THE 



ANNUAL CYCLOPAEDIA. 



Al'KICA. The French Government were 

 disappointed in their expectation that the in- 

 surrection of some of the native tribes in Al- 

 geria was effectually subdued at the close of the 

 year 1864. New outbreaks occurred during 

 the year 1865, and at its close the most formi- 

 dable of the insurgent chiefs, Si Lala, was still 

 in the field. Very alarming rumors that Si 

 Lala, at the head of 50,000 men, held the whole 

 south of Algeria, circulated in Paris, in No- 

 vember; but the Monlteur denied their correct- 

 ness, and asserted that, on October 19th, he 

 had only made his appearance in the southern 

 districts of Algeria \vith 2,000 horsemen and 

 1,400 soldiers on foot. According to the 

 Moniteur de VAlgerie of November 12, Si Lala, 

 finding his efforts to be fruitless, his resources 

 exhausted, and his cavalry fatiguing themselves 

 in vain, decided upon retreating rapidly toward 

 the southwest, and was actively pursued by the 

 French forces. Gen. Lacretelle, marching from 

 Daya, overtook and defeated, on November 8th, 

 at Oud-bon-Lerdjem, to the west of Maia-Chott, 

 the Hamian tribes and the fractions of the 

 Djembas and Ohafas who had joined Si Lala. 

 Official news from Algeria reached Paris on De- 

 cember loth, which stated that Col. Colomb, re- 

 enforced by the tribes recently subjected, had on 

 several occasions beaten the tribes still in insur- 

 rection, who were seeking refuge in the desert of 

 Sahara, that the tribes who had been defeated 

 had asked for pardon, and Col. Sonis had cut 

 off the retreat toward the east of Si Lala. In 

 May the Emperor Louis Napoleon visited Al- 

 geria, where he received an enthusiastic recep- 

 tion on the part of many chiefs and tribes, and 

 was met by special ambassadors from Tunis and 

 Morocco. On his return to France, it became 

 known that the Emperor was preparing a 

 pamphlet on French colonization in Algeria, 

 but its issue was delayed until November 3d, 

 TOL. v. 1 A 



when it appeared in the form of a letter to 

 Marshal McMahon. It concluded as follows : 

 "I would turn to account the valor of the 

 Arabs rather than bear hardly upon their pov- 

 erty; render the colonists rich and prosperous 

 rather than establish settlements of emigrants, 

 and maintain our soldiers in healthy situations 

 rather than to expose them to the wasting 

 climate of the desert. By the realization of 

 this programme we shall appease passions and 

 satisfy interests ; then Algeria will be to us no 

 longer a burden, but a new element of strength. 

 The Arabs, restrained and conciliated, will give" 

 us what they can best give, namely, soldiers, 

 and the colony, become flourishing by the de- 

 velopment of its territorial riches, will create a 

 commercial movement eminently favorable to 

 the mother c'ountry." 



In accordance with the views of the Em- 

 peror, the French Government, on June 22d, 

 brought forward the draft of a decree respect- 

 ing Algeria. It provides that the native 

 Mussulman be considered a Frenchman. He 

 will, nevertheless, continue subject to the Mus- 

 sulman laws of the country, but can, on ap- 

 plication, be admitted to the rights of French 

 citizenship. The native Israelite also is to be 

 considered a Frenchman. He will continue 

 to be governed according to the peculiar stat- 

 utes of the Hebrew race, but, on application, 

 can enjoy the rights of a French citizen. For- 

 eigners, upon proving three years' residence in 

 the country, are entitled to the rights of citizen- 

 ship. An administrative regulation will de- 

 termine the conditions of admission to the pub- 

 lic service and of advancement in the army for 

 native Mussulmans and Israelites, and also the 

 offices to which they can attain. This draft 

 was adopted by the Senate without important 

 modifications. In July, Mr. P. H. Eathbone, 

 the President of the Liverpool Chamber of 



