Had The British Government Continued
Its Occupation For Half A Century, And Kept In Check The Maroquine
Tribes, It Is
Probable that by this time the greater part of Morocco
would have been under British rule, when we might have
Founded a
flourishing colony, from which all North Africa might have received the
elements of Christian civilization.
Old Tangier (Tangier belia) is situate about four miles east from the
present, being now a heap of ruins, near a little river called Khalk or
Tingia, spanned over by the remains of a once finely-built Roman bridge.
Here was likewise an artificial port, where the Roman galleys retired.
The whole of this part of Africa was denominated by the Romans,
Mauritania, from the name of this city; and during their administration
was united to the government of Spain. Tangier had a population of from
four to six thousand. Grabert estimates the population at 10,000,
including 2,500 Jews, who live intermixed with the Moors; 1,400 negroes,
300 Berbers of Rif, and about 100 Christians. The Consuls-General of the
European Powers reside here; and most of them have commodious houses.
The Swedish Consul has a splendid garden, which is thrown open to the
European residents. There is but one good street in the town; and the
transition from Europe to Barbary, at so short a distance, is striking
to the stranger. Tarifa, on the opposite side, along the coast of Spain,
has, however, a Moorish affinity to this place; and the dress of the
women is not very dissimilar in the two towns, once inhabited by the
people of the same religion, and now, perhaps, many of them descendants
of the same families.
Tangier, though a miserable place compared to most of the cities in
Europe, is something considerable in Morocco, and the great mosque is
rather splendid. Mr. Borrow justly remarks that its minarets look like
the offspring of the celebrated Giralda of Seville. The Christians have
here a convent, and a church within it, to which are attached
half-a-dozen monks. There is no Protestant church; Mr. Hay reads service
in the British Consulate, and invites the Protestant residents. Tangier
is the only place in the empire where the Christian religion is publicly
professed. The Jews have three or four small synagogues. Usually, the
synagogues in Barbary are nothing more than private houses.
Before the bombardment of the French, the fortifications mounted forty
pieces or so of cannon, but of no strength; on the contrary, going
completely to ruin and decay, being scarcely strong enough to fire a
salute from. The Bay of Tangier is good and spacious; but, in the course
of time, will be filled up with sand. The shipping is exposed to strong
westerly winds. The safest anchorage, however, is on the the eastern
part, about half a mile off the shore, in a line with the round tower.
With a few thousand pounds, one of the finest - at least, one of the most
convenient - ports of the Mediterranean could be constructed here.
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