New-York tribune., 1907-01-20
BLACK TRAFFIC.
SlaUe Trade FIomishing on the
Mediterranean.

Americans cruising in the Mediterranean in
the springtime, either yachts or on board
those great ocean liners which periodically con
yey large parties of tourists to the various
points of interest i'm the Levant are apt 10
catch glimpses of disreputablc looking tramp
steamers flying the Turkish flag. and with noses
pointed in the direction Of Constantinople If
their gaze could penetrate the rusty and bat
tered sides Cf these Ships they would be horri-
fed to find a condition of affairs below deck
which would recall to them the pictures Of the
inferno in the holds Of those vessels which in
the eighteenth century were employed in con-
veylng slaves from Africa to the New World
the general public, both here and in E1rone
hondIy lInagines that the frightfuI barbarities
OF the trattc IN human ebony belong to another
age and are thing OF the past It is inst
as well therefore, that attention shouId he
called to the fact that. despite all international
congresses and treaties, slave running continues
without let or hindrance on the Mediterranean
Ano that not week passes without several
ooats arriving at COnstantinOple and at other
kuropean ports of the Turkish Empire heavily
neighted with slaves from Morocco. and in
particular from TripoIf
While considerable force of British gun
boats and small cruisers is maintained all the
year round in the Red Sea and along the north
east coast of Africa for the purpose of pre-
venting the shipping Of slaves from the Dark
continent TO Arabia and to other portions of
turkey and Asia no attempt Whatsoever is
made either by England any other Christian
power, TO interfere with the slave trade on the
Mediterranean. 1t is not that they are igno
rant OF what is going under their very
noses ana with the full cognizance of the Of
ncerS IN charge OF their naval forces in the
Levant. But rather than invite trouble with
fn1n Dnrfa
complications, the great powers prefer to close
their eyes and to allow the trade to go ~,
without any interference The same jealousy
among them which has proved an insuperable
OBSTACLE to the institution of those reforms in
morocco called for by humanity and civilization
serves 10 prevent any concerted or even isolated
action for the suppression of this relic Of saw
agery still tolerated by Europe. and in its
waters
owing 20 the careful way i'm which the Rod
Sea ard The Somali coast are patroIIed bv The
English and to the watchfuness of the British
ofncIais Of the khedivial department for the
suppression OF the slave trade along the Egyp-
tan frontier, African slaves can reach
Turkey except by the Mediterranean. from the
coast of Morocco ana of Tripoli The slaves are
mostly brought from the hinterIand of Morocco.
and Particularly from that Of Tripoli, where
siaVe raidlnS continues in its most appalling
torm village after village being thus wiped out
existence the older men and women being
Invariably put 10 the sword while the young
girls and boys, for whom there is always de-
mand in excess Of the supply. are brought by
caravan % the coast. numbers of them perishing
on the way. especially the boys owing to the
shocking mutilation to which they are always
subjected on capture. Slave marts are in fun
swing At Tangier and in other Moorish sea-
the very sight Of Europe and under the very
guns o.: lie great British stronghold Of Glib
raltar
In TliyoI they likcwis .,urish. dcop:tc tho
treaty Obligations of the Sultan prohibiting tho
slave trade in the Ottoman Empire. In fact
the slave marts of TripoH constitute the prln-
etpal source Of supply to the harens of Con-