GERMANY IN MOROCCO.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 66, 18 March 1910, Page 4

GERMANY IN MOROCCO.

Ever since the Kaiser's eventful trip to Tangier five years ago, Germany ha 3 never lost hope of establishing herself permanently in North Africa. The AJgeeiras Conference and its sequel were a serious blow to German ambitions, and for the moment Prance, with Spain and England to back her, seemed to be mistress of the situation. But Germany has never acquiesced in her defeat, and she has made skilful use of the opportunities afforded her by the indiscretion of bei rivals to stir up strife in Morocco, and prepare the way for a renewal of her claims. Probably the best chance that has come in the Kaiser's way since tie German collapse at Algeciras is afforded by the "Mannesman!! Concessions, of which a good deal has been heard during the past six months, and to which special attention is called in our cable columns to-day. These Mannesmann claims are "based upon rights alleged to have been secured by Geiim-an commercial agents from M-nlai Hafid, the titular Sultan. It i≤ true that the Algeciras Convention prohibited the Powers from securing finaTiciaJ concessions for their own individual ■benefit in Morocco; but Herr Mannesnaann and hie friends can quote the opinion of a large number of English and Continental authorities on international law supporting the validity of their claims. The value of the Mannesmann concessions to Germany are primarily that they would give her control of the extremely rich ironfields in North Morocco, which have been worked till recently by Spain under a permit from El Roghi. one of the numerous pretenders to the throne of the Moors. Now, Germany if urgently in need of a cheap supply o] iron for na.vaJ purposes. A few monthago Herr Baffin, the head, of the German shipping interests, and the pe.'-sonx , friend, of the Kaiser, pointed out that ■tin heavy cost of transport on Swedish iror was almost prohibitive, and appealed tc the Heichstag to secure for Germany thi rich field in Morocco. The great firm of Krapp, on which the carrying oul of ts*e- German naval programme'is practically dependent, has teen moving in the same direction; . indeed, it is. generally ixn-dersiood tluvt Herr tLSLS been acting for xiie Kxupps in his dealings with the Sultan. The value of the Mannesmajm claims, from' the standpoint of international law, is not yet admitted. But whether they are valid or not, it is ■hardly likely that Krance and Spain, oi even England, will accept without vigorous -resistance any claim from Germany that seems to prejudice their own interests in Morocco, or is calculated to nullify the understanding arrived at by the Powers at Algeciras.