3 JANUARY 1920, Page 10

The withdrawal of British troops from Syria,.leaving the French on

the coast and the Hedjaz Arabs At Damascus and Aleppo, has led to. some difference of opinion.as to the boundary between the French and Arab spheres of influence. A French liaison officer sent by General Gouraud to Baalbek on Decem- ber 15th was molested by the.Axabs and had to leave the place. A French dutachment,sent to reinstate the officer was attacked by a party of Arabs but drove them off. It may be hoped that the boundary will now be fixed by agreement between our Allies.