General Sarrail, the High Commissioner in Syria; has been recalled.
General Duport, who was recently sent, to Syria to inquire into events, has taken his place. French opinion has been deeply moved by the bombardment of Damascus and indignation continues to run very strongly against General Sarrail, who through all the weeks of anxiety which culminated in the appli- cation of the methods of Louis XIV. to Damascus has sent most meagre reports, generally not telegraphing but sending tardy information by messenger or post. General Sarrail has denied the, statement Qf the Times correspondent that the dead bodies of bandits were hung on camels and paraded through the streets of Damascus. The Government has made known its intention of appoint- ing a civilian to become High Commissioner, but no appointment has been announced when we go to press. Meanwhile, Mr. Herrick, the American Ambassador in Paris, has expressed the hope that great care will be taken in future to safeguard the lives and property of American citizens in Syria. Pictures published in the papers here show the wide extent of the damage done to Damascus: It is now said that the casualties in the town were about 1,200. • * * *
