Empire of Morocoo.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 12 January 1892, Page 2

Empire of Morocoo.

This is the largest of the Barbary S tates and is situated on the north and east coast of Africa exactly opposite Gibraltar. On the soiitflrfif' is bounded by the Igdi deserLpind on the east by Algeria. The afea is some 314,000 square miles. The empire is an. absolute monarchy, but the semi-independent tribes are ruled by their own chiefs. The chief exports are wheat, barley, maize, beans and pease, oil, esparto, and hemp, also fruit. The country is also rich in minerals. Slavery is said to .be prevalent. The chief town, where the foreigu representatives live is Tangiers. The army proper consists of some 20,000 men, and a militia of 80,000 men. The present Sultan is Muley Hassan. Spain is indirectly interested by trade, and she has had many wars with this country, owing to the piratical pursuits her inhabitants indulge in. Spain holds, Ceuta in Morocco, which is situated on the tongue of land opposite Gibraltar, and in 1884 proclaimed a protectorate over the coast line on the west of Africa, south of Morocco, being the sea frontage to the desert of Jgdi. Off this coast she owns the Canary islands. It is impossible to under stand what has led to the rumour that ■ England had landed troops there. Algeria is the most important colonial possession of France, which they annexed in 1830.. Any disturbing element in Morocco would thus be of importance to the French as they have always, found that colony a regular hot-bed for insurrections. It is probable that if any change is effected in the govern- • ment of this territory, that England will have her say and share.