AFFAIRS IN MOROCCO.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9123, 24 June 1908, Page 5

AFFAIRS IN MOROCCO.

KAID MACLEAN'S VIEWS Received Jane 23, 9 a.m. LONDON, June 22. The Colonel of the Sultan of Morocco's bodyguard, Kaid Sir Harry Maclean, has reached London. He states that though Mulai Halid, the Pretender, has occupied three of the capital cities of Morocco, two are awaiting an opportunity to desert him. Mulai Hafid, the pretender to the Moroccan throne, has lately been going from victory to victory over his half brother, Abdul Aziz, and the Powers, it seems, cannot much longer continue to regard Abdul Aziz as the sole official ruler of Morocco. Mu>ai Hafid was proclaimed Sultan at Marakesh in August last, and later lie was acknowledged at Mazagan and at Mogador, practically the whole of South Morocco submitting to him. His troops, however, sustained a severe defeat later in the •year near Mogador, and Mazagan was afterwards re-occupied by tne troops of Abdul Aziz. Since then the war has been carried on in a desultory fashion, with varying success. Three munths ago the odds were thought to be in favour of Abdul Aziz, Dut later news has discounted his chances. According to a correspondent, the troops are not paid, and each army is composed chiefly of deserters from the other. Describing the army of Abdul, which lately marched to Fez, the writer says:—"The non-commis-sioned officers in uniform, who sold sweetmeats to the soldiers during the march past at a great review, seem useful accessories, and doubtless the lunatic who stood on his head and turned somersaults directly in front of the War Minister at the saluting point served some ulitarian if rather occult purjose. The army is more badly equipped and more ragged than usual." As a rule the Sultan's troops show a fondness for selling their rifles and cartridges to the tribesmen, varying this occupation with the burning and looting of innocent villages. Their guns are generally more fit for a mustu:n than for wi.rfare. , / B'Jkhtu tl B iglaii, comin.tndir of the stilt id's troops, is a btuve man labouring under difficulties. Last July, after the kiJnappii.g of Kt.it! Maclean, he began marching against Raisuli, but the incapublo El Marani, the Sultan's uncle, took command, and was, of course, defeated. Last November he marched out of Rabat at the head of an army of 4,0(J0 men against the M'dakra tribe, who recently received such a severe lesson at the hands of the French. On this occasion some tribal allies played El Bagdadi false, and he was badly defeated.