File No. 594/36–37.
Minister Gummeré to
the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Tangier, March 20,
1909.
Sir: Referring to my unnumbered dispatch of the
16th instant regarding the house for American missionaries at Mequinez,
I have received from Sid Mohamed Ben Guebbass, the Sultan’s
representative at Tangier, a reply to my letter addressed to him on the
15th instant, a copy of which was inclosed in my said dispatch, and have
the honor to inclose herewith a translation of the said letter for the
department’s information.
I am, etc.
[Inclosure—Translation.]
The Sultan’s representative
at Tangier to Minister Gummeré.
We have received your excellency’s letter of the 22d of Safaar (March
15, 1909), regarding the permission requested by your citizens to
secure a house at Mequinez, outside the Mellah, explaining the
course taken in this case under the former Government, and pointing
out what happened with the communication addressed by your
excellency to the vizier of foreign affairs and of the delay in
answering the same. Your excellency requests us to bring this matter
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to the knowledge of
His Shereefian Majesty, and to demand explanation as to the delay in
answering your said communication.
We have taken note.
We beg to inform your excellency that we have immediately forwarded a
copy of your excellency’s said letter to His Shereefian Majesty,
begging His Shereefian Majesty at the same time to urge the sending
of His Majesty’s answer which, if God pleases, will prove
satisfactory to your excellency.
Yet we beg your excellency to admit our apologies concerning that
delay which is of course caused by the pressure of business, the
carrying out of which must have postponed what is of greater
importance.
Your excellency will show a great kindness by admitting our sincere
apology.
