STATUS OF MOROCCO.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 103, 3 May 1911, Page 5

STATUS OF MOROCCO.

FRANCE'S ACTION. ATTITUDE OF GREAT BRITAIN. NO OBJECTION TAKEN. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. (Received May 3, 9 a.m.) LONDON, 2nd May. In the House of Commons, Sir Edward Grey (Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs), replying to a question by Mr. John Dillon (Nationalist member for Mayo East), said that France's action was not intended to alter the political status of Morocco and that His Majesty's Government did not see why any objection 6hould be taken to it. [Fez, which is in such sore straits, is situated about 130 miles south of the Strait of Gibraltar, in a valley surrounded by high mile. The city lies on both banks of a tributary of the Sebu, which divides it into the two parts of Fez ; el-Bali (the old town) and Fez-el-Jedid. It is a very ill-built town, with narrow, filthy streets, with no sanitary arrangements, which, together with a humid climate and an inadequate water supply, make it most unhealthful. Li its flourishing days Fez had about 90,000 dwelling-houses and 800 mosques. Of the latter only about 130 are left. Of these the most important are MuleyEdris. containing the tomb of Edris 11. (the reputed founder of Fez), and JamaICarnbin, to which is attached one of the highest educational institutions of tho Mohammedan world, and which contains a large library of Arabian works on theology. Fez has also a number of minor schools, and ia still regarded as an important educational centre. The industries are considerable, the productsincluding leather, rugs, shawls of silk, and the red Fez caps. In point of commerce Fez is the most important city of north- west em Africa. It iB the distributing centre for European products from Marseilles and London, while ita caravans travel as far as Timbuktu.] FIGHTING BERBERS. DRESSED AS FOR A FEAST. WOMEN SINGINcTaND CHEERING. (Received May 3, 9.10 a.m.) • PARIS, 2nd May. Letters received here from Fez state that the attacking Berbers were dressed as for a feast. They were followed by fheir women mounted on mules, and singing and cheering for the encouragement of tho men. If a man fell fighting the women seized and removed his body.