Vichy, June 23, Strong British motorized units crossed the Sytian frontier from Traq yesterday and advanced in the diree-Yien of Palmyra, said an oficial announcement here last night, French aviation hotly attacked the motorized units, bombing and machine-gunning'" them. throughout the morning, Meanwhile a force battle raged throughout Saturday night and con. Hinued Sunday morning in the moun {tains and along the narrow seaboard south of Beirut, 'The native popula~ tion flea from' the Lebanon capital, Beirut yesterday was more than half evacuated of civilians but still was firmly held by the French, \As British consolidated their post tions inside Damscus and mopped up the maze of narrow streets in the native quarters, where the last French troops Were massed before their evacuation, the French took up cus was evacuated for two reasons: firstly, political, because" Damascus {s'a Moslem holy city and the reper= cussion from French and. British fighting might provoke Arab disorders: secondly. military. because the city was exceedingly dificult to defend, surrounded "as it is by a maze of canals and water cours "The canals are four to five feet ard border every garden ander hard, "They "prevent use of any terized equipment, 'The Briish also had brought up important reinforcements and cootd have destroyed Damascus in. few days {he Prench had not converted lio fu' open ely by nonlying Gen. Sir) Henry Maitland. Wilson, Commande thet of Britis forces in Palectine, tat they would evacuate, French (reaps also were physically worn out ster 14 days of continuous Fighting without 2 single break for Hest 'Meanwhile, along the coast the Austvelians were still reported about It {to 12 miles from Beirut. 'Their spear-Need at noon yesterday "was. atthe Wadi el Deint fiver, about eight miles nuerth of Saids, They had made no ogress in' the preceding 24 hours, it Was sald—United Press,
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