In Syria

Throughout Syria the repercussions of the French bombardment of Damascus (TIME, Nov. 9) continued ominous in the extreme. The city itself was quiet early in the week and the bazars were open. But the territory between Damascus and Horns, 80 miles to the north, was reported swarming with marauding bands; and the Arabs are persistently rumored to have joined with the Druses in an anti-French "Holy War."

General Gamelin was reported to have made a sortie from Damascus and been heavily engaged with Druse tribes to the South. Then the encircling native warriors cut off all communication with Damascus by rail, telephone or telegraph.

General Sarrail, the recalled French High Commander, was reported to have got through to Beirut on his way to Paris, whither he has been summoned to justify his ruthless methods against the Syrians. And the U. S. destroyers Coblan and Lamson arrived at Beirut to protect American interests. Several thousand refugees from Damascus, also at Beirut, were reported to be greatly alarmed lest famine should beset the relatives whom they had left behind.

General Sarrail's official written report of the bombardment of Damascus reached Paris last week and estimated the casualties as follows: Europeans, none; French soldiers, 10; Revolutionaries, 200;* Armenians (killed by the insurgents), 50.

The French Government announced officially that General Duport was being despatched to Syria to act as High Commander temporarily. Later cables reported the appointment of Senator Henri de Jouvenal to succeed General Duport.

M. de Jouvenal, who is Editor-in-Chief of Le Matin, accepted the decidedly thankless post with some hesitation and only after it had been found almost impossible to discover an able civilian statesman who was willing to risk his reputation in Syria. Because he is a civilian, he will be "High Commissioner" rather than "High Com-mander."

At Berlin General von Cramon scored the French for bombarding Damascus; told how Feldmarschall von der Goltz had forborne to shell Antwerp Cathedral during the obliterating German bombardments of Rheims, Verdun, Amiens, etc.

During the week some excitement was caused by the movement of a Turkish force across part of the French mandated territory and into the Mosul region. Under the Treaty of Angora between France and Turkey, however, such movements of troops are sanctioned under certain restrictions, which were apparently not violated in this case.

*Trustworthy unofficial despatches have placed this figure between one and two thousand. Insurgent leaders assert that 50,000 periished.