The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-06
TWENTY YEARS IN MOROCCO.
An EnElishman's View of Recent
Wnriike Developments.

From the st. James Gazette.)
| Some interesting facts regarding the re-
| cent developments in Morocco have been
given to a representative by a city mer-
| chant, who has had twenty years acquaint-
ance with that country. The gentleman in
question has been in almost every part Of
Morocco and has just returned home from
Tangier.
"Of course" said Mr. Cornwell. France
has been active in Morocco for many years
past. and undoubtedly would have liked a
sufficient pretext during that time for an
nexing the country. The powers, however,
have kept her from doing this. The pres
ent matter may blow over for little if
the Moroccan tribes do not take the offen-
sive. The projected Saharan Railway has
good deal to do with French activity. From
Senegal the French have projected rail-
way to Timbuktu. and a considerable por-
tion of it has already been built. Then
from the north the terminus Of the railway
from the port and province Of Oran is al
ready considerably south Of Ain Sefra
The French wish this railway to cut
through the oasis of Tablet and secure
the wells in that district and the hinter-
land generally. After passing Tablet the
railway will proceed south and Join the
Senegal Timbuktu line. Thus at one sweep
France will have secured the whole cara
van trade of Sahara
What do you think OF the semi-official
statement of the French Government that
they have been obliged to stop the cara
vans because they were carrying on large
slave traffic."
That is unauthorized nonsense. The
slaves do not come b. the Touat, Tablet.
or Figig GASES. They come in streams up
through the Sus country to the extreme
southwest of Morocco. Besides were the
statement true the French Government
knows very well that the slaves in Mo-
rocco get much better life OF it than
they do in their own country.
Mr.. Cornwell went on to say that the
stopping Of the caravan trade was I'M
doubtedly injurious to British trade inter-
ests in Morocco, and the Government, in
his opinion. should take steps to prevent
it. He had just had a letter from his
agent in Morocco City saying that any oc-
cupation by the French of Tablet would be
highly injurious to British trade. Ujda
was town upon which the French had
designs. 1t was within the delimited from
tier of Morocco, some fifty miles from the
Ujda has good wells and
some time ago the French sent their car
riers there for water. With the carriers
they sent a detachment of troops as
protection. They intimated that If they
hey would send more troops and occupy
he place. You may depend upon it,
said Mr.. Cornwell, the French will find
hey have 'undoubted' claims to Ujda in
he not distant future. It always hap
pens So
Who do you think is behind The young
Sultan in his present spirited policy"
His mother, l should say" replied Mr..
cornwell. she is clever-a very astute
b..
She was a beautiful Circassian
and arrived in Morocco some twenty gears
ago as a present to the reigning sultan
from the Sultan of Turkey. She became
the mother of the present sultan, who is
just under nineteen years of age
You would like to see the status quo
,reserved?'
Yes. most unquestiorably: We prefer it
% anything like spheres of interest. There
s no reason why. under the present re-
zine, Morocco should not be gradually
eformed and opened up"
Our export trade is not so great as it
ras2"
mo. the Germans are stepping in with
lot of cheap stun which English manu-
acturers will not make. / predict, how
yer, that the Moroccans will soon find
ut their shoddy and useless character
nd will revert to the trustworthy English
GODS. -
In the "Petersbourgskiya Viedmosti''
'rince Ukhtomsky takes very grave
lew OF the development OF events in Mo-
occo He recalls the significant utter
nee OF Lord Salisbury that Morocco
,ould later on raise more serious difficult
les among the great powers Of Europe
han all the collective issues OF the East
IN question" Foreseeing these future
iflcuities England has desired the main
enance in Morocco Of chronic state Of
from which she reaped consid-
rable commercial advantages Now, the
ases of Tuat, Igli. and others are occu-
led by the French. and the Moorish ques-
on has entered upon new phase of de1
elopment. 1t is difficult for the moment
0 forecast the issue. but in England, as
'ell as In France, there exists well
fear that the conclusion OF the
|oer war will be closely coincident with
be commencement Of an Anglo-Freneh
Norfhern Africa