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been abandoned in the previous month. The Turks and their allies were driven higher up into the oasis; but they still held a front, and were still based upon Ainzara, the nearest detached oasis. It was not until ten days later that the Italians turned them out from here.

The reoccupation of Hamidieh, Henni, and Sidi Mesri reopened the old story of the atrocities and reprisals. The Bersaglieri found their dead from the actions of October 23rd and 26th. There were marks of violence upon the bodies. That was to have been expected.

The Arab is cruel in his blood-lust. It is nevertheless probable that the Arab mutilations have been as overstated as were the Italian reprisals. Men who are said to have been buried alive are probably Italian corpses that the Turks hastily interred for sanitary reasons. It is quite possible that some of the socalled mutilations were due to the packs of dogs which infest the oasis. Moreover, it is hard to believe that the evidences of brutality, as described in the Italian journals, could have survived in the minuteness of the detail given, after the exposure of a month of North African sun and torrential rains. There is no doubt that there were nerve-shaking reprisals on both sides, as there have been in every war since history began. It certainly is not the experience of the writer that the Turk is a brutal soldier. The Arab, on the other hand,

holds life so cheaply, and has such curious superstitions concerning a future state, that he indulges in mutilations, believing that they carry a meaning to another sphere.

The fighting has not been confined, however, to the immediate environment of Tripoli. There have been throughout the month attacks by Turkishled and organised Arabs against both Derna and Benghazi. In all of these the Italians have held their own, while at Benghazi they appear to have had a certain amount of success. There was one determined attack upon Khoms towards the end of October in which the Turks and Arabs lost heavily; but the most serious losses that the Turkish garrison suffered outside the Tripoli oasis were at Derna, where, during an unsuccessful attack, the forces organised by Enver Bey had over 100 killed in one action.

A great deal has been said in various places about the probability of the Turks being able to enlist the sympathies of the Senussi cult of Mahommedanism. The chief centre of this cult, it will be remembered, is at Kofra, a great oasis in the Tripoli hinterland. It is quite certain that the Turks, under the cloak of Moslemism, will be able to enlist the sympathies of the cult, but it is doubtful if they will gain more active help than an expression of sympathy. Senussiism has been the brooding mystery of North and Central Africa for the last quarter of a century. It is a particular oult of militant

Mahommedanism which, established in a chain of almost inaccessible oases in the hinterland of North Africa, has established a mysterious reputation for effective power which has never yet been put to the proof. The agents and missioners of the Senussi have stretched out like tentacles from the heart of Africa to all the coast gates of the northern portion of the continent. The Intelligence Department of the French War Office, however, has no great faith in the reported power of the Senussi. It believes that much of the cult's reputation is due to the mystery which has been fostered by its system of agencies. This evidence, at the present moment, is worth considering, as the French in their colonial service in the Hinterland of Tunisia, Algeria, and the Congo have come into closer contact with Senussiism than other European Powers. This much is certain, that in their past dealings with European aggression the cult has shown a disinclination to push matters to any issue that might be interpreted as the pitting of Senussiism against Christianity. That is the practical view which guides the French Colonial Department in its military relationship with this almost mythical power. To come down, however, to actual facts in relation to the organisation of the Arabs who for three months have been aiding the Turkish cause in the Tripolitaine, Kofra, the present seat of Senussiism, is over 1000 kilo

metres south of Cyrenaica. Of this great intervening space, 800 odd kilometres are the Libyan desert. It is probable, therefore, that when the true story of the Turkish defence of Turkey in Africa is told, it will be found that Fezzan is the region farthest south from which the Turks have been able to draw native allies.

A

At

The initial successes of the Turks in establishing themselves in the oasis in the actual vicinity of Tripoli, without a doubt largely encouraged the Arabs to make common cause in the name of Islam. month of ill success, however, and an ill success accompanied by very considerable slaughter, has probably diminished much of the enthusiasm of the earlier weeks in the campaign. his very best the Arab is a fickle person, and as each week will now make it more difficult for the Turks to receive munitions from Europe, we shall probably see a great falling off in the tenacity of Neshet Bey's resistance. all conscience it would seem that he and his gallant garrison have done as much as any Government could reasonably expect from soldiers so unhappily placed. It is usually unprofitable to speculate as to what action soldiers will take in the prosecution of their campaign. It should certainly be Neshet Bey's task now to abandon all attempts at reestablishing by force of arms Turkish supremacy in the seaboard oases. He should withdraw with all the ammunition

In

and occupied Ainzara there
has been no further report of

and munitions that he can
conveniently carry into the
interior. A campaign into an enemy.

the interior of the Tripoli Of the naval operations there
hinterland by a European is practically nothing to be
army is not a military
manoeuvre to be lightly con-
sidered. The Italians, up to
date, have shown no sign of
considering it or of preparing
an advance far removed from
their sea base. At least, they
have not attempted to pur-
chase a camel transport, with-
out which any serious advance
into the desert is doomed to
failure.

It would seem, at the time of writing, that Neshet Bey has the intention of falling back upon Gharian, since after the operations by which the Italians both cleared the oasis

said: with the exception of
one or two captures of
blockade - runners, and the
shelling of shipping in the
Red Sea ports already men-
tioned, there have been
no naval developments. The
question of the Dardanelles
has been largely canvassed in
the

Press. It seems, how-
ever, highly improbable that
Admiral Aubry has ever seri-
ously considered any attempt
to force the Dardanelles, any
more than he has seriously con-
sidered a descent upon either
Smyrna or Salonica.

KEPI.

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FRENCH MILITARY AVIATION IN 1911.

BY T. F. FARMAN.

Neither
did he make any
reference to the yet more
important contracts for aerial
craft which are awaiting the
Minister's signature immedi-
ately the Budget of 1912 is
voted by the Chambers. Even
supposing no additional grant
is demanded of Parliament for
the more active development
of the aerial fleet, the French
War Department will, at the
close of next year, possess at
least 500 aeroplanes.

THE announcement made by the French War Minister that "the experimental phase of military aviation is closed, and the period of the organisation of the Fourth Arm has commenced," is of momentous importance to the whole world. The citizens of the Republic were already convinced of the utility of aeroplanes in war, but M. Messimy's words have enormously increased popular enthusiasm for the aerial craft which the French are more The French, being conscious convinced than ever will make of having gained a decisive them invincible. They have advance on all the other stolen a march on their former peoples of the world, are devictorious foe, and though they termined to make the necesare, at least for the present sary pecuniary sacrifices, not moment, far from contemplat- only to keep, but to increase ing the reconquest of the lost it. The "great precursor," as provinces by force of arms, M. Ader is called, has raised a they no longer fear attack. cry which has been taken up At the beginning of November, by other persons of more or General Roques stated, the less note for the immediate French aerial fleet already con- purchase of 1000 aeroplanes sisted of 170 aeroplanes, and for the French Army. there were 73 expert military proposal may be excessive, in aviation pilots, almost as many presence of the existing situprentice military aviators, and ation, but in all probability some 200 men holding the that number will be surpassed French Aero Club's pilot's in a shorter time than most certificate, who could, in case people imagine. However, as of need, be incorporated in General Roques pointed out, the army without any delay. it is worse than useless to The Commander of the French possess aeroplanes without Aviation Corps refrained from having sufficient well-trained any sort of exaggeration, and pilots to man them. The War abstained from mentioning the Minister is also conscious of large number of aeroplanes the urgent necessity of trainordered by the War Depart- ing a very large number of ment, but not yet delivered. military pilots, and has conse

The

quently decided on the creation of many additional military aviation schools. If the task is undertaken seriously, and there is every reason to believe such will be the case, the number of military aviation pilots can be raised to 1000, or even more, in a comparatively short space of time, especially as all the aeroplane constructors are willing and anxious to train an ever-increasingly large contingent of officers to pilot their machines. Moreover, the already skilled military pilots can serve as professors in the new military aviation establishments. It must, however, be remembered, the military observers also want practice, and the men who ere long will be required on fighting aerial craft will have to receive special training. It is true the defensive and offensive weapons which will be used on aeroplanes have not yet been invented; but, by consenting to furnish the projectiles to be employed in the Michelin Aero-Target Competition, the military authorities have given practical proof of their determination to push forward the armament of their aerial fleet without any further delay. Indeed, when a year ago the War Ministry instituted the Military Aeroplane Competition which was held in October and November, it was with the intention of encouraging the construction of aerial craft capable of carrying the weight of defensive and offensive weapons.

Justification for the confidence of the French in their

Fourth Arm can be found in the exploits of their military pilots during the last twelve months, and especially at the autumn manœuvres. It would take a volume to chronicle the former, which, so far as the general public could see, consisted in aerial voyages only from town to town and sometimes from one end of the country to the other. It is therefore unnecessary to say more about them than that those expeditions were frequently undertaken with a yet more important object than the practising of cross-country flight. Though the military aviation pilots distinguished themselves in all the autumn manoeuvres held in various parts of the country, it will suffice to draw attention to a few of the exploits of those who participated in the shamfighting in the east of France. Twenty of them flew on their machines from Paris and elsewhere to the appointed places of concentration, thus demonstrating practically that in the case of war they would not encumber the roads, as had been predicted. The machines, which were for the most part employed in scouting and despatch-carrying, performed their missions with such precision and promptitude that on many occasions the commanders of the hostile forces were able either to profit by a weak point in their adversary's defence or to parry an unexpected attack. Most of the aerial craft carried two men, the pilot and a military observer, because it was admitted

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