DIFFICULTIES OF MR. HAY’S POSITION AT TANGIER. 1846-54.
With characteristic energy and perseverance Mr. Hay endeavoured to
increase the influence and develope the trade of Great Britain in
Morocco, then greatly on the decline. But at every turn he met with
many obstacles. Not the least of these was the warlike attitude of
France towards Morocco as compared with the peaceful policy of Great
Britain. To the ignorant, barbarian Moors quiet strength appeared
to be weakness, while they were in a corresponding degree impressed
by the restless activity of the French, who, in consequence of the
machinations of Abd-el-Kader, were then on uneasy terms with the
Sultan, and left no means untried to consolidate their influence and
to acquire sole predominance over him. In pursuance of these objects
the French Representatives, with whom Mr. Hay individually was on
excellent terms, were unceasing in their efforts to promote French
interests and gained over to their cause all the most powerful men
connected with the Moorish Court,—not a difficult matter with a
corrupt and venal Government.
The Sultan dared not depend on the countenance of any nation but
the French—fearing that the latter power, if he sought other
protection, might, on the pretext of sending a force in pursuit of
Abd-el-Kader or rebel Algerian tribes, invade Maroquin territory. But
the natives generally were strongly in favour of Great Britain and
hostile to France.
Legitimate commerce, then principally in British hands, was ever on
the decrease, while contraband traffic was largely increasing.
Mr. Hay urged that, to counterbalance French military influence,
a more authoritative tone must be adopted by Great Britain in her
dealings with the Sultan, and that certain commercial concessions
and reforms should be demanded. He also advised that more frequent
visits should be paid by British men-of-war to Moorish ports, from
which some vessel of the French navy was seldom absent, while British
ships were rarely seen. A year later he pointed out that his rank,
as Consul-General and Agent only, militated against his efforts
to increase British influence, since both the French and Spanish
Governments had Ministers accredited to the Moorish Court, and the
Moors, who neither had newspapers of their own nor read those of
other countries, who had no postal system, and no native society in
which Europeans could mingle, estimated the comparative importance
of different nations by the status of their respective employés.
Mr. Hay’s efforts were not unrecognised by the Foreign
Office. Encouraging letters reached him from the Chief Clerk
signifying Lord Palmerston’s satisfaction, and at the close of
1847 he was promoted to the rank of Chargé d’Affaires.
It was also owing to Mr. Hay’s persistent representations that
duties on imported goods were, in September, 1848, reduced ten
per cent. The reduction gave fresh impetus to British trade and
prevented its diversion into Franco-Algerian channels which seemed
at one time imminent.
In the meantime the feelings of the people of Morocco were growing
still more in favour of Great Britain and antagonistic to the policy
of the Sultan. This potentate evinced great ill-will to Mr. Hay,
and even threatened at various times to insist on his recall, should
he persist, as hitherto, in enforcing the claims of British subjects.
This ill-will on the part of the Sultan arose, no doubt, in great
measure from his having been erroneously led to believe by evil
advisers in 1844 that Great Britain would employ armed force on
behalf of the Moors, and from his conviction that she had broken
faith in failing to do so.
A better feeling towards Great Britain was brought about, however,
by an act of kindly courtesy on the part of Her Majesty’s
Government. In July, 1849, a British vessel of war was sent to conduct
H.S.M.’s two sons to Alexandria, whence they were to journey to
Mecca, the same vessel afterwards bringing them back. This act of
kindness was received with great gratitude by the Sultan, and in
acknowledgement he shortly after sent to the Queen a present of wild
animals, horses and specimens of Moorish manufactures. Several Moors
accompanied the Sultan’s gift to the Queen and, on their return,
in May, 1850, Mr. Hay wrote to Mr. Addington, then Chief Clerk at the
Foreign Office, telling him of their delight at their reception:—
The Moors have returned, delighted with their visit to the land
of the Nazarenes. Around my house, groups of respectable men
may be seen listening to the wondrous tales of Kaid Abd-el-Kerim
or of my groom. The old chief hunter, Hadj Abdallah, sits in his
village—amidst a motley crowd of Arabs and Rifians—telling them
of the magnificence and wonders of London, and the kindness the poor
Moors received, from the Queen down to the servants that assisted
them. He proclaims loudly to the astonished fanatics that power,
wealth, honesty, and charity are to be found in the land of the
Infidel and not in the land of the Moslem.
The Hadj tells me that at one time he had almost lost his reason in
thinking over what he had seen. His stories have amused me as much
as they do the Moors, and I have been almost inclined to publish
the ‘Travels of the Hadj,’ or get my brother to do so, as I am
rather lazy about writing when it is not a duty.
All the Moors talk much of the Queen and Prince Albert, who they
declare sent for them more than once. So England and the English
are in the mouth of every Moor since the return of the travellers.
In direct contrast to this exchange of courtesies, the French had
continued their dictatorial policy and the feeling in Morocco ran
high against France.
Thus, in April, 1849, the French Chargé d’Affaires struck his
flag in consequence of an altercation with the Lieutenant-Governor
regarding a courier in French employ who had been imprisoned by that
official. This courier was found carrying letters of a purely private
character from Abd-el-Kader to his former lieutenant, then a State
prisoner at Fas. The Moorish Government refused to release the courier
who eventually died in prison. After much negotiation and pacific
counsel on the part of the Neapolitan Consul, who was in charge of
French interests, and of Mr. Hay—who, as he wrote to a relative,
could not have worked harder to bring about a peaceful issue,
had he been himself a Frenchman—the Moors gave way and offered
every reparation. But French pride was roused. Fresh complications
ensued, and finally all the French subjects at Tangier and the
Ports embarked on board vessels of war. In the meantime the Sultan
had begun to collect troops on the Algerian frontier and war seemed
imminent. Mr. Hay hurried off to El Araish by sea and interviewed the
Moorish Minister for Foreign Affairs who, by an anomalous—though
essentially Moorish—arrangement, resided there. He succeeded in
persuading him to check all warlike preparations; but it was not
till the close of September that matters were brought to a peaceful
termination and the French flag hoisted and saluted.
In connection with the foregoing events Mr. Hay relates the following
story, which he had from an authentic source.
When relations between France and Morocco were in a critical
condition and a declaration of war seemed imminent, the Sultan sent
for Abd-el-Hadi, the Kadi of his Capital, said to be the wisest man
in Morocco, and asked him what he was to reply to the demands of
the French.
‘Refuse the infidel,’ said Abd-el-Hadi. ‘Order the destruction
of all your ports; blow up the fortifications; let every man arm
and become, as were his ancestors, a wandering Arab, and then tell
the French to do their worst!’
When Abd-el-Hadi had retired, the Sultan turned to his Uzir and said,
‘The Kadi ought to have added—Abdicate, encourage anarchy and
revolution, and destroy at once the Empire.’
It may be surmised, however, that Abd-el-Hadi was a wiser man than he
appears. Desirous of humouring his lord and master by recommending
war, he yet put his advice in a light which would show the Sultan
the folly of resisting the French.
Not only was the residence of the Minister for Foreign Affairs at El
Araish most inconvenient at all times to the Representatives—all
of whom lived at Tangier—but it necessitated, as has been seen,
frequent hurried journeys on their part to that port.
On one such occasion, Mr. Hay had proceeded to El Araish by land
to interview Sid Buselham, and had succeeded in getting from him a
reply, which he desired to forward at once to head-quarters by one of
the rare steamers to England due to leave Tangier next morning. In
expectation of this he had, on his way to El Araish, arranged that
four relays of horses were to await his return at different points
of the road between that town and Tangier, a distance of sixty
miles—and, as soon as he had obtained the Minister’s signature,
he mounted and dashed off homewards.
The Governor of El Araish, anxious for the British Agent’s safety
in those troubled times, had given orders that a mounted escort
should also await him with every fresh horse and follow him on the
road. These, however, were unable to keep pace with him. On arrival
at the little town of Azaila, situated about halfway between Tangier
and El Araish, he found no horse prepared for him. Riding at once to
the British Consular Agent’s house, Mr. Hay demanded his horse. The
Agent, a Jew, explained that it was locked up in the stable of the
Basha, who was away, and that the groom was not to be found. ‘Take
me to the stable,’ said Mr. Hay, and, calling to four men of the
little crowd of idlers that had gathered, he ordered them to lift
a large log of wood which lay near and direct it as a ram against
the door. ‘Now, all together,’ said Mr. Hay. Down came the door
with a crash, and quickly putting his saddle on the fresh horse,
and throwing money to the Agent to repay the damage to the door,
he mounted and rode on.
Before reaching the river Mishra-el-Hashef, some miles to the west of
Tangier, he found his own sturdy pony awaiting him, and riding this,
his favourite mount, he galloped to the river bank where the ferry,
rowed by two men, awaited him. Shouting to them to stand clear,
he jumped his pony into the boat, and out again on reaching the
further side. He arrived at Tangier having ridden the whole distance
in five hours.
The escorts appointed to accompany him returned to their quarters,
having failed to keep Mr. Hay in sight. ‘It was useless,’ said
they. ‘We galloped along behind him but he ran away from us, and
as soon as he had gone a little way ahead he spread large wings and
flew away with his horse!’
As Mr. Hay wore a loose Inverness cape, to protect him from sun and
weather, the fluttering of this may have suggested the idea of wings.
An account of a curious and unpleasant adventure which befell
Mr. Hay, and which points to the unsettled and fanatical state of
the inhabitants of Tangier at that time is given in the following
letter to his wife’s sister, Mme. Marcussen.
_July 29_, 1849.
I have also had an affair—and as it may probably be stuffed into
some newspaper which might report my death, as was done once before,
I will tell you about it in a few words.
A few days ago I was accompanying A., perched on her donkey, and
the two children to Madame F.’s. On passing through the little
market-place I had remained rather behind to take care of R., who was
holding my hand, when I was assailed with abuse without the slightest
cause by a wild-looking Hadj from the interior—and, on my calling
on the bystanders to arrest him, the fanatic made at me and struck
me a blow in the face and on the shoulder, hitting also by chance
poor little R. I had nothing in my hand but my little gold-headed
cane. Of this, however, I made good use; for I immediately struck the
bare head of the Moslem who instantly fell to the ground, stunned,
with a gash of several inches from which issued torrents of blood,
whilst the wretch looked livid and appeared to be quivering in the
convulsions of death. Several of the Hadj’s brethren were near me,
but they all seemed so alarmed at the fate of the wounded man that
they did not venture within reach of my little stick. You may imagine
my astonishment at the effect of such a blow from so small a weapon,
and you may imagine also, though I was justified in defending myself,
my horror at the appearance of the wounded man.
The man was sent to prison and his head examined. The skull was not
hurt, but there was a large gash of the skin and plenty of blood
from a severed vein. This was soon put to rights, and as the wretch
had received a good lesson for attacking a Christian, and all his
brethren came to me to intercede for him, as he was about to embark on
board a vessel for Alexandria, I let him out of prison and prevented
Basha giving him the bastinado as he had intended. ‘Voilà tout.’
It may be added in connection with the incident here recounted
by Mr. Hay that, surrounded though he was by a crowd of angry
fanatics—very different in those remote days from the generality
of the native population as known to the tourist in these later and
more civilised times—he stood his ground, alone and undaunted, and
the moment after he had felled his assailant, his only remark was,
while pointing to the fallen man with his stick, ‘Erfed e’jifa’
(Take away the corpse).
No fear of consequences held back the wild pilgrims who hated
the Christian with the blind, unreasoning hatred of ignorance and
fanaticism; his individuality alone kept them in check, where another
man might have been torn to pieces.
The Basha, after seeing the wounded man, sent to inquire what manner
of sword Mr. Hay had employed which produced such a peculiar and
dangerous wound—and was much astonished when shown a light but
strong cane with a silver gilt head, formerly the property of Sir
Walter Scott, by whom it had been given to Mr. Hay’s father.
The attitude Mr. Hay had adopted in dealing with the barbarous
Moorish Government, his firm, upright, and frank policy, began to
bear fruit, and in 1850 he writes to his cousin, Mr. R. W. Hay,
then Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies:—
I am glad to find that the straightforward course I have always
pursued with this Government—though often not very flattering to
their vanity and fanaticism—begins to be understood and appreciated,
rather than the cajolery they are accustomed to meet with from others.
On the other hand, to Sir Stratford Canning in February, 1851,
he says:—
In this country there is nought of interest passing. Our Sultan is
a fanatic, and is guided by a set of ignorant and venal ministers,
who are doing all they can to ruin the commerce of the country by a
system of monopolies. It is no use talking or writing to those who,
it appears, won’t or can’t understand.
Their disputes with the French, about frontier, &c., have ceased for
the moment, but there are difficulties we must expect to the end of
the chapter—or rather, until Algiers becomes Morocco or Morocco
part of Algiers.
The difficulties he anticipated were not long in abeyance. In the
following December, in a letter to Mme. Marcussen, he tells her:—
The French bombarded Salli on the 25th ult., without giving any
notice to us here or to the Sultan or his Government. Not much
harm is done to the town: some thirteen persons killed in all,
and the French have five killed and thirty wounded. One of their
steam frigates was compelled to retire from the combat. After the
bombardment they came here, and all the petty affairs they had to
settle were settled at once—as they would have been before the
bombardment if they would only have been inclined to arrange matters
amicably. They saluted the town and peace was concluded. A reference
was then made to the Sultan. His Majesty accepts the peace, but asks
for explanations about bombardment; so B.[22] has taken umbrage and
embarks with all the French subjects, or most of them, leaving the
French flag flying and the Sardinian Consul-General in charge. It
has been mere bullying; the strong trampling on the weak.
In the midst of these difficulties Mr. Hay continued to press upon
the Moorish Government the necessity of a more liberal policy in
matters of trade; but French schemes of political aggrandisement
and the natural apathy of the Sultan, combined with fear of France,
for the time rendered his best endeavours fruitless. In 1853 Mr. Hay
seemed as far from his object as ever. Writing in that year to
Mme. Marcussen, he says:—
I have been very busy, and have been compelled to suspend all
relations with the Moorish Court—though I do not strike my flag. I
have given them ten days in which to give way, and have no doubt
they will. My demands have reference to our rights in trade in this
country, which we are anxious to place on a better footing, not only
for Great Britain but for Morocco itself and all countries.
The Moorish Government have announced that they send an Envoy to
England; and his object, it is reported, is to complain of the
insistance and _audacity_ which I have shown in this negotiation. I
am delighted at this manœuvre because it will only tend finally to
show these people I am acting up to my instructions and the views
of Government. So much for Moorish politics.
Such representations on the part of the Moorish Government to the
British Foreign Office were not likely to bear much weight, as may
be gathered from the following farewell letter addressed to Mr. Hay
by Mr. Addington, then retiring from his post as Chief Clerk at the
Foreign Office.
_May 18_, 1854.
MY DEAR SIR,
I have been much gratified by the receipt of your letter, written
on hearing of my retirement from the Foreign Office. . . .
No act of mine, while I was in office, is remembered by me with
more satisfaction and confidence than the part I had in forwarding
your appointment to the post which you now enjoy so creditably to
yourself and so beneficially to the public.
Some thought so _young_ an appointment hazardous. I felt satisfied
it would succeed, and I therefore pushed it on so far as it depended
on me. And it _has_ succeeded, and will yet succeed.
Go on, without swerving, in the same track; vigorous but temperate;
straightforward; never condescending to indulge in paltry and
un-English intrigue or tortuosity; but not despising the ‘reculer
pour mieux sauter’ principle whenever you find turning the bull’s
flank more likely to succeed than taking him by the horns; and always
remembering that, ‘suaviter in modo, fortiter in re,’ is the
real adage for subduing the world and any individual in it.
I wish you every success, and am ever yours very sincerely,
H. CH. ADDINGTON.