MOROCCO. (MAGHRIB-EL-AKSA.-EL GHARB.) Reigning Sultan. Mulai-Abd-el-Aziz, born February 24, 1878, son of Sultan Mulai-Hassan'; succeeded on the death of his father, being proclaimed Sultan in the Sherifian Camp June 7, 1894; his son, Prince Hassan, was born July, 1899. The present Sultan of Morocco-known to his subjects under the title of ́Emir-al-Mumenin,' or Prince of True Believers is the fifteenth of the dynasty of the Alides, founded by Mulai-Ahmed, and the thirty-sixth lineal descendant of Ali, uncle and son-in-law of the Prophet. His four pre decessors were : The Sherifian umbrella is hereditary in the family of the Filali Sharifs of Tafilet. Each Sultan is supposed, prior to death, to indicate the member of the Sherifian family who, according to his conscientious belief, will best replace him. This succession is, however, elective, and all members of the Sherifian family are eligible. Generally the late Sultan's nominee is elected by public acclamation at noonday prayers the Friday after the Sultan's death, as the nominee has probably possession of imperial treasure, and is supported by the bodyguard, from among whom the large majority of court officials are selected. Government. The form of government of the Sultanate, or Empire of Morocco, is in reality an absolute despotism, unrestricted by any laws, civil or religious. The Sultan is chief of the State, as well as head of the religion. As spiritual ruler, the Sultan stands quite alone, his authority not being limited, as in Turkey and other countries following the religion of Mahomet, by the expounders of the Koran, the class of 'Ulema,' under the 'Sheïk-ul-Islam.' The Sultan has six ministers, whom he consults if he deems it prudent to do so; otherwise they are merely the executive of his unrestricted will. They are the Grand Vizier, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs, and War, Chief Chamberlain, Chief Treasurer, and Chief Administrator of Customs. Area and Population. The area of Morocco can only be vaguely estimated, as the southern frontiers, towards the Sahara, are unsettled. According to the most recent investigation, the area of the Sultan's dominions is about 219,000 English square miles. The estimates of the population of Morocco vary; it is generally considered to be about 5,000,000. An estimate of 1889 gives the following results :-The region of the old kingdom of Fez, 3,200,000; of Morocco, 3,900,000; of Tafilet and the Segelmesa country, 850,000; of Sus, Adrar, and the Northern Draa, 1,450,000; total, 9,400,000. Again, as to race-Berbers and Tuaregs, 3,000,000; Shellah Berbers, 2,200,000; Arabs (1) pure nomadic Bedouins, 700,000; (2) Mued, 3,000,000; Jews, 150,000: negroes, 200,000. Some districts, including Tuat and other oases, claimed by the Sultan as part of Morocco were recently occupied by Algerian troops. An agreement between France and Morocco (July 20, 1901) makes the valley of the Wed tribes the boundary, and to the east of this only those who acknowledge French authority will be permitted to dwell. A French and Moroccan Commission is entrusted with the formation of police arrangements in the region. The number of Christians does not exceed 6,000; the Christian population of Tangier alone probably amounts to 5,000. Much of the interior of Morocco is unknown to Europeans. Fez, the capital, has a population of about 140,000, and Tangier about 30,000. Morocco city is the southern capital. The Sultan and his subjects are of the Malekite sect of Sunnite Mohammedans. The differences between sects are chiefly in the attitudes assumed during the recital of prayers. Finance, Defence. Insurrectionary movements which have continued for several years, and also disputes with France, have caused financial embarrassment in Morocco. The estimated annual revenue is said to amount to nearly 400,000l., but for more than two years the southern provinces, though rich and peaceful, have been exempt from taxation. Now (December 1903) efforts are being made to collect the taxes in this region, and if the collectors are successful, the proceeds will probably suffice for the wants of the Government. In the beginning of 1903 foreign loans amounting to about 900,000l. were raised in Paris, Madrid, and London, but were soon exhausted. The proposal of an Anglo-French loan of 2,000,000l. was opposed by the French Government, which objected to such increase of British influence in Morocco as the hypothecation of the Customs to the service of the loan would imply. The Sultan's army, which is quartered at the capital where he may happen to reside, is composed of about 10,000 Askar or disciplined infantry, and 400 disciplined cavalry; a few batteries of field guns, and 2,000 irregular cavalry. Two Italian artillery officers and an Italian civil engineer were recently lent to the Sultan by the Italian Government to assist in the establishment of a small-arms factory at Fez. A British officer is cavalry instructor at Fez. In addition to these forces there are in the Empire about 8,000 militia cavalry and 10,000 infantry. Every year several of the governors of provinces are ordered to assemble their contingents to accompany the Sultan in his progress from Fez to Morocco. The irregu lar cavalry and infantry which could be collected in time of war would amount toabout 40,000, in addition to the forces already enumerated. There is no commissariat. The only Government vessel remaining is the Sid et Turki; the others were sold. Commerce. The following table shows the value of the trade and the shipping of Morocco at different ports in 1902, excluding specie and precious metals : The chief imports in 1902 were cottons, amounting to the value of 883,7987.; sugar, 471,3777.; tea, 181,6667.; candles, 60,1487. Chief exports were goat skins, 147,554.; almonds, 162, 6317.; beans, 136, 1987.; wool, 33,0937.; eggs, 204,3067.; wax, 60,2867.; cattle, 108,3921.; chick-peas, 152,7737.; maize, 79, 8917.; barley, 45,4707.; and linseed, 121,2437. The value of the trade between Morocco and the United Kingdom in each of the last five years, according to the Board of Trade returns, was:— The chief articles of import into the United Kingdom from Morocco in 1902 were beans, of the value of 138,9437.; almonds, 103,5167.; gum, 16,6797.; goat skins, 39,8377.; wax, 15,6231. The staple articles of British export to Morocco consists of cotton manufactures, to the value of 655,279l. ; candles, 45,2661. By the Treaty of Wad Ras, 1860, the Sultan granted the claim of Spain, although the question has at different times been raised, to the small territory of Santa Cruz de Mar Pequeña, south of Mogador, but Spain has not yet taken advantage of the cession. On the north coast of Morocco, Spain occupies positions at Ceuta, Melilla, Peñon, Alhucemas, and Chaferinas Islands. There are Postal services, under the control of the British, French, German and Spanish Governments. There is a daily service of couriers (of one or other of the four services) from Tangier to Fez and Alcazar, to Tetuan, and to the coast towns Rabat, Laraiche, Dar-al-Baida, Saffi, Mazagan and Mogador. There are also couriers between Laraiche and Alcazar, and between Mazagan and Marakesh, and between Fez and Mequinez.. Spanish dollars and pesetas, as well as Moorish coins minted for the Government in France, are current. The silver coinage comprises dollars, ↓ and † dollars, and dirhems and dirhems (1 dollar=20 dirhems). But the values fluctuate, and the market values are sometimes only one-third of those adopted by the Government for custom-house purposes. The Kintar, used for the produce of the country sold by weight, contains 100 Rotals, and is generally equal to about 168 lbs., but varies in different districts. The Kintar by which is sold the articles of weight of importation is 100 Rotals, equal to 112 lb. English. The Drah, 8 tominis, about 22 English inches. Grain is sold by measure. The Tangier Mudd, almost 8 tominis, equal to 117 English bushel. Oil is sold, wholesale, by the kula; that of Tangier actually weighs 28 rotals, 47 lb. English, and is equal to about 5% British imperial gallons. Diplomatic and Consular Representatives. OF GREAT BRITAIN IN MOROCCO. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.-Sir Arthur Nicolson, Bart., K. C. B., K.C.I.E., C. M.G., K.C.V.O.; appointed June 26, 1895. Consul at Tangier.-H. E. White. There is also a Consul at Dar-al-Baida; Vice-Consuls at Dar-al-Baida, Tangier, Fez, Laraiche, Mazagan, Rabat, Saffi, Tetuan, and Mogador, and Consular Agent at Alcazar. Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Morocco. 1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. Foreign Office Reports. Annual Series. London. Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions. Imp. 4. London. 2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. Amicis (E. de), Marocco. 8. Milano, 1878. Morocco and its People. [Translated from the Italian.]. London, 1879. Bonsal (S.), Morocco as it is. With an Account of Sir Charles Euan Smith's Recent Mission to Fez. London, 1892. Canal (J.), Géographie générale de Maroc. Paris, 1902. De Campou (Ludovic), Un empire qui croule, le Maroc contemporain. Paris, 1886. De Foucauld (Vicomte Ch.), Reconnaissance au Maroc, 1883-1884. Paris, 1888. Diercks (G.), Materialen zur Kenntniss, &c., der Marokko-Frage. 8. Berlin, 1894. Erckmann (Jules, capit.), Le Maroc moderne. Paris. Frisch (R. J.), Le Maroc. Paris, 1895. Ganniers (A. de), Le Maroc d'aujourdhui, d'hier, et de demain. Paris, 1894. Grey (H. M.), In Moorish Captivity. [Tourmaline Expedition of 1897-98.] London, 1899. Harris (A.), The Land of an African Sultan: Travels in Morocco, 1887-89. S. London, 1889. Harris (W. B.), Tafilet. the Narrative of a Journey of Exploration in the Atlas Mountains, &c. London, 1895. Hay (Sir J. D.), Morocco and the Moors. 8. London.-Memoir of Sir J. D. Hay, completed by his daughters. London, 1896. Hooker (Sir Joseph D.), Journal of a Tour in Morocco. 8. London, 1878. NEPÁL Keane (A. H.), Africa. Vol. I. North Africa. London, 1894. King (W. G. H.), A Search for the Masked Tawareks. London, 1903. Macnab (Frances), A Ride in Morocco. London, 1902. 907 Maltzan (Heinrich, Freiherr von), Drei Jahre im Nordwesten von Afrika: Reisen in Algerien und Marokko. 4 vols. 8. Leipzig, 1869. Martinière (H. M. P. de la), Morocco: Journeys to the Kingdom of Fez and to the Court of Mulai-Hassan, with a Bibliography of Morocco from 1844 to 1887. London, 1889. Meakin (B.), The Land of the Moors. London, 1901. Montbard (G.), A travers le Maroc. 4. Paris. Among the Moors. 8. London. in Marokko. S. Bremen, 1873. [English translation, Adventures in Morocco, &c. 8. London, 1874.] Reise durch Marokko, &c. S. Bremen, 1868. Quer durch Afrika. 2 vols. Leipzig, 1874. 8. Segouzac (Marquis de), Voyages au Maroc, 1899-1901. Paris, 1903. Stutfield (Hugh E. M.), El Maghreb; 1,200 Miles' Ride through Morocco. London, 1880. NEPÁL. AN independent Kingdom in the Himalayas, between 26° 25′ and 30° 17′ N. lat., and between 80° 6' and 88° 14' of E. long.; its greatest length 500 miles; its greatest breadth about 150; bounded on the north by Tibet, on the east by Sikkim, on the south and west by British India. The sovereign is His Highness Manárája Dhiraj Prithvi Bir Bikram, Shamsher Jang Bahadur Shah Bahadur Shamsher Jang, who was born on August 8, 1875, and succeeded his grandfather on May 17, 1881. The government of Nepál is a military oligarchy. All power is in the hands of the Prime Minister to whom it was delegated by the Mahárája Dhiráj when he came of age. The present Prime Minister is Maharájá Chandrá Shamsher Jang, Rana Bahadur, appointed June 26, 1901. The Gurkhas, a Rájpút race originally from Udaipur in Rajputana, who had settled in the province of Gurkha in Nepál, overran the whole country during the latter half of the eighteenth century, and have maintained their supremacy ever since. About 1790 a Gurkha army invaded Tibet; and to avenge this affront the Chinese Emperor, Kuen Lung, in 1791, sent an army into Nepál, which compelled the Gurkhas to submit to the terms of peace, by which they were bound to pay tribute to China. This tribute used formerly to be sent at irregular intervals, but the last three missions succeeded each other at intervals of five years. The relations between the Indian Government and the Gurkha rulers of Nepál date from the time of the Chinese invasion, when Lord Cornwallis endeavoured, but without success, to avert hostilities. A commercial treaty between India and Nepál was signed in 1792, and an English Resident was sent to reside at Katmandu, but was recalled two years later. A frontier outrage, in 1814, compelled the Indian Government to declare war; and a British force advanced to within three marches of the capital. Peace was concluded and the Treaty of Segowlie signed on December 2, 1815. Since then the relations of the English with Nepál have been friendly; and during the Indian Mutiny, the Prime Minister, Sir Jang Bahadur, sent a detachment of Gurkha troops to assist in the suppression of the rebellion in Oudh. Jang Bahadur died in 1877, and was succeeded as Prime Minister by Sir Ranodíp Singh, who was overthrown and murdered in a revolution which occurred in November 1885, and Maharájá Sir Bir Shamsher Jang Rana Bahadur, G. C.S.I., became Prime Minister. He died March 5, 1901, and was succeeded by Máhárájá |