The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-20 00:00:00

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PRICE 41). STAMPED, SD.

made of the questions pending between us and the Spanish
Government before the declaration of war, as likewise about
the Riff affair, a subject not mentioned by us in' our letter
dated 27 Rabea Ist, which we addressed to the representa-
tives of the foreign Powers resident in this empire. For
this reason we address this present letter, to give you a just
and truthful account of what has passed relative to the sub-
ject, begging that you will be pleased to lay it before your
Government ; likewise, we request that your Government
will at the same time be pleased to communicate it td the
other respective Governments, as at the present time all the
'representatives of othei foreign Powers -are absent, -except
yourself, and we are unable to address tham directly.
" The following is ajust and truthful account of the Riff

question :
"The reason that we did not mention the Riff question
in our letter of 27 Rabca let, addressed to the representa-
tives of the foreign Powers in this empire, was because we
had no remarks to make upon it, as we had arranged and
settled all disputes on this matter with the Spanish repre-
sentative since the month of August last, and we had made
a treaty of peace on the subject, and it can be proved that
in the correspondence between us and the Spanish represen-

tativo no mention is made of the Riff question ; and we aro
very much surprised that the Spanish Minister should
state that the principal motive of the war originated from
,the Riff question. We ourselves were not going to make
mention to the representatives of foreign Powers of a ques-
tion already settled and concluded ; but now, seeing that
the Spanish Minister has mentioned the subject, alleging
that a great prejudice arises to all nations from the acts of
the Ruffians, therefore we wish to explain the affair with all
simplicity and exactitude ; and you and the representatives
of other foreign Powers resident in the empire are well
aware of the injustice of the accusation on this subject.
You must know that four years previous to this date the
Ruffians who inhabit Kalhiya (Cape Tres Forcas) had been
occupied in: piracy for more than 30 years, and hail attacked
with their boats 20 vessels, as you will no doubt ascertain
tom • documents in your Consulate ; but it is now foUr
ears that we have no knowledge of any vessels -whatever
hating been attacked either by; the Riffians or by any one
else belonging to our empire. Otir Lord Mulay Abderha-
man—may his soul rest in peace I—always felt great sor-
row at these wicked acts of the Ruffian's, aid he did all he
could to put an • end to these piracies ;
,but, as the people
inhabit a difficult mountainous country, they would
not obey their Sovereign; and whether it happened that
the Riffians of Nalhiyas committed piracy on any foreign
Vessel, and its nation communicated' to us its desire to go
and punish them for their wicked acts, we did not prohibit
them, but we were glad that these piracies and all evil deeds
should be put an end to. You are aware that four years
ago the ,Riffians of Kalhiya took an English vessel, a French
vessel,, and likewise a Spanish falucho. Through the stops
• taken by our Lord Mulay Abderalmurn (may his soul be in
glory !), with the aid of the Mirabout (Saint) Sidi Mohamed
Elhady, their crews. were liberated and restored, to their
country, .in conformity with the orders of. the Sultan, when
the English and French Governments claimed the value of
their vessels. The English Government, through you, ad-
dressed to us at different times various letters giving us
good counsel, and recommending the Sultan, for the good
of this empire, to send an army to punish severely the acts
of the wicked people of Kalhiya and bring them into sub-
jection. The Sultan (peace bo with him !), taking into con-
sideration the good counsel offered to him about four years•
ago, twice sent an army in command of the Governor of
the Riff country, and severely punished the offenders, and
made them pay all they had robbed from• the vessels, and
also the sum of money claimed by the English and French
Governments for these vessels. The Sultan also made
arrangements with the chiefs of the Riff coast that they
should be responsible for the future acts of their people,
in order to put an end to these .piracies ; and
from that date to the present time nothing more
has been heard of their wicked acts. But the , Spanish
Government, knowing that their piracies have been stopped
are still anxious to mako other Governments believe that
there still exists pirates on the Riff coast, and so make it
appear that this war will be a great benefit to all nations.'
Why did they not at the time those piracies actually existed
show their power to suppress thorn ? You are aware that the
Spaniards in their possessions on the Riff coast, near Kal-,

hika, and with their coastguard, prohibited the Rif ans from
carrying on their legal traffic with,Tetuan and Tangier, even
When piracy was abolished and the Ruffians were legally

engaged in carrying merchandise from Tetuan and Tangier

to their homes. But the Spaniards, although we were in
amicable relations with them and in peace, unjustly threw
themselves on their boats and took them as prizes. The
Governor of the Spanish possessions near the Riff coast
even wrote to us—which letter is still in our possession—
and told us that the Ruffians did not commit any aggressive
act against their possessions; but, nevertheless, the Spa-
niards have taken merchandise from the boats of the Ruffians
to the value of 20,000 dols., the property of honest men en-
gaged in legal commerce, as we have before said, and they
have remained with this property to the present day. They
had likewise taken the crews and passengers of the boats
and made them prisoners, and did not release them till
several months after. The Spaniards likewise took a boat
lielonging to the Saint, tho Mirabout Sidi Mohamed Elhady
—a person who had greatly favoured the Spaniards in sav-
ing and liberating their subjects from the hands of pirates,
notwithstanding the Moorish patron of this boat carried a
passport or order from the Governor of those Spanish pos-
sessions; but, in spite of all this, refused to release the
boat or crew till the English Government interfered to ob-
tain the release of the boat so unjustly taken. We do not
wish to continue the relation of other similar unjust actions
which we have suffered. We cannot deny that part of the
pooplo of the Riff are wicked and heedless, contrary to our
earnest desire, but they were irritated in their evil doings
to other nations by the aggressive acts of the Spaniards
towards them. When the Spanish Government claimed
2,000 dole. for the abovementioned falucho, which was
wrecked on the Riff coast near Melilla and pillaged by the
Riffians, we do not concede to their demands, as in the
treaty of peace existing between us it is stipulated that our
Government does not hold itself responsible for the acts of
the Ruffians, who are not obedient to the commands of the
Sultan ; and even if the Spaniards had to take upon them-
selves to punish thorn for their aggression, it would not in-
terrupt the amicable relations existing between the two Go-
vernments. The Spaniards several times had battles with
the Ruffians, and we never complained of their doings, nor
did we say anything when they were making prizes on the
Riff boats by their coastguards when they pleased. For this
reason, strictly adhering to the treaty, we do not think it is
right that, after they have taken the law into their own
hands, they should claim anything from our Lord the Sul-
tan. Although, in perfect justice the Moorish Government
refused to pay the claim of 2,000 dols. for the falucho (the
Spaniards having latterly repeated that claim), you accord-
ing to instructions received from your Government, at dif-
ferent times, asked us as a special favour and as an act of
friendship, to concede and pay these 2,000 dols, to avoid
questions and disputes ; we acceded to your request and
counsel and paid the same, thus giving a proof of our wish
to favour the Spaniards, although they had no right to
claim according to tho treaty existing between us. We
also, at your request and mediation, ceded a new line at
Melilla. You are aware of the manner in which the
Spanish representative, M. John Blanco del Valle, has
treated with us, and the insulting language he has used to
us on several occasions ; but, although we feel this sorely
in our hearts, we allowed his discourteous language to pass
without comment, and we endured everything in order to
preserve friendship and harmony with the Spanish Go-
vernment, our neighbours, seeing that it is for the benefit
of both that such friendship should exist between us. For

this reason we suspect and believe that the Spanish Govern-
ment is not well informed upon these matters. but that it
has been led by the equivocal language of its agent to be-
lieve things which have no existence in this empire, and
the blame now lies upon the person who has been the cause
of this war, as thero ie not the slightest occasion for it, as
you yourselves are well aware. This empire was making
considerable progress in its commercial relations with other
P•wers ; and, if the Spanish Minister wishes to allege thai
the Ruffians have been the cause of the war, why did not
the Spanish Government send its troops and forces to the
coasts of Riff? What motive have they for taking offen-
sive steps against our ports, which have not wronged any
one ? But it is clear that the Spanish Minister twists his
wthoerdCseuanta affair,
dspaaksalluntjhworld and all
unjustly likeim nn
who have heard of the qudstion know what we have written,
and what they have written, respecting it ; everybody is
pmaratialerpewoiptlhe
perfectly aware and knows that no piracy ever existed in
our empire, except that which we have before mentioned as
y In the
at one time ousting on the coast of Riff. It is likewise
well known that no man-of-war vessel bearing the Moorish
flag has sailed from our ports for more than 20 years, and
the two or three merchant vessels which carried the
Moorish flag were equipped and manned by Europeans.

With respect to what the Spanish Minister states in his
letter of the 29th of October last, with reference to the
Ceuta affair, we have no necessity to make any remarks
about it in this letter, but refer to the correspondence,
copies of which we have forwarded to the representatives o'
foreign powers in our letter dated 27 Itabea, Ist. Any per-
son of ordinary talent who may read these writings will see
that we have been treated unjustly. We likewise beg you
will give your testimony to that effect to your Government,
seeing that you have exerted yourself very much for the
maintenance of peace, and that we have ceded at different
times, in deference to you and your Government, the new
claims put forward by the Spanish Government, and you
wveirYth knowrectitude and that
justice
swt
iec havee;n arl nwd
eu conductedd ourselvesd ali
nw
oauy
rs
interviews and letters ; but the Spanish representative, as
you are well aware, made declarations and promises both
to us and to you, and afterwards retracted them as he
thought a, without truth or justice. You know how

~PAPER

-,---1::::40,,x,
,red in these! affairs in Drier totem- - ;
its and clesirEs;!an.l to keep on good
If the 5p4i.,11 C:,rrztitent wishes -7
'e stated with 'Nsp:-..et to tho "tin-, we
ish to all the wilrld coi,les okurapite
; upon the questidicX theikiff Qid
Melilla from the beginning to the end.

"In conclusion we beg to inform you that it is our inten-
tion to print and publish this letter through the medium of
our friends in England and other parts of Europe, so that
all the world may have a knowlcdge of the affair, and judge
right from wrong.
"Peace, 5 Juma Elul, 1276 (Ist Dec., 1559).
" The servant of the Throne elevated by God,
MOHAMED EL li-XTIB."
The Gibraltar Chronicle of December 12, says
—The whole of the Spanish invading'nrmy is at
length concentrated at Ceuta, and its movements
may soon be expected to disclose Marshal O'Don-
nell's plan of campaign. Up to the present time
the Spanish forces have been subject to a harassing
species of warfare, which, added to their exposure
under canvas during inclement weather, has pro-
duced many casualties in their ranks without lead-
ing to any real progress towards attaining the
object of the expedition. On the landing of the
first corps under General Echague, positions were
taken up in front of Ceuta in the direction of Sierra
Bullones, the Spanish advanced posts beirig about
a league from Ceuta. The Moors then had in front
of Ceuta a guard of only 200 men of the tribe of
Angera to watch the operations of the Spaniards.
For the first two or three days slight skirmishing
along the front was the extent of the fighting. In
the meantime the whole of the Angera tribe, num-
bering about 1,500, with other tribes, making a
total of about 5,000 or 6,000 had been assembling
in the rugged slopes of the Sierra Bullones, and on
the 25th attacked the Spanish front with great fury.
They were gallantly repulsed but the casualties were
heavy on both sides. The most reliable accbunt we
have received of this action from an eye-witness gives
the Spanish loss at between 70 and 80 killed and
from 500 to 600 wounded. On the 30th a second
attack was made and with results very similar to
that of the 25th. Again on the 9th we know that
severe fighting was going on in the front during the
whole day and that the wounded were being carried
into Ceuta, but we have up to this present time
received no trustworthy account of the probable
loss on either side. The Moorish force has been
daily augmented by fresh arrivals from the inte-
rior, and this last attack has probably been made
by greater numbers than those engaged on tte 25th
and 30th. The Spanish troops having at the close
of each day's fighting remained masters .of the
ground, and being provided with artillery, the
Moorish losses have no doubt been heavy. The
nature of the ground is, however, favourable to the
Moors. The thick cover of wood and bush which
clothes the slope and ravines ,of Sierra Rullones,
masks their operations till' they make their rush
forward, and screens them from the Spanish fire
when they retreat. Private letters from the Spa-
nish camp evince an eagerness on the part of the
writers to engage the Moors in a field where Euro-
pean tactics and discipline may have freer scope."