The Daily News TUESDAY, JANUARY 9. THE MOROCCAN EMBROGLIO.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8023, 9 January 1906, Page 2

The Daily News TUESDAY, JANUARY 9. THE MOROCCAN EMBROGLIO.

Considering the momentous importance of an amicable understanding being arrived at regarding the Moroccan situation, it is astonishing that so little is known concerning the country and the causes that have led to it having, within the past few months, become the centre of diplomatic attentions, which have, on several occasions, almost ended in jeopardising the peace of Europe. Unfortunately, the danger is not yet by any means past, and however much we might wish it otherwise, there is no disguising the fact that two at least of the parties to the forthcoming historic conference do not anticipate with equanimity a satisfactory solution of the difficulties presented. Else why the menacing massing of troops and armaments on the Franco-German frontier—the old battlegrounds around timorous Belgium ? It is difficult to disentangle the pros and cons of the Moroccan squabble, but it is by no means difficult to understand that the present contretemps has been principally brought about by the machinations of the impetuous German Emperor, who pretended to foresee danger to German prestige and enterprise, under the agreements arrived at between Spain, France, and Great Britain, regarding Morocco. The real motive, however, for German interference is easily discerned. Strategically the northern coast-line of Morocco is a very important one, with splondid harbours that require only European energy to develop. Although Morocco contains no Gibraltar lock commanding the Straits, any Power that should command a fortress on the Moroccan coast opposite Gibraltar would dispute with Britain the key to the Mediterranean. , That Iho Kaiser's interference was an illtimed move to secure a strategical position on the Moroccan coast there is no reasonable doubt.

The beginning of European influence in Morocco was the signing of a treaty with Spuin in 1860, by which the Sultan ceded Rome portioi'K of his territory and granted commercial privileges to Spanish merchants. With the consent of Spain, the British sphere of influence was later extended, and finally Prance, whose steady advance from Algeria since 189'J had been unchecked, began negotiations with England with the idea of forming a protectorate over: this, the last of Africa's great independent kingdoms. "An agreement was reached with Spain by which the latter took certain ports on the coast and France was to have a free hand in the interior, while German commercial interests weio fully guuvan teed. In 1904 a final agreement was arrived at between France and Spain, by which the political status of the country was to remain unchanged, and Spain agreed to adhere to the Anglo-French entente, providing for a thirty years' period of free trade, the prohibition against the erection of fortifications, while France recognised Spain's right to maintain order in the north of the co untry.

It was shortly after the, FrancoSpanish treaty had been signed that the Kaiser stepped into the arena and set Europe by the ears. For seven years M. Dolcasae, late French Foreign Minister, who had perceived the openly aimed ambition of the Kaiser to make Germany the predominant Power in Europe, had been applying himself with remarkable persistency and success to frustrating the designs of Germany, crowning his work by concluding the famous Anglo-French treaty. The German Emperor bad seen the treaty with England and Spain over Morocco, tho entente eordiale between Franco and England cemented, and tho

agreement on the Moroccan question ; each and every one completed with no more than courtesy reference to Germany. At this stago the Kaiser made bis historical visit to Morocco, uttering a series of characteristic speeches, in which he practically suggested that tho Sultan should defy Fiance and repudiate tho treaty with England and Spain, adding that Germany would support him. It is believed that the Kaiser's Moroccan incident was resorted to as a means of placing the French Government in this dilemna—it must either engage in a war with Germany, or throw M, Delcasse, who wasi hated in Berlin, overboard. It chose the latter alternative. Whether or not France by so doing merely postponed the evil day remains to be proved, but it seems to be generally recognised that had the French Government stood firm Britain was prepared to show that the newly-established AngloFrench entente would not be permitte;l to be meaningless.

Eventually, however, the difficulties were smoothed over after many dis (Hussions, and an ngteement was effected by which there is to bo an international conference of the Powers at Algeenas, opening in the course of a few days. The wisdom of the statesmanship that has surrounded France with a series of offensive and defensive alliances to the isolation of Germany will now be manifested, and it is already announced that Britain will support the claims of the French Republic. The fate of Morocco pales into in significance compared with the issue of the conference as it will affect the European Powers. Mr Hall C'aine described the Kaiser as " a Christian man, but a Pagan sovereign and a peril to the peace of the world in his faith in the power of the sword," While Wilhehu's recent utterances regarding France have been pacific, to the point of cordiality, the actions and military activity of Germany utterly belie hii words, and if the deliberations of the conference nfliiin j'hat 'he might of the Powers is on tie hido of France, the ambitions of the Kaiser will have received a setback that should be a considerable factor in preserving the peace of Europe for some time to come.