SPANISH REVERSE IN MOROCCO.

DISASTROUS RETREAT. GENERAL’S SUICIDE.

In the Melilla zone the Riff tribesmen have surprised the position of Anual, and after terrible fighting massacred the whole garrison, including General Fernandez Silvestro, who was directing the operations, and his staff. As the censorship is preventing the transmission of telegrams, I have come here from Madrid in order to send you a full report. The difficulty of obtaining information is very great, as the censorship prevents the transmission of news from Melilla, and one has to obtain information from indirect sources.

The emotion caused by this disaster is tremendous, and further information is awaited with impatience. As all means of communication were cut off by the censorship, I regard it as necessary to reproduce the whole story. On Friday afternoon the first laconic reports were received at the Ministry of War saying that General Fernandez Silvestre, Commander-in-chief at Melilla, with his staff and a strong column, which were operating in the Alhucemas zone, had been surprised by Kabyles and completely massacred. The King, who had arrived at San Sebastian on Friday in order to spend the day with the Queen Mother, as it was her fête day, received a telegram at four o’clock and immediately arranged to return to Madrid by the first train. The battleship Alfonso XIII., which had arrived at San Sebastian, left for Melilla at seven o’clock. Several ships which were at Cadiz, Malaga, Valencia, and Seville have been requisitioned to embark troops, and the Council of Ministers, which met in the early hours of the afternoon, decided to 6end important reinforcements to Morocco.

At six o’clock rumours began to circulate in political circles of the death of General Silvestre, and anxiety increased. After speaking to various wellinformed persons, I am able to reconstitute the regrettable incident. General Silvestre, with the co-operation of General Barrerd, who was operating on the Larache side, and General Berenguer, on the Tetuan side, was preparing for the occupation of Alhucemas and its zone. Several positions had already been established. The Kabyles attacked the Ayguaren position, and General Silvestre, with the Alcantara Regiment, composed of Spaniards, some batteries of artillery, and several units formed by native troops organised as a column of reinforcements, went to the assistance of the besieged garrison. The column found itself surrounded by superior forces, very well entrenched, and after sanguinary combats the General gave orders to withdraw. The two positions of Ayguaren and Anauen were abandoned, and a disorderly retreat began. The General committed suicide, so as not to fall into the hands of the Riff tribesmen. It is impossible to say what is the exact number of dead and missing, but the figure mentioned is more than 2,000, with their guns and material. The native troops betrayed their leaders and went over to the Kabyles, killing the Spanish officers. Among the dead are nearly all the Spanish sector.