The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-01

age-long war against tho infdel can
only be concluded by the conquest OF
| the Moors' native land. In Spain. too. bet
| ter than In any other European country.
| are the extraordinary mineral and agricul-
| tural capabilities OF Morocco appreciated.
| The Spaniards know. as the Romans know
| before them. what stores OF the precious
and the useful metals lie buried In the
depths OF the AtRs and the coast range.
| and they know Whist enormous harvcsts the
| Moor Is able to garner with the most defec-
| tive irrigation and the most primitive In
struments Of tilagc. They want Morocco
for they know what 80 do with it, and they
feel that the history OF two thousand years
gives them n valid title to 1t.
The claim OF France, on the other hand, is
In no wise a sentimental ono. 1t Is now
moro than sixty years since the French
began to occupy AlgeriS and they have un-
questionably come to stay. On the west
their territories arc contcrninous with tho
Sultan's. and they have been for some time
engaged in quietly absorbing his subjects
ono border shcik after another avniling
himself OF his proximity to place himself
under French protection They do not
really need Morocco for Industrial purposes.
for the stream OF French colonization flows
but slowly into Tunis and Algeria, and has
thus far turned to account only small
fraction OF the fertile areas. France has.
however, the deepest interest in avnrtiDS
the conquest Of the Sultan's dominions
by any other European power. and
especially by England. which. already mis-
tress of Gibraltar. would. If she acquired
control Of the African sidc OF the strait he
able to lock up the Mediterranean and shut
of communication between Marscillcs and
Toulon upon the one hand, and bordeaux,
Drest and IIavrc on the other. 1t would
seem, indeed. to be II matter OF vital con-
Germ TO nll tho Mediterranean powers to
prevent England from acquiring absolute
mastery over their only outlet to the At
lantic. yet, strange to say. ut the present
crisis both Italy and Austria seem inclined
to favor the English prctcnsions at the ex-
pensc of the French.
In the Morocco question England has
commercial and strategic interests at
stake What slender historical claim she
has to ascenduncy in Morocco is based upon
her former possession Of Tangier. which
was coded by the Portuguese to England
on the marriage OF kATHARlNE OF Draganza
to CHARLES II. The fnct that she did not
think the town worth keeping when she
had it left her without any title valid in in
ternationul law. But the English are doubt
less right in thinking that il foreigners
were allowed to acquire real estate and to
work mines in Morocco. and If the existing
distractions to foreign trade were re-
moved. they would reap the lions
share Of tho profits dcrivable from
such opportunities. They are also well
aware that il another European power
were firmly planted on the African
side of the strait. the advantage which they
draw from the possession OF Gibraltar
would be in largo measure neutralized.
Sooner than permit such an outcome Of tho
Morocco question. they would seek to prop
up the tottering power OF tho present
Sultan. But if the disruption and partition
Of the country arc unavoidable. as they
seem to be. England will unquestionably
fight. rather than relinquish her claim to
Tangier and the adjoining district for her
share Of the Sultan's dominions.