Mr. Gummeré to Mr. Hay.
Tangier, June 15, 1904.
(Mr. Gummeré confirms his report of yesterday as to the new demands of the brigand. He has been informed to-day by the minister for foreign affairs that one of the sheiks and his two brothers have been arrested in accordance with the demands of the brigand, and that a negotiator has been sent to Raisuli to inform him that if the captives are released the new demands will be granted. It is evident, as was also reported, that no reliance is placed by the brigand upon any promises of his Government, and it is his intention to demand from the British minister and Mr. Gummeré guaranties which they have intimated will not be given. Threats against the captives’ lives will probably follow, and the question as to how they are to be met is important. In view of the Department’s intimation that the Moorish Government will be held responsible for the lives of the murderers, the absolute impotency of the Moorish Government and its inability to inflict punishment must be understood. The brigand utterly disregards the idea of punishment by the Moorish Government. The whole army of the Sultan consists of less than 2,000 men, and this number is daily diminishing. Having awaited the result of the negotiations for one month, the consul-general is now firmly convinced that the time has arrived when the brigand and his supporters should be plainly warned that they will be punished by the great Powers to whom the captives belong if they are injured or are not immediately released, and adds that their lives may in this way be preserved; but that in order not to jeopardize the lives of all Christians in Morocco it would be necessary that such a threat of punishment should be fulfilled to the letter.)