File No. 2152/59.
Minister Gummeré to the Secretary of State.
Tangier , August 23, 1907 .
Sir: I have the honor to confirm my telegram to the department of this date, as follows:a
In explanation of the said telegram I have the honor to report that last evening Sir Gerard Lowther, the British minister, informed me that he had received news from his consuls at Alcazar Kebir that the [Page 894] Sultan’s Mhalla or military force under the command of Shereef Mohamed El Merani on the 19th instant attacked the El Hmaz tribes, who, under the leadership of Raisuli in person, repulsed them, inflicting a crushing defeat. The said news was confirmed this morning by a letter received from Sid Thamy Slawe, our protegé at Alcazar, who states that the troops were surrounded by the tribes, who attacked in front and rear and almost annihilated them; the survivors managed to escape by another passage in the hills and had begun to arrive at Alcazar. The holot or local contingent under Rmiki, governor of the province, had not come in, and fears are entertained of their destruction. Slawe reports great unrest in the province and fears of a general rising. All this, of course, compels the cessation of negotiations for the release of Sir Harry Mclean, and the British minister is exceedingly anxious as to the consequences to him. If Raisuli follows up his victory, there is nothing to prevent his seizing Alcazar, the largest town between here and Fez, and as it is only two days or less from Tangier, he will become a distinct menace to our security. The situation grows more complicated and threatening daily.
I am, etc.,
- Supra.↩