ADVENTURERS IN MOROCCO.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 222, 12 September 1908, Page 6

ADVENTURERS IN MOROCCO.

A romantic story of British adventurers, who, in return for valuable concessions, are trying their hand at kingmaking in Morocco, was recently told by the London Daily Express. For nearly twelve months, it appears, no European .set foot in Fez, the Moroccan capital. Then the other day Mr. Ellis Ashmead Bartlett began to send messages from Fez to the Morning Post. 1-Ie described the state of the city, 'the temper of the people, and interviewed Mulai Hafid, with whom lie was obviously on the best of terms. How he managed to get there and to become such a favorite with the powerful Pretender has been a mystery which the Express story now throws light upon. It- appears that there arc six English king-makers, with Mulai Halid supporting them with arms and men, and they go to Morocco through Mr. Ellis Ashmead Bartlett. The latter, who returned from Morocco last summer, when the troubles were at their height, saw that neither Abdul Aziz nor Mulai Hafid was likely to gain the mastery, for the' simple reason that neither was able to maintain any efficient fighting force in the field.

If, however, either of the rival claimants to the throne were furnished with effective foreign, assistance, Mr. Ellis Ashinead Bartlett was prepared to offer, and in return Mulai Hafid promised concessions for the building of railways, mining, the re-organisation of the finances of the country, various important political posts, and a partial control, at least, of the Customs.

Having Mulai Hatid's promise, Mr. Ashmead Bartlett promptly formed a little English syndicate, which, however, found it had some formidable rivals. One of them, it was-asserted, was the Standard Oil Company of America, which offered £200,000 cash down for the right to build a railway in a "rich mineral district, the conditions being that they should have mining rights for thirty miles on either side of the line, the property to revert at the end of eight years to the Moorish Government. There were also German and Portuguese competitors in the field, but Mr. Ashmead Bartlett was not dismayed, lie lost no time in entering into an agreement with a firm of London financiers, with whom it was arranged 'tha/t any profits shpuld be divided in equal parts by the syndicate and the other parties of the agreement. The first emissary of the syndicate had no sooner landed at Tangier than he came into contact with the Germans. A second man, Bolton, was promptly sent out to reinforce him; and the three members of the English party—'Beadle, Belton, and Redmanwere tentatively approached by the Teutonic opposition, and sent for Mr. Ashmead Bartlett, who promptly went out to Morocco, leaving the syndicate's affairs in London in the hands of a very capable member, Mr. Ilardwick. Oil arriving at Tangier he found that liis three friends, unable to wait for him, had started up country. He therefore decided on the very risky plan of making his way direct to Fez, when: the Moorish Pretender , had .bv this time taken up his quarters. • Luckily for lum, his plucky attempt succeeded. Disguised as a native of the country, 'he reached the Moorish capital, recruiting on the way two more Englishmen from a town near the coast. The three others seem also to have been successful in reaching the capital. for (the Express adds) there were thus six Englishmen in Fez, and they were quickly successful in gaining the approbation and attention &f Mulai Hafid.