The story of the attack on Colonel Klobb by Captain
Vonlet in the French Soudan is now confirmed by official reports. The narrative which originally appeared and which we quoted was exactly correct, with the exception that Lieutenant C'nanoine does not appear to have been present in the actual massacre. He had gone on in front. All the accounts confirm the detail so much doubted, of Colonel Klobb having twice forbidden his men to fire, and Lieutenant Meunier, after receiving the first volley, to draw his sword. The incident has been described as inexplicable, but we fancy that Colonel Klobb, having been ordered to arrest Captain Vonlet, thought it indispensable to take him alive, and fell a martyr to a strained notion of official duty. If he had shot or cut down Captain Voulet that officer's followers would have fled. It is a curious fact that for the past few months whenever we have had to record something fine of a French officer he has turned out to be an Alsatian. France in losing that province lost more than its population. The Alsatians were considered in Paris mere Bceotians, for with all their love for France they had the qualities of Germany.
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