The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-01-09
ADDING TO THE
ANGER OF ITALY
Has Because of German Vaccinations
Been Compelled to Abandon the
TripoIitan Interland
Especial Correspondent l. n. s.

man Vaccinations in Italy's North
African possessions, the Italians have
been forced to give up the conquest
of the interior, abandon the occupa-
ton of Fezzan, and center her troops
along the sea coast, where the chief
towns are being heavily fortified.
Requirements of about ten thous-
and men have been sent hurriedly to
Tripoli, although this fact has not
been made public here as yet.
The city of Tripoli is being convert.
ed into a stronghold again. The tren.
ches and field Notifications dating
from the time of the Turko-Italian
war three years ago are being rebuilt
and barbed wire entanglements and
earth works are being added.
Italy suffers a severe blow to her
prestige in the evacuation of Fezzan.
This is country having an area of
$4,000 square miles bordering Trip
oil on the south. Although it is most
ly desert there are numerous very
fertile GASES. Here wheat, melons,
figs, dates, turnips, cotton, almonds
and other crops are raised. There
are five grain crops every twelve
months.
Germany and Turkey assured Italy
that the holy war proclaimed by the
Sheikh-al Islam would not affect the
Mohammedians in Italian territory,
but this promise has not been kept
in Libya where the majority of the
populace is still hostile to Italy, the
unrest in this section has increased
until it is no longer safe to leave
the small bodies of troops at stations
in the interior.
Toward the close of the Turko-Ital-
ian war Enver Pasha, now Turkish
war minister, did great deal to or
ganize the natural fighters of the des-
ert. After Turkey signed treaty of
peace in October 1912 warfare was
continued against the Italians by the
powerful sect of the Senussyah. The
Senussyah have been called the Mos
lem Quakers, but they are more like
Boxers. 1t is they who have spread
Islam through Africa recently at a
rate which puts the efforts of our
missionaries to shame.
Ordinarily they are peaceful, and
they are on good terms with the
French in Algeria and the British
in Egypt and the Sudan, but in Lib
va, under their chief, Ahmed-el Sher-
if, they took over the supplies of
Turkish war material at the end of
the Turko-Italian war and fought the
Italians stubbornly.
In the early months of 1914, be-
fore the European war broke out, the
Italians succeeded in pacifying the in
terror of TripoH They garrisoned
the principal points along the cara
van routes far into the desert. But
in Cyrenacia they were less success
full The Bedouins were numerous
and well armed, and they kept the
Italians in the district within TWEEN.
ty miles of the Mediterranean.
The Senussites received supplies
from Egypt. There were many Turk
lish officers among them, and the
chief of the Senussyah refused over,
lures of peace.
With the coming of the great Eu
ropean war many German agent.
were discovered in Tripoli and eyre
naica. They were literally supplied
with gold notes changed into Italian
money.
The German consul at Tripoli, wht
is known to be an officer of the Ger
man Staff, had many meetings in tn
desert near the city with prominen
Arab chiefs.
Then began succession of clash
es with the rebels. The Bedouins be
seiged Malut, about $50 miles south
west of Tripoli, but reinforcement
reached the Italian troops and the at
tackers were beaten off. Colonel Mi
ami gained a victory over the rebel
at Brak, about 80 miles from Muir
EEK. On his way back the Bedouin
! made a night attack and killed larg
number of Italians.
The Italians also suffered severel
in an attack by 500 rebels on dc
tachment of engineers near Malut tc
.. ward the end of November.
J As a result of these instances an
. of the growing agitation among tn
Bedouins the Italians have been for,
= ed to withdraw to the coast. Tt
) moral effect on the inhabitants
J enormous and the difficulties of pac
flying the vast interior will be grea
ly increased when Italy takes up tt
task again. This is one of the thing
!. which is held against Germany
|. Rome.
; EXCELLENT FOR