New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-17
TOPICS IN Paris.
France to Protect the Customs OF
Islam in North Africa.
Especial TO The New-York Tribune by French Cable,
Copyright. 1904: BY The Tribune Associationl

Especial The New-York Tribune by French Caols)
Copyright: 1904: BY The Tribune AssOciatiOnl
Paris, July 16-The French government has
seized the occasion OF the visit OF the Bey OF
Tunis accentUate a new policy in North
Africa. President Loubet's toast assuring the
Mahometan ruler that the religious traditions
and customs Of Islam will be scrupulously re-
spected is the first instance in the history OF
France that such a declaration has ever been
made. This IS intended not only for Tunis and
Algeria but also for Morocco. 1t will be com
municated TO all the uemas, the religious sheiks
and the shertfs Of Northern Africa. including OF
course, the notorious RaisuE
Energetic measures have been taken to over
come the opposition Of the Sultan OF Morocco
to the French plan OF establishing an Algerian
gendarInerie in Tangier. Unless the Imperial
consent 10 the French scheme be gwen pay
ment Of the French loan to the Sultan VIII Dc
withheld. Meanwhile. preliminary measure
TO strengthen French influence, the Algerian
schools and colleges have been thrown open
gratutously to Moorish youths. Companies are
also being formed in Paris with the view OF
developing the mineral resources of Morocco
and French domination is thus belhs carlIeu
out slowly but surely.
Never before at any of the annual Fourteenth
OF July reviews has the French Army made a
It did on Thursday, when thirty thousand men OF
all arms marched past President Loubet and the
Bey OF TInis The dominating idea Of the re-
forms OF General Andre. the Radical War Min
lister, were for the first time apparent. Inc
greatest freedom and movement IS given to the
individual soldier, while, the other hand,
greater precision and exactitude are required
from such tactical units the brigades and d.
visions The forthcoming reduction . the ser
vice from three to two years is amply compen-
stated by the opening this month of the national
rife and revolver schools Of craftsmanship,
which are established in every village and COM
mune Of France. The Bey Of Tunis was much
impressed by the formidable show made by the
French field artillery, when twenty-four bat
,eries OF eight guns each galloped past him In
battery front the muzze Of each quick firing
cannon being in perfect alignment. indeed, the
French field artillery adjudGed by foreign
military attaches WHO attended the review TO be
the best equipped and the best organized Of any
in Europe The review was witnessed by over
TWO hundred thousand spectators. AS the eight
reg;Inental bands OF each division massed to-
gether under one leader and played the Mar
se.llaise," "Sambre ct Meuse' and "Pere La Vic
toire" the enthusiasm was unbounded.
There is much less noise in Paris on the Four
teenth of July than the Fourth of July in New
York. ParlSlanS with their wives ana cIllluteiI
qr with their sweethearts are TO be seen taking
their amusements leisurely. slipping light wines,
or dancing IN the clearly swept streets, or
flirting or testing until daybreak. There is no
drunkenness and no hustl!ng. only moderate
amount of noise and lots Of genuine fun.
The fine, sunny weather has favored the
French wheat crop in the last fortnight Lead
ing dealers have now made their estimates for
the 1904 crop. which in the Southern depart
ments is already being harvested. The average
estimate made by the six principal wheat firms
OF Paris is 1913 600 900 hectolitres. or 35S25oOoo
tbushels this being a moderate crop and several
million bushels less than that OF last year. The
quality Of the 1904 wheat. however, IS Better
than that of 1903. The French vintage prom
ises to be one OF the most abunCant on record
and is estimated at 1320OO0Oo0 gallons
The hot weather wave has completely ended
the Paris season, and the exodus 70 mountain
and seaside health resorts IS in full swing. Mrs
and Miss Corbin are at Bagnoles. De lOrne. and
Mrs Van Dusen Reed and her daughter. the
Vicorntesse de Chazelles are at Dirard. where
is also Joseph Peabody. Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Carroll arrived 81 their automobile at AK les
Bains George Gould and F. Havemeyer, also
in an automobile, reached Geneva, having made
an agreeable run from Paris. Among the Amer
leans at Lucerne are Governor and Mrs. Muir
ply Of Arizona, Mr.. and Mrs. George Wurtz,
Mrs and Miss Gambler, Mr.. and Mrs George
Field and family. Mrs. George c. Lodge. Miss
Lodge, Mrs. J. ". Durham. Professor Fiske
and General Hayes. GLIB.