By a careful perusal of the foregoing account of the exports from, and imports into, the port of Mogodor, the commercial reader will be enabled to form an accurate idea of the trade of that place: there are several things exported in such small quantities, that they cannot be reckoned as articles of trade, but rather as samples; but being in the custom-house books, they are given here to make the account complete; they shew the produce of the country, and might, if the trade were duly encouraged and protected, form articles of considerable importance in a commercial view; but, with consuls, who are equally unacquainted with the language of the country, and the manners, politics, and complexion of the court, we must not expect that the British merchant will be sufficiently encouraged to make considerable adventures to West Barbary; and hence one reason why the trade has of late years been in a great degree abandoned by us, and has fallen into the hands of a few Jews, subjects of the Emperor.
The French, aware of the importance of a trade which carries off manufactured goods of all kinds, and furnishes in return raw materials, were induced to attempt an establishment of considerable capital; but the British cruizers in the Mediterranean rendering it almost impossible for their ships to sail to or from Marseilles, have lately obliged them to relinquish their enterprize for the present, though, there can be no doubt, that in the event of a permanent peace, it will be resumed with additional vigour. The same causes have also compelled the other merchants, natives of countries now under the dominion of France, to remain almost entirely inactive, waiting impatiently for some change that may enable them to resume, with some security, their commercial negociations; so that, with the exception of two or three houses, there is, at present, no European establishment of any consequence at Mogodor.
The commerce of Mogodor with America during the years 1804 and 1805, was impeded by a dispute between that country and the Emperor, which however has been amicably adjusted, and the trade is now resumed. Vessels going from Salem, Boston, and other parts of America with East and West India produce to Mogodor, receive, in return, the various articles of Barbary produce; and by this means, the agents of the American merchants established at Mogodor are enabled to undersell us in all East and West India articles.
A close connexion with the empire of Marocco is of the greatest importance to Great Britain both in a political and commercial point of view; for besides the various articles of trade already enumerated, it affords ample supplies of provisions; and if a friendly intercourse between the two nations were firmly established, we should never have any difficulty in victualling not only Gibraltar, but also all our different fleets which cruize in the Mediterranean, and on the northern coast of Africa, a resource, which, in the present state of things, certainly merits the serious attention of this country. The advantages of a trade with this empire must be evident from what has been detailed in the preceding pages, where it will be seen that nearly the whole of the exports to Marocco consists of manufactured goods, and that the returns for these are entirely raw materials, many of which are essentially necessary in our manufactures. That the present trade is so inconsiderable, arises entirely from the little encouragement and support it meets with; for British subjects, finding they had to depend on their own exertions alone, for the protection and safety of the property embarked in this traffic, have, for the most part, abandoned it, and now it is falling into the hands of subjects of Marocco, established in England. This is the more to be regretted, as we have it in our power, by proper representations and a judicious negociation, to supply, through this channel, a great part of the interior of Africa with our superfluous manufactures, while we might receive in return many very valuable and useful articles, such as oil of olives, hides, skins, almonds, gums, wax, silver, and gold, in addition to which may be mentioned oranges and lemons, of which a greater quantity might be procured from two ports[186] in the empire, than is afforded by both Spain and Portugal. The oranges of Tetuan are the finest in the world, and are sold for eight drahims, or about 3s. 6d. per thousand. Those of Marocco, of Terodant, of Fas, of Mequinas, of Rabat, and the adjacent country, are also very good, abundant, and equally cheap; they might be imported from Rabat to England with considerable advantage: but I believe the exportation has lately been prohibited, this fruit being included in the general prohibition to the exportation to Europe of all articles of provision. The season for gathering them for exportation is from November till January.
It may, perhaps, be objected by some, who have experienced difficulties in treating with the Emperor, that he would not, probably, allow fruit to be exported: to this I answer, that it is possible, by proper means, to obtain almost any favour from a Sovereign who is uncontrollable; it is not gold which rules his conduct, though some ingenious persons have imagined that to be the only means of procuring any thing from him: had this been the case, he would not have granted me the privilege of exporting mules to the West Indies at half the duty that another house offered him. In short, nothing is wanting to secure a most extensive and lucrative trade with Marocco, but an established friendship between the two nations, strengthened by a mutual return of good offices and attentions. Indeed the present Emperor, Muley Soliman, may be said to have made overtures of this nature; but from our impolicy, and inattention, added to the ignorance of the proper mode of treating with him, these overtures were neglected.
When we recollect, however, that the envoys to Marocco for the last century, have been men almost wholly unacquainted with the manners, customs, and religious prejudices of the people, and ignorant of their language, we shall cease to be surprised that our connection with that empire has been so limited, and impeded by mutual misunderstanding of each others sentiments, originating, but too often, in deficiency and inaccuracy of interpreters. What expectations can be indulged of terminating successfully negociations with a prince, in conversing with whom some ignorant illiterate interpreter, generally a Jew, and a devoted subject of the Emperor, must be made the confidential servant of the party treating? besides, every one acquainted with the nature of the government, and political principles of the Court of Marocco, is well aware, that, even supposing it possible to procure a Jew, capable of interpreting accurately the English into Arabic, and vice versa, yet there are many expressions necessary for an Envoy to use to the Emperor, which no Jew in the country would dare to utter in the imperial presence on pain of losing his head: the general garrulity of these people, moreover, is such, that they are perhaps unworthy of being entrusted with any secret wherein the interest of a nation is concerned. Of this the Emperor himself is convinced, as was also his father, who frequently, during his reign, expressed his regret to Mr. A. Layton, that no English consul could be found, capable of holding direct intercourse with him. The weakness and instability of our treaties are generally in proportion to the weakness and inaccuracy of the interpreter, their force and meaning being often frittered away by the misplacing of a word through his indecision or fear; and possessing, probably, but a slight knowledge of the style of writing, he is obliged to have the treaty read by a Moor, and explained according to his own manner, in the vulgar Arabic, or Moorish language, which alone is sufficient, without any additional cause, to do away the force and intent of any document, possessing that energy of expression for which the Arabic language is so remarkable. Suppose we were negociating a peace with France, what would be the probable result if there were no person attached to our embassy but a French subject, who understood the French and English languages sufficiently to convey the aggregate only, but not the precise sense of the stipulations? we should certainly have but little expectation of success under such circumstances, and should probably be worse off than if no treaty had been concluded, so easy would it be to give a turn to any clause, the force and point of which was not distinctly ascertained. This has been literally our case with Marocco: treaties have been made without being understood, or even translated, till many months after the conclusion of them; how then can we expect to acquire influence or consideration at a court, where a man who does not speak the Arabic is considered as an illiterate barbarian (ajemmie m’dollem), and is treated accordingly? The Emperor has frequently expressed a wish to communicate with our Sovereign, but the publicity to which his sentiments must be exposed in the present routine of British diplomacy, deters him from it, and restricts or diminishes the intercourse between the two countries.[187]
By way of shewing the extreme disadvantages under which our negotiations are carried on with the Barbary powers, I will relate a circumstance which happened during the last embassy to Marocco; I do not mean to say any thing prejudicial to Mr. Matra, who conducted that embassy; he was a man of capacity, and understood the nature of the court, as well as a long residence in the country, without a knowledge of the language, could enable him: he was attended by a Jewish interpreter, a subject of Marocco, who was required by the Emperor to wear the dress of his tribe,[188] but being in the suite of the Ambassador, and his interpreter, Mr. Matra repeated his injunction to the Emperor, alleging, that as he was in his immediate service, he was, and ought to be considered as, a British subject, and therefore entitled to wear the dress which the Jews of Great Britain wore: this argument was admitted by the Emperor, and the Jew was accordingly permitted to appear before him in the English dress. This was certainly a point gained by the Ambassador, and might have been the prelude to more considerable concessions, had it been judiciously followed up; indeed, the Emperor was desirous to temporise with the English, and treated the Ambassador and his suite in a better style than he had done any former one, and, as I was credibly informed, even permitted Mr. Matra to sit down by him, an honour never before conferred on any but a prince. Much affability and politeness of this kind was terminated by a long treaty of peace and amity, written in Arabic, but which unluckily nobody in the Ambassador’s suite could properly understand, except by circuitous and inaccurate explanation by a Moor to the Jew interpreter, and then from him to the consul; the latter, however, being dissatisfied with it, was persuaded to entrust it to a Spanish student, who, instead of giving an accurate translation to the Ambassador, sent one, as it was reported, to Madrid, kept the paper a month, and then returned it to Mr. Matra, so that the whole treaty was known at Madrid before it was known at London, or even by the Ambassador himself at Tangier! and in this manner, I am sorry to say, are our affairs conducted at Marocco. In short, I am well persuaded, that so long as gentlemen are sent to the Barbary powers as ambassadors or consuls, and remain there four or five years before they can make themselves sufficiently acquainted with the complection of the Mohammedan courts and intrigues, not to say the language, which but very few are at all likely ever to acquire sufficiently to hold colloquial intercourse at Court: we must not expect to gain any considerable commercial or political advantages with these countries.
It may also be necessary here to observe, that there are various expressions, not considered indelicate, among Europeans, which ought not to be used before the Ceed, or Emperor, by any one who is desirous to negociate advantageously. I have known a negociation totally frustrated by one trifling, or incautious expression. Accuracy of pronunciation, and refinement of expression, added to easy and affable manners, and a good person, would be attended with incalculable advantages in negociations at this court, the language, as well as the manners and customs of which, although fixed and regulated by invariable rules, are unknown and unattended to by the nations of Europe, at least by those of the North: and this I conceive to be one of the reasons why a negociation with the Court of Marocco seldom or ever terminates advantageously to the European negociator.
In treaties of peace between any European power and the Sultan of Marocco, one of the clauses always affects to protect the subject: so in the English treaties, if an Englishman residing in the empire commit any misdemeanor, he is not to be judged by the Mohammedan law, but by that of his own country, and is to be delivered up to the Consul until satisfaction be given; From the supineness of Consuls, however, this clause, as well as many others, has been often disregarded, and the wording altogether misunderstood or misconstrued.
As various reports have gone abroad relative to the affair of Mr. A. Layton, a British merchant at Mogodor, having had his teeth pulled out by order of the Emperor, it may be interesting to set that transaction in its true light.