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MOROCCAN AFFAIRS

THE MAILED FIST IN MOROCCO. ADVANCE GUARD OF GERMAN INVADERS. Mogador, duly 12. Germany means to have and to hold not Agadir alone, but practically all the fertile! south of Morocco.

The arrival of the Panther oil' Agadir, much as it surprised Europe, was 110 surprise to the scores of German business men who are hard at work embedding the claws of the German eagle in Southern Morocco. They had been expecting it for at least two months.

Months ago, German firms began to buy land all round Agadir—not only in the little seaport town, but inland as well. They'are buying now, wherever they can find a native to sell them land.

Tarudant, the capital of the Sus country. has always been sealed against white men. An Englishman visited it forty or fifty vears ago, and barely escaped with his life. Since then, onlyone white man has been to Tarudant. Ho was a German, Dr. Dorpinghaos; and he went there about six months ago. He represents the great firm of Mannesman n Brothers, who have been acquiring land all down the coast, from Casablanca to Agadir, and inland to Marrakesli.

The other day Mamiesmann Brotjiers invested £4OO in the purchase of land at Tarudant. Why? Because Germany intends to open up the country. Because German investors knew that this part of Morocco is for Germain-. THE INVASION. The whole of this part of Morocco swarms with Germans, and ever boat brings more to swell the throng. To my ce.rtain knowledge, six have landed at various coast towns within the week. One left the boat by which I came, at Casablanca; another at Safli, whence he proceeded inland to Marrakesh; three are staying at Mogador, where they were received by the rapidly growing German colony; one is going down to Agadir. Germans are buying land, confident of the establishment of German rule here. And they have imbued the delighted Moors (who, weary of waiting for England. welcome any one who will give a check to the hated French) with the same confidence.

The price of land is rising with incredible speed—because every one is sure that land will be a good investment. A piece of land bought at Agadir six weeks ago for - one hundred dollars changed hands last Saturday for twelve hundred.

The purchaser refuses to sell it for two thousand. He says in a few months ft will be worth five. He is right, because, come what may. Germany means to keep and to open up Agadir. One cannot but admire the faith which German investors and business men have in the determination of their Government. In their minds the doubt that Germany may withdraw—or may be made to withdraw—never appears to arise. ''Agadir,' said one of them to me to-day, "Is destined to become a German seaport on the Atlantic." And it has been so destined for months —perhaps years. A CALCULATED MOVE. This is practically Germany's last chance of territorial expansion—i.e., land-grabbing. Wherever she has turned to find a port which might make a useful coaling station for her growing fleet, she has hitherto been fended off. Everything goes to show that here she is determined to make a stand. The amount of money that has been poured into the country; the presents made to southcoast kaids and governors; the lavish extent to which German partnerships (carrying with them Gorman protection) have been made with natives here; the steady arrival of streams of hardheaded Gemuii businessmen; and,above all. the rapid purchase of every available acre of land—all these things point the same way.

That the arrival of the Panther oft' Agadir was the signal for much native rejoicing goes without saying. The most ardent supporter of the French in Morocco could nut possibly conceal from himself the fact (hat they are hated with )i most fervent hatred from one end of the country to the other. I could, if space allowed it, fill pages with the ridiculous fables invented by the Moors and solemnly, told to me during; the French advance on Fez—such as, for instance, that the Senegalese blacks are encouraged by their olliee.rs to suck the blood of wounded Moors who fall into their hands, and that Frenchmen bougljt most of the women sold into slavery by the Sultan's troops.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19110913.2.8

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 70, 13 September 1911, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
717

MOROCCAN AFFAIRS Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 70, 13 September 1911, Page 2

MOROCCAN AFFAIRS Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 70, 13 September 1911, Page 2

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