MOROCCAN NEGOTIATIONS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1206, 15 August 1911, Page 5

MOROCCAN NEGOTIATIONS.

AT A STANDSTILL. By Telesrash—Press Association—Copyriebl London, August 13. Reutor's Paris correspondent states that the Moroccan negotiations aro at a standstill. AIM OF GERMAN POLICY. It may now be stated, wrote the Berlin correspondent of "The Times" on July 5, that tho immediate aim of German policy in Moroccb is to force conversations with France and Spain about Morocco, and it may lie added with as little reservo that a prominent factor in German calculations is tho belief that England's desire for friendly relations with Germany, and especially recent expressions of that desire, have removed any probability of England, for her part, making difficulties or asserting herself. Once again, iii fact, the German business temperament has sought all -too soon to trnnslato into something else manifestations of good will and symptoms of a political detente. It is hard enough to guess whence the phantom of a Moroccan settlement between Franco and Spain, with_ Germany in tile chair, arose. British interests would seem to bo clear enough. Tho relationship between Great Britain and France—and for the matter of that between Great Britain and Spain —would seem, to be, if anything, clearer still. The calculation, however, belongs to thoso, who made it, and it can only be said that it is utterly unjustified by anything that has been said either iii general conversations between England and Germany or in anything that has passed between French and German statesmen. There aro those who- think that after much consideration the expedition to Agadir was held to bo at any rate harmless. As regards England, however, it is a matter at least lor regret that Germany, at the risk of general damage to tho international situation, should havo compelled her to make a display of steadfastness which is now inevitable. It really seems as if some people would never tiro of periodical testings of the international situation, and especially of tho Franco-British entente on the 0110 hand and of England's determination to maintain hor naval supremacy 011 tho other. Tho port of Agadir, the port to which tho German warships - were .dispatched, has tho best roadstead' in Morocco, and givos shelter from all tho winds of the Atlantic. It is tho most northern port of tho . Sus country, and is tho western gato of the Sudan. As a port on tho ronto to South Africa the importance of Agadir is obvious. The province of Sus is extensive and fertile and is reported to be rich in minerals. Many attempts have been made by European nations to oll'cct a settlement on tho coast, but the policy -of the Moorish Goverhment hnis always been to keep tho dcor closed. The Portuguese landed at Agadir and built a fort in tho sixteenth century. The Dutch followed the example in the eighteenth century, and until 1773 the Spaniards claimed the l'isrht to land for water and food. A British company established itself at Cape Juby, in tho Sus country, and was bought out by the Sultan. This led to an agreement under which the British Government recognised the authority of the Sultan of Morocco as far south as Cape Bojador on tho twenty-sixth parallel of north latitude, and undertook that no trading or other operations should be begun without the consent of the Sultan. Until the end of tho eighteenth century and from the beginning of 1 the fifteenth Great Britain had a nominal Vice-Consul at Agadir. The first French commercial house in Morocco was established at the port in IG7O, ' k The population of Agadir does not exceed 300 or 400. There aro 110 Europeans there, and the only nlieus aro Jews. At the foot of tho cliff on which Agadir stands is Fonte, whore the Portuguese built a fort to protect tho springs. Ilero are another 300 or 100 people, all of them Berbers of the Sus. Agadir is nearly eighty miles south of Mogadori The' town stands on a cliff overlooking the roadstead, which lies on the flank of the great trade routes to America, South Africa, and India and Australia. It is a walled town, with gates that are shut at night. Tho Berbers who inhabit the town and province are a warlike people who havo never really submitted to tho Moors, though they acknowledge the religious authority of the Sultan. The Berber chiefs of tho Sus have 011 more than oiie occasiou endeavoured to enter into negotiations with some European Power, for though jealous of their independence, they havo always been eager to secure protection against the Moorish Government. ■