Office of the Historian

File No. 2151/109–110.

Minister Gummeré to the Secretary of State.

American Legation,
Tangier, September 18, 1907.
No. 268.]

Sir: The Portuguese minister, as dean of the diplomatic corps, has circulated among the corps a letter which he has received in the name of the pretender, Mouley Hafid, a translation of which is herewith inclosed.

The dean, while thus circulating the said letter, stated that he did not do so in an official sense.

I am, etc.,

S. R. Gummeré.

[Inclosure.—Translation.]

Praise to God Alone:

To the wise and honorable friend who seeks the good of and friendship between the two powers, the minister and doyen of the diplomatic corps at Tangier and representative of the Kingdom of Portugal.

After Compliments:

Our Lord and Master the Great Sultan and Commander of the Kingdom of Islam, our Lord and Master Abdel Hafid (may God grant to him victory and assistance), has received from the people, of Morocco the investiture of the Sultanate after the deposition of our Lord Abdel Aziz. This deposition has taken place by a decision of the Islamic law, and in the interest of the Moorish Government and the integrity of the Empire.

My Master has ordered me to write to you, convinced as he is of your friendship for His Majesty, that he protests against the occurrences at Casablanca.

If one regards with humanity and justice what has happened to Morocco, especially at Casablanca, the inhabitants of which were the object of violence and aggression; 6,000 souls of them were killed; the city was bombarded with inflammable explosives, while the inhabitants were without defense. This spectacle, frightful to see, makes the heart burn and cause the most hardhearted to weep. You are not ignorant that this great occurrence, which constitutes an attack upon public rights, is contrary to the international treaties, which forbid the attack of a city without defense by elements of destruction and by mines, etc. Whoever claims that the serious occurrence at Casablanca was caused by any necessity whatsoever, this can not be admitted for several reasons. Moreover, there has never been a precedent for such an occurrence, and such things have never been heard of. Please take note of all this and do all that you can in the way of observations and remarks in order to maintain in their purity the relations of Morocco with the powers.

Moreover, no doubt one can count on a man such as you, who possesses such keen intelligence and remarkable sagacity. May God bless you.

Rejeb 7th, Holy, Year 1325 (August 16, 1907):

The minister of the Sultan, fortified by the victory of God.

(Signed)
Mohamed Ben Abdel-Kebir.

(May God preserve him.)