EDITORIAL NOTES
1917
African Affairs
About three-quarters of the colony have been effectively Eut African occupied, including the Central Railway. Cwnp-i * 11 The campaign is now directed principally to the south-eastern corner, in the district roughly contained between the Ruaha River together with the Rufiji, by which the Ruaha flows into the sea, and the Rovuma River on the south. Various converging columns are endeavouring to close in on this vast and not too healthy tract of country. Certain strong elements of the enemy
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... ed by the Belgians at Tabora last September are struggling to pass our lines and join up with the main body in the Rufigi Valley. They have been successfully held up at Mahenge by the forces of the Allies before reaching the main body. The most recent news indicates that the Portuguese, after The Portugneie a successful advance across the Rovuma Cohmm. as far as. Nakalala, some ten or more miles north of the river, have received a set-back. At Nakalala on October 22nd the Germans retired before the Portuguese attack in disorder, leaving their arms and munitions, and the Portuguese cavalry were then able to conduct a successful reconnoitring expedition as far as Lulindi, where the enemy abandoned his position. Lulindi is stated to be eighteen miles north-west of Newala, the Portuguese base some eight miles north of the Rovuma River, from which these operations were conducted. It is somewhat significant that strong enemy reinforcements arrived not long after, and by December 5th news came that the garrison at Newala had been surrounded by a numerous force of Germans and Askaris with heavy guns and machine-guns, who cut off the water supply; after eight days' resistance, food and water being exhausted, the garrison made a sortie, crossed the Rovuma River, and established themselves at Nangadi,' in Portuguese territory. Three days later news came that the
doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.afraf.a099818
fatcat:okg7ikc5g5cdxn6yilhx3ng6gm