The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1901. EUROPEANS AND MOROCCANS.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXI, Issue 12636, 24 March 1905, Page 2

The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1901. EUROPEANS AND MOROCCANS.

The tribesmen of Morocco are evidently not. taking kindly* to European intervention in the internal government- of their country. Certain of the tribes have -declined to hold jany coijununication with the French representative, ■ as they object to being reformed by him, or put on their good behaviour by his military police.. For the - present, therefore, France is not getting very .much further forward' in Morocco, despite the free hand granted her-by the Anglo-French agreement of last April.. By that in-, strument, the British Government recognised that it appertained to France, as a Power whose dominions are coterminous for a great distance with those of Morocco, to preserve order in that country, and to provide assistance for the purpose of all administrative,, economic, financial, - and military reforms which it might require, practically Britain conceded' to France the s&ne position in Morocco as she has herself taken up in Egypt, and * the return given by France was the abandonment- of her ancient policy of protest against England's continued occupation of the valley of the Nile. His Majesty's Government, however, stipulated that as far as British trade was conceded, there was to be an open door' in Moiolco ; tuat the treaty rights of Great Britain, including the right of coasting trade between the ports of Morocco enjoyed by British vessels sines 1901, were to be left intact; and thati British , commerce, including goods in transit through French territory and destined for the Moorish market, were to be treated on a footing of absolute equality with that of France. Having thus arranged matters with Britain, France was Teady to proceed to the task of reforming the Sultan's turbulent kingdom, a large part of which had revolted and settled down into a. fairly peaceful condition under a leader named Bu Hamara. The inhabitants of the country, however, were highly suspicious of the intentions of the foreigners, whose proposal to despatch a mission to Fez was construed as an intention to gain possession; of Morocco by underhand-trickery, instead of by military force which could be resisted. The Sultan's method of checkmating the French was described by the Tangier correspondent of the '' Times.' at the end of January. "He sent letters all over Morocco summoning two of the chief Moors from each of the coast towns,, and a larger number from the" inland towns, to discuss at Fez the situation brought about by the recent agreements and the existing pretensions of France. It is impossible to exaggerate the* seriousness of the Sultan's action. The French might have persuaded the Saltan to accept the French proposals, but it will never persuade or ieeerce this new force which thoroughly represents Morocco." Some of the tabes, as we are told to-day, have not even gone through the formality of attending the conference, before repudiating any subjection to France. They have no doubt been encouraged in this attitude by the knowledge that if they want a friend, Germany is quite ready, to throw obstacles in the j way of France. The Kaiser is about to make a tour of the Mediterranean, 'and although , a call at Tangier may appear a harmless detail in his voyage, it cannot be doubted that he intends it as an intimation to the Moors oi a benevolent interest in their affairs! The extracts* from the "North German Gazette" which are cabled to-day, show that Germany has no intention j of being ousted from the trade of Morocco, and also that she is not disposed , to place implicit trust in the professions of France that her " pacific guidance " in the restora* ition of order in Morocco bodes no ill tQ non-French interests. Some time ago the " Cologne--Gazette" declared thai France, on the strength of her arrangement with Great Britain, was attempting to establish a predominant position in Morocco, while none of the other European Powers had given bey any snandats to act in this

fashion. The news published to-day shows that Germany, while she professes to contemplate no possibility of a disturbance in her relations with France, is preparing to interfere in Morocco.