There
Is A Bashaw Of This Province, Who Resides At El-Araish, And A
Lieutenant-Governor, Who Lives At Tangier.
With these functionaries, the
representatives of European Powers have principally to transact affairs.
On the north is the castle, the residence of the governor.
Eleven consuls take up their abode in Tangier; the British, French,
Spanish, Portuguese, American, Danish, Swedish, Sardinian, Neapolitan,
Austrian, and Dutch. Each consular house generally belongs to its
particular nation, the ground to the Sultan.
The consuls who have the most interest to guard in Morocco, are the
British, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Up to the bombardment of
Tangier, the Danish and Swedish Governments paid to the Maroquine Court,
the former 25,000 and the latter 20,000 dollars per annum, to have the
privilege of hoisting their flag at this port. The French hostilities
against Morocco furnished a convenient opportunity for getting this
odious tribute abolished. The Americans led the way in getting rid of
this subservience to the Shereefian Court, and refused from the first
all presents and annual donations. Generally, however, when new consuls
are appointed, they bring with them presents, and visit the Emperor in
person. On the occasion of _fetes_, they sometimes make presents to the
governors of districts. Whenever the Emperor condescends to come down to
Tangier, three days after his arrival, it is the required etiquette for
the consuls to seek his presence, and to make their obeisance to the
Shereefian Lord. The consuls are accustomed to decide upon and control
the affairs of their own countrymen, and those placed under their
protection; but when a Moor and an European are concerned in a
transaction, it is usually a mixed commission of the consulate and the
Moorish authorities.
Many curious anecdotes are current respecting the consuls and the
Moorish government. A Spanish consul once took it into his head to
strike his flag and leave Tangier. Whilst he was gone, the Emperor
ordered all the Jews to go and take possession of his house and live in
it, as a degradation. The consular house was soon crammed with dirty
Jews, whose vermin and filth rendered the house untenantable, until it
had undergone a thorough repair and cleansing. Sometimes the Emperor
shows a great affection for a particular consular family. The family of
the Portuguese Consul were great favorites. During the war of succession
in Portugal, the Portuguese Consul contracted debts in Tangier, not
being able to get his salary amidst the strife of parties. The Moors
complained to the Emperor of the consul's debts. Muley Abd Errahman,
though a thorough miser himself, paid the consul's debts, alleging as a
reason, "the consul was a friend of my ancestors, and he shall be my
friend." The Portuguese government wished to remove this consul on
account of his alleged Miguelite propensities, but the Emperor
threatened, if they did, that he would not receive another. Our
government compelled the Portuguese to gratify the personal feeling of
the Emperor. Senhor Colaso is a native of Morocco, as his father was
before him, and the Emperor calls them his own children.
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