Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-09-22

was such as to paralyze any Legitimate
objection.
The situation which led to the dis.
patch of the French troops to Fee was
very critical. The sultan was practi-
cally beseiged in his capital Or
March IL the city was assaulted and
the success of the defence was almost
! wholly due to the service rendered by
French artillery. The French consul
at Fee stated that in all the years he
had been in Morocco he had never seen
situation so serious. French troops
in the Shawia were attacked and their
commander killed. A Spanish train
near Melilla was pillaged. The rebels
sent out an expedition from Tafilet
down on the edge of the Sahara,
against French troops in the CHR re-
gion at Colomb Bechar The French
garrisons on the frontiers Of Morocco
had to be speedily strengthened. Steps
at last had to be taken to create in
Morocco a strong military force, Off
cered and equipped by the French
themselves. The French government
authorized a loan for the purpose, and
1t was determined that nothing less
than force of 5000 men would suffice.
With a force slightly larger, contain
ing many native troops, the French al
ready garrisoned the large territory
from Casablanca to the foothills of
the Atlas in the Shawia. Such a sud-
den and considerable expansion of
French influence must have been an
immediate source of annoyance to
German pride.
Mulai FL Hassan, the last strong rul-
er Of Morocco, died in 1894. He was
succeeded by his son, Add FL Aziz, a
boy whose fondness for Europeans and
European manufactures aroused vio-
lent prejudice in Morocco. Under his
weaker rule disorder began to show it.
self. One after another there appear
ed those pretenders who owe their
strength to religious fanaticism and
gain their influence by preaching a
holy war against all Europeans. The
murder of French physician brought
a French army to Casablanca, and
with it's coming Mulai Hafid, BROTH
er Of the reigning sultan, proclaimed
himself sultan, declared a holy war
against the French and marched upon
Fee. Add FL Aziz fled, and in Au-
gust, 1908, Mulai Hafid ruled in Fee.
The French forces in Algeria pushed
westward. In 1909 the Riffs suddenly
attacked the Spanish about Melilla.
The sultan was powerless to protect
his subject against the Christian in
vaders and he quickly lost the prestige
he had acquired as leader of a holy
war; Then one by one the great tribes
rose in revolt. The point was reached
where peace and safety could only be
restored by outside interference.
France alone Of European nations,
through its Algerian garrisons and
frontiers, could supply the men and
the means to accomplish this end.
This action necessarily meant a
French protectorate. Such a protec-
torate France cannot undertake so
long as it carries the danger of Eu-
ropean war.
Englands attitude in the Moroccan
question has never been in doubt. The
British government has made it clear
that it was prepared to interpret the
Anglo French treaty, which transfer
red to France the English interests in
Morocco for concessions in Egypt and
elsewhere, as an alliance for war. At
the time of the first Moroccan crisis
Russia was in a state of complete eX-
haustion owing to the Japanese war.
Russia's recovery has enabled her to
reassert her independence to support
France, and 1t Is clear that she has al
ready taken some measure of revenge
for the submission which Germany ex-
acted of her to the forcible annex
alton of Bosnia and Herzegovina to
Austria, which was in the nature of a
payment to Austria by Germany for
support at the Algeciras convention.
For the first time since the death Of
Edward VII. the Triple Entente shows
itself not only unbroken but able to
exercise a decisive influence in Euro
pean affairs.
The Algeciras compact expires this
year. Some new agreement must sue
ceed it. The flying column of French
soldiers encamped under the walls Of
Fee on May 81. The relief eXpedi-
ton had arrived in time. The French
army must for the present remain in
Fee. The Moroccan difficulty is inso-
luble on the basis of the Algeciras
agreement. European considerations
compel the French to remain passive
on the side of the Muluya, while the
natives organize attacks on the other.
In Morocco city the holy war" is the
text of the MOhammedan preachers.
The presence of the infidel at Fee has
stirred the whole Moroccan world
Berber and Arab alike. The French
garrisons in Fez and in the Shawia
must expect to encounter the attacks
of the MorOccans rallying to redeem
their country. The dangers of the Mo-
roccan question to France are as great
in Africa as they are in Europe.
The intention Of the German gov
ernment i'm sending a warship to Aga
dir, a port hitherto closed to European
commerce, was plainly that Germany
meant to take the place and the Sus
hinterland as her share in the spoils.
Agadir is the best harbor between
Tangier and Dakar on the west Afri-
can coast. 1t would give Germany q
naval base on the Atlantic opposite
South America, and on the line OF
communication of Great Britain with
it's South African colonies and of those
of France i'm West Africa. Little is
known to the outside world of the Sus
province, but it is commonly thought
to be rich i'm minerals. 1t is separ-
ated from the main bulk of Morocco
by the wall of the main Artas, which
varies here from 10000 to $4,000 feet
in heipht If is also SeDarated from