The passing of the Shereefian empire . ed especially forservice in Algeria; one squadron of Spahis, nativeAlgerian cavalry, having French officers in com-mand ; one hundred native Arabs of the Sahara,especially raised for service in the present war :they provide their own horses and have theirown chiefs. On their arrival at the front eachman was given a carbine and sabre, and threeFrench officers were attached to command themin the field and to drill them in camp. Twofield batteries, Nos. 12 and 18, of the latestpattern, quick - firers, capable of dischargingtwenty shots per minute : these two
The passing of the Shereefian empire . ed especially forservice in Algeria; one squadron of Spahis, nativeAlgerian cavalry, having French officers in com-mand ; one hundred native Arabs of the Sahara,especially raised for service in the present war :they provide their own horses and have theirown chiefs. On their arrival at the front eachman was given a carbine and sabre, and threeFrench officers were attached to command themin the field and to drill them in camp. Twofield batteries, Nos. 12 and 18, of the latestpattern, quick - firers, capable of dischargingtwenty shots per minute : these two batterieswere brought up to war strength by the additionof a section of mountain-guns carried on mules,four in all. In addition to the artillery therewere four mitrailleuses, also carried on mules. Theinfantry consisted of six battalions of about eighthundred men each, three of the famous ForeignLegion, and three of Tirailleurs or Turcos, re-cruited from Algeria, and having native as wellas French officers. The Foreign Legion is open. THE SPANIARDS. 57 to all nationalities, and a very large percentageof the men are of German extraction ; but almostevery nation is represented in this splendid corps,possibly the finest and most serviceable troops inthe world. Then there are engineers, hospitalcorps, and administrative departments, bringingthe total up to a rough aggregate of five thousandnine hundred men of all arms. Later on reinforce-ments arrived, and a balloon was added. I shall endeavour to describe in some detailthe operations as I saw them. The French campwas placed outside the high walls of Casa Blancaon the south-east of the town, and, owing to thepeculiar manner in which the sea-shore runs outinto a peninsula, the lines almost entirely coveredthe town. There were three main fortified camps,and a series of fortified posts carried the enceinteof defence round to the north-east, where it againstruck the sea-shore. At this point the Spaniardsestablished themselves in a pos
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