4 JULY 1925, Page 9

There is little change in the news from Morocco or

China, the centres of trouble at the moment. In the early part of the week, the Riff attacks on the French lines North of Fez were said to have slackened, but on Monday and Tuesday the French official reports spoke of renewed fighting. These official reports maintain a uniformly optimistic note ; no Riff attack takes place but it is heavily repulsed ; they have not, however, allayed a very real feeling of anxiety both here and in France. Alarming reports of substantial Riff successes are current. The Daily Express, for instance, publishes reports of heavy fighting at the South of Fez which would indicate that Abdel Krim had been able to raise some of the hitherto friendly tribes and had obtained a position most menacing to the French communications. The Daily Telegraph has published interesting reports from an American correspondent who interviewed Abdel Krim, who was reported to have taken the line that he wished to drive the French back behind the river Ouergha. When that had been done Abdel Krim would be willing to negotiate for peace. He felt confident of reaching this objective as large quantities of modern rifles, hand grenades and several cannon had been captured from the French and were now being used against then.

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