11 SEPTEMBER 1909, Page 1

The recent minor successes of the Spaniards, however, are only

a prelude to the long-promised general advance, which has not yet begun. General Marina appears to be waiting for the arrival of General Sotomayor's division, which is not expected at Melilla till next week. The Journal des Dibats publishes from its correspondent at Melilla a very interesting forecast of General Marina's plans. The correspondent thinks that Zeluan, which is only fifteen miles from Suk El-Arba, will be taken without difficulty. After that, General Marina will hold (we quote from the Morning Post) "all the country between Melilla and the Muluwia by a chain of redoubts and forts solidly joined to three strong bases of the triangle formed by Melilla, Cabo del Agua, and Zeluan. This triangle would be protected naturally on two bases, the Muluwia and the Mediterranean. There remains a third base constituted by the Gurugu and small adjacent ranges whence attacks and insurrections may issue incessantly. It is this third base which General Marina intends to purge by a coup de force which would annihilate for years to come any idea of a Riff rebellion in these regions. If this question of the Gurugu and the spurs which prolong it southwards is once settled, the Spaniards will remain undisputed masters of an area composed of a triangle, each side of which would be about twenty-five miles in length. This tenfold increase of the present territory of Melilla would be crowned by a fortress on Mount Gurugu and the campaign would be over. If, on the other hand, these results were not obtained, the campaign might be regarded as a failure, and would have to be resumed a few months later."