The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-01-17
N |

| ~ III OSI OF NORTHWESTERN Africa
NH France has taken for her
! IV1 own. But in this Gallo en-
pire stand two enclaves lit
tie If any Influenced by France: the
territory of Tangier, and the Spanish
| Zone of Morocco. The chief cities of
these areas, Tangier and Ceuta, are
Europe's two nearest municipal neigh
bors in Africa. Only the narrow Strait
of Gibraltar separates them from
Spain
Tangier, on the Atlantic side of the
strait, is in permanently neutralized
and demilitariZed zone, administered
| jointly by representatives of France
! Great Britain. Spain and Italy. This
arrangement was only arrived at in
1928. The Tangier question was Of
such delicacy that it was lodged by
mutual consent for more than a
| decade
The Moroccan crisis of 1911 be-
tween France and Germany almost set
the World war off three years before
| its time, and when peace was pre-
powers were glad enough to thurst
the Tangier question hastily aside by
| stating that the city was ito be given
| special regime to be agreed upon
later" Meantime a temporary inter-
national commission administered af-
fairs in the city and territory Of
40 square miles around it, and failed
to please Great Britain who want
| ed permanent Observation-Disclosures !;
| France, who wanted the zone an
nexed to the French protectorate; or
Spain, who wanted control herself.
Situated only a few miles from Eu-
rope, Tangier has been affected to a
greater or less degree by Western CIV
ilization for centuries. Since the
Moors set up their power in north
! western Africa, the Portuguese, Span
iards and English have at times held
the place; but the English, the last of
the three to have possession, aban-
doned it to the Moors in 1854. For a
long time afterward it was one of
! the chief cities of the sultan of Moroc
| co. But since the city has been in
/ the hands of 'infidels" it has been
visited only on the rarest occasions
! by the sultanS.
For many centuries it has occupied
a reserved seat on the African side of
the Strait Of Gibraltar, in full view of
| the parade of commerce to and from
Mediterranean ports, but today its I'M
bor In Of
ing of larger ocean-going vessels.
No Wheeled Vehicles in Tangier.
From the sea, Tangier is the Arab
city of North Africa par excellence,
for the ugly dashes of yellow, green
and red, with which scattered modern
constructions have marred the other
wise glistening whiteness of the ma
tive city, are not distinguishable until
the steamer lies close in.
The traveller from Europe will be
struck at once by the total lack of the
well-known rumble of city Streets, for
though the uneven thoroughfares are
in most part paved with cobblestones,
wheeled vehicles are practically I'M
known. The streets are nevertheless
crowded with other means of trans
port. So narrow are some of them
that at the oft-repeated "Balak J"
'Look out !" one must again and again
spring into some doorway in order to
let donkeys, mules and horses, with
their spreading burdens, pass by.
Camels have to be unloaded in the
"Socco," or market place, outside
the walls, Things too heavy to be
carried by single animal must be
transported by men, and it is no I'M
usual sight to see great stones five
and six feet long slung on poles and
borne by dozen or more half-naked
Moors.
In these narrow streets the little
box-like shops, waist high, give the
proper oriental setting to the whole.
In them one sees the owner reclining
and sedately reading, seemingly obliv-
ious to the stirring scene around him,
until he is disturbed" by purchaser
for his goods, all of which are within
arms reach.
In the business section coffee
houses offer the principal Tangier
recreation. Patrons sit In groups on
the floor. playing with odd-marked
cards, or lean against the walls sip
ping a beverage, smoking their pipes,
and sometimes singing to the tune OF
a native orchestra. Next door an I'M
kempt shopkeeper, seemingly more in
terested in keeping his long-stemmed
pipe lighted than in making a sale,
presides over his shop displaying pot
terry, brassware and trinkets.
Beggars are most importunate. They
beg for aims and often follow
prospect" until he yields a coin.
Shouts of camel men and street vend-
lers and chatter of pedestrians make
monotonous din, broken occasionally
by the weird strains of holy orches-
ira composed of dervishes who parade
about the streets with Moslem BAN
ners, begging contributions for the
mosques.
In the Homes and Market.
An Americans description OF Tan
gl.r residential district world be