File No. 594/54.
Minister Dodge to the Secretary of State.
Tangier, April 11, 1910.
Sir: Referring to my dispatch, No. 150, of December 31 last, I have the honor to report that I was recently informed by Sid Mohamed Ben Mohamed El Guebbass, the Sultan’s representative here, that he had just received a communication from Sid Aissa Ben Omar, the vizier for foreign affairs, advising him that new and urgent orders had been issued by the Sultan to the governor of Mequinez to grant at once and without further delay a house to the missionaries of the Gospel Missionary Union. Yesterday I received a letter from the Rev. George C. Reed, at Mequinez, in which he confirms this information, stating:
I am very glad indeed to inform you that your efforts have been successful and the Basha has finally given us a house in the Moorish quarter of Mequinez.
Mr. Reed further states that the missionaries have already moved into this house, which—
will make us quite a suitable place after certain necessary repairs are made, which we stipulated to have done at once, and to help defray the cost of which we advanced five months’ rent, at $4 per month. * * * Our coming into the city to live by orders of the Sultan has seemed to have a very good effect upon the people, and we believe has brought to a successful issue this long-standing case.
This house is one belonging to the Maghzen, and the lease given to the missionaries is for an indefinite time at the extremely low rental above mentioned.
This matter, which has been pending for some six years, would thus now seem to have been concluded satisfactorily to the missionaries of the Gospel union and I trust also to the department.
I have now requested Sid Guebbass to convey to the Sultan my thanks for the satisfactory settlement of this matter.
I am, etc.,