The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-23
FRANCE AND MOROCCO.
A Dispute In Northern Africa In
which England Has an Interest.

The dispatch of special envoy by the
French government TO Morocco in ship
Of war; to be followed by two others, Is In
consequence OF dispute about a question
OF sovereignty over certain places In the
Sahara desert south of the French terri
tory in Algeria. Insalah. or Ain Salah. as
II Is also called, which has been recently
occupied mifitartiy by the French. Is one
OF the sacred places OF the Moors. and lies
in a commanding position as regards the
oasis of Tt,at. where the caravan track
from Tablet. In Morocco, to Timbuctoo, ON
the Upper Nile. Joins that coming from
Biskra. In northern Algeria, through
Wargla- Morocco asserts It's title to the
sovereignty of the territory in which these
places are situated, but the French gov
eminent contends that the sultan's Off
Gals fail to exercise the duties OF SOW
ereignty In not protecting French travellers
and traders doing business in those parts
against tho attacks Of the desert tribes.
The French authorities have. therefore,
been under the necessity of taking the
steps they have in order to reduce the
tribes to subsection and protect the routes
through this territory.
These are the reasons put forward, but
the real motive IL different Insalah and
the oasis Of Tuat are principal points In
the line Of communication between Algeria
and the Upper Niger. which the French
government is preparing to connect by a
railway starting from Biskra or from the
southern terminus OF the Western Aigeri-
an railway and running through the desert
via Timbuctoo to Koulikoro. on the Niger,
the present terminus of the railway. from
st. Louis. on the Senegal. up the valley
OF that river and across the watershed to
the Niger. This proposed railway is one
of the highest strategic Importance from
a military point OF view. as II would enable
the sarrisons OF the French settlement in
West Africa and on the Niger to he rein
forced at any moment by an interior land
route instead OF the risky one by sea Ii
IL also important for commercial seasons.
as IL would give the French the control
of the trade of all the interior OF the yet
untouched Western Sahara. and so con-
vert Il into an integral part of the great
African empire. the foundations OF which
were laid when the French established
themselves ON tho Senegal and In Algeria
The sultan of Morocco, II appears, Is
unwilling TO relinauish the sovereignty OF
his loosely held territories, and in conse-
auence the French government sends a
special envoy TO impress on him its de-
termination to proceed with the work OF
putting the country in order and opening
II up 10 civilization. To what lengths the
French are prepared to go in order to
bring the Sultan TO recognize the situation
cannot be known until II Is further de-
veloped. but the energy and promptituae
with which they are acting looks as
though they are ready 10 use force IL
necessary. A disturbance OF the status
quo in Morocco. however. IL serious mat
ter. as England has certain nre-emntiye
rights so far as Tangiers and the sud
rounding country are concerned which she
would not fail TO assert. Whether the
French are prepared also 70 provoke the
assertion % those rights and TO resist n
II made IL a point that greatly increases.
the interest In tho steps they are now
taking In view OF the situation IN South
Africa the matter is worth watching. New
York sun.