881.00/1096
The Ambassador in France (Herrick) to
the Secretary of State
Paris, July 3,
1925.
[Received July 13.]
No. 5361
Sir: With reference to my telegram No. 364,
July 3, 5 p.m.,16 I have
the honor to transmit herewith copy and translation of two notes from
the Ministry for Foreign Affairs regarding the surveillance of the
Moroccan coast by French and Spanish warships.17
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure
1—Translation]
The French Ministry for
Foreign Affairs to the American
Embassy
After agreement with the Spanish Government, the French Government
has the honor to transmit to the Embassy of the United States of
America at Paris the following information:
On the offing of the coast of French and Spanish territories, both as
regards dominions and protectorates, situated to the North and West
of Africa and included between the second meridian of West Longitude
(Greenwich) and the 27th parallel of North Latitude, French and
Spanish warships will jointly ensure the strict observation of the
international provisions and regulations prohibiting, on the one
hand, any access to the Moroccan coast outside of open ports,
[Page 605]
and, on the other hand,
any importation of arms or war material into Morocco. To this end,
the said ships shall supervise and visit, if necessary, pursuant to
international usages in such matters, all ships suspected, for
reasonable motives, of contravening the prescriptions referred
to.
This surveillance will apply both to arms, munitions and war material
as well as to merchandise suspected of being directed to ports or
natural anchoring-grounds not open to trade.
[Enclosure
2—Translation]
The French Ministry for
Foreign Affairs to the American
Embassy
After agreement with the Spanish Government, the French Government
has the honor to transmit to the Embassy of the United States of
America at Paris, the following information:
On all the coasts subjected to the joint surveillance of Spanish and
French warships, pursuant to the notice given to-day to the
representatives of the interested Powers in Paris, the French and
Spanish Governments distinguish, as regards the limits and
modalities of surveillance, two categories of sectors.
In the sectors comprising the ports open to trade or crossed by trade
routes, the surveillance is limited to the six miles of territorial
waters, with the right to follow outside this limit.
In the other sectors, the surveillance extends to the particular
limits defined below:
- 1.
- Atlantic. Sector comprised between Cape Ghir and Cape
Noun. The surveillance is exercised to the East of the line
joining the points situated at six miles to the West of
these two capes.
- 2.
- Mediterranean. Sector comprised between Cape Trois
Fourches and Cape Negro (North of Tetouan). The surveillance
is exercised to the South of the line joining these two
capes.
Furthermore, the presence and the organizations of the dissidents on
the coast rendering difficult and even dangerous, both trade
navigation and the operations of control exercised by warships near
the coast, the territorial waters of the sector, limited to six
miles, are forbidden to navigation between Cape Mazari (South of
Tetouan) and the point Abdun or Afraout (East of Alhucemas).
Consequently, any merchant ship met by warships in the prohibited
zone which cannot justify its presence shall be handed over to the
competent authority.
The maritime surveillance of the territorial waters of the Tangier
zone shall be exercised pursuant to the stipulations of Article 4 of
the Convention of December 18, 1923.
[Page 606]
The vessels and boats which may be recognized by the patrol vessels
as engaged in trading in arms, munitions, war material and
merchandise suspected of being directed to ports or natural
anchoring-grounds not open to trade, will be handed over to the
local competent jurisdiction.
The foregoing provisions being actuated by present events, have,
because of this fact, only a temporary character and the High
Contracting Powers reserve the right to modify them after prior
agreement.
