relations

[In 1906: American Society of International Law organized with Elihu Root as Diplomatic President. Diplomatic relations between between France and Venezuela severed. House passes Philippine Tariff Bill. International conference on Moroccan affairs opened at Algeciras, Spain.]

France and

Venezuela

THE ALGECIRAS CONFERENCE

(A.D. 1906)

BUDGETT MEAKIN

F

the Con

OR nearly three months the usually sleepy little smuggling town of Algeciras, opposite Gibraltar, has been a centre of world-wide interest. On the invitation of the Sultan of Morocco, twelve of the powers in treaty relations with him had agreed to meet his delegates in conference for the purpose of advising him as to the best means of restoring his authority throughout his dominions and of increasing their prosperity. The actual motive for such a request had Reason for been the fear lest, as the British, whom the ference. Moors had hitherto regarded as their friends -had, to use their expression-sold them to the French, the latter would otherwise proceed to absorb Morocco. The Conference had, indeed, been suggested by Germany, to whom Mulai Abd-el-Aziz had appealed in his dilemma, as the only Power which refused to recognize the claim of France to a prescriptive right to reorganize Morocco. Realizing this, France and her allies would only consent to representation at the Conference after a distinct understanding had been arrived

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at with her neighbor as to the matters to be discussed or avoided. It was also felt that Tangier was not a suitable spot for the meetings, so the invitation of Spain to Algeciras was accepted.

Thus it came about that after lengthy consideration the landing-place of the Moors in Spain on their three successive invasions became the scene of what promised to decide The town the fate of their Empire. The modern town Algeciras. dating only from 1750, has but one attraction, a magnificent English hotel, built by the owners of the picturesque railway which connects it with the rest of Europe, and of the corresponding steamer service across the bay to Gibraltar, placing it in touch with all the world. But this attraction sufficed, and the Reina Cristina Hotel was engaged for the delegates, while the town-hall was cleared and refitted for their deliberations. Moreover, the town was whitewashed, the paving repaired, and much of the grass removed from the streets, while the railway company, which had already built an esplanade, linked it up with the town by a bridge and relaid its jetty. In addition to the accommodation at the hotel, the Moorish and British delegates, and the numerous suites of those of France and Spain, were provided with separate villas. The enormous expense of the Conference may be judged from the fact that Sir Arthur Nicolson and his three assistants were considered

The town prepares for its guests.

to have "got off cheap" at a rental of £10 a day for eighty-four days and "find themselves." A shipload of horses and carriages at £2 10s. a day each pair was transported from Seville and accommodated in the bull-ring. With these incidentals must be included the heavy item of travelling expenses, and the volume of telegrams constantly going and coming. If to this outlay be added that of the Press, represented at one time by over eighty correspondents, the total cost of the Con- Expenses ference will be seen to have been enormous. ference. Under the head of telegraphing alone some five million words at least would have to be charged, a large proportion going viâ Gibraltar. The French delegation numbered about fourteen and the Spanish about ten; the Moorish eight, the German six, and most of the others four.

The meetings were held at irregular intervals, about three times a week, being summoned whenever the President was advised that sufficient instructions had been received, or that the drafting committee had some document to present for consideration. Formal sessions were held from ten to twelve in the morning, the Conference meeting in committee from three to five in the afternoon, the drafting and translating committees assembling when and where convenient to their members. The last named consisted of the interpreters attached to several of the delegations,

of the Con

and their task was one of the most arduous entailed on any present. It is no slight matter to translate Occidental technical terms into Arabic equivalents which shall be intelligible to Moors unacquainted with the ideas expressed; or to render the subtle phraseology or an Oriental document in exactly equivalent French that shall not be liable to misconstruction.

For lack of precedent to the contrary, the meetings of the Conference were all held in camerâ, only the baldest of bald communiqués being read by the secretaries in French and Spanish to the assembled correspondents in the central court of the town-hall. The proceedings being considered strictly private, and the documents presented being headed "très confidentiel," all further information imparted by the delegates and others presentsome forty persons in all-was regarded as a special favor, in return for which special consideration was expected. At first many found information difficult to obtain, but as newspapers began to arrive containing statements and even documents telegraphed before they had been presented to the Conference, all reThe serve soon broke down, and each correspondent at once made for the man he found most willing to communicate the facts to him. The only systematized dissemination of information was arranged by the French, who had brought with them the most amiable gentle

newspaper corre

spondents.