Up To This Time, The Emperor,
Singularly Enough, Had Made Himself Responsible For All The Debts Of His
Subjects Trading With Gibraltar.
The trade in provisions at Tangier is most active, bullocks, sheep,
butcher's meat, fowls, eggs, game and pigeons, grain and flour, &c., are
daily shipped from Tangier to Gibraltar.
The garrison and population of
Gibraltar draw more than two-thirds of their provisions from this and
other northern parts of Morocco.
This government speculates in and carries on commerce; and, like most
African and Asiatic governments, has had its established monopolies from
time immemorial, of some of which it disposes, whilst it reserves others
for itself, as those of tobacco, sulphur, and cochineal. All the high
functionaries engage in commerce, and this occupation of trade and
barter is considered the most honourable in the empire, sanctioned as it
is by the Emperor himself, who may be considered as the chief of
merchants. The monopolies are sold by public auction at so much per
annum. On its own monopolies, government, as a rule, exacts a profit of
cent per cent.
The following is a list of the monopolies which the Emperor sells,
either to his own employers or to native and foreign merchants.
1. Leeches. - This is one of the most recently established monopolies,
dating only about twenty years back. The trade in leeches was set on
foot by Mr. Frenerry; it brought, at first, but a few dollars per annum,
and now the monopoly is sold for 50,000. Leeches are principally found
in the lakes of the north-west districts, called the Gharb.
2. Wax. - This monopoly is confined almost exclusively to the markets of
Tangier and El-Araish. It sold, while I was in the country, for three
thousand dollars.
3. Bark. - This is a monopoly of the north, principally of the
mountainous region of Rif. It is farmed for about sixteen thousand
dollars.
4. The coining of copper money. - The right of coining money in the name
of the Emperor, is sold for ten thousand dollars to each principal city.
It is a dangerous privilege to be exercised; for, should the alloy be
not of a quality which pleases the Emperor, or the particular governor
of the city, the unfortunate coiner is forthwith degraded, and his
property confiscated. Indeed, the coiner sometimes pays for his
negligence, or dishonesty, with his head.
5. Millet, and other small seeds. - This monopoly at Tangier is sold for
five hundred dollars. The price varies in other places according to
circumstances.
6. Cattle. - The cattle exported from Tetuan, Tangier, and El-Araish, for
the victualling of Gibraltar, is likewise a monopoly; it amounted during
my stay to 7,500 dollars. In consequence of an alleged treaty, but which
does not exist on paper, the Emperor of Morocco has bound himself to
supply our garrison of Gibraltar with 2,000 head of cattle per annum,
1,500 of which must be shipped from Tangier, the rest from other parts
of the Gharb, or north-west.
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