "little wars" in many
parts of the globe none have been more
costly in lives and money, and none
more fruitless, than those enacted
against the dreary desert background
= = ,l h,,11 1ol
a punitive expedition, battle, the Der
wishes scattering, and then the whole
futile program over again This was
the cycle Of events for twenty-five
years after the British landed on the
coast, Finally the taxpayers and the
army became disgusted with the game,
and the Liberal party in 1910 adopted
"the policy Of scuttle," as the Imper
iallsts bitterly called it. They with
drew the troops into tiny coast garri
sons and gave Mohammcd bin Abdul
lah to understand that it would be
hands off all around.
Has Strategic Value.
force change Of policy. The onl y rea-
son Great Britain holds Somaliland is
because it could be used us base for
possible operations against the British
coaling station at Alden, across the Red
Sea. Possession in this case means pro
lection and the reason for strategic
protection cannot be ignored.
1t would seem, from present indica
tions, that the farmers of the south
west who have raised too much kaffr
corn for domestic consumption need not
worry about the surplus, which is likely
10 come to Europe as the result of the
efficient salesmanship of Uncle Sam s
business agents, the members of the
consular service.
Interest Is Active.
This service has shown it's efficiency
by its response to An inquiry made by
an American railroad as to the posi-
bllity of disposing of the surplus Of
the enormous kaffir corn crop expected
IN the southwest this season From
Its European headquarters in London,
the railroad which taps the kafiir corn
belt in the southwestern states, sent
inquiries to the various American con-
sulates in Europe asking them If 1t
would be possible to interest the va
rious grain merchants in their jurisdic-
tion in !safhr corn.
Even in the United States kafir corn
is new commodity, and in Europe it
is only name, but In spite Of their
hazy ideas as TO what they were ex-
pected to interest the grain dealers in,
the consuls almost overwhelmed the
railroad bureau with the addresses Of
1aglere and reouesfa for fuyfbar