merchants established at Mogodor are enabled to undersell us in all East and West India articles. A close connexion with the empire o f Marocco is o f the greatest importance to Great Britain both in a political and commercial point o f v iew ; for besides the various articles o f trade already enumerated, it affords ample supplies o f p ro v isions ; and i f a friendly intercourse between the two nations were firmly established,‘we should never have any difficulty in victualling not only Gibraltar, but also a ll our different fleets which cruize in the Mediterranean, and on the northern coast o f Africa, a resource, which, in the present state o f things, certainly merits the serious attention o f this country. T h e advantages o f a trade with this empire must be evident from what has been detailed in the preceding pages, where it w ill be seen that nearly the whole o f the exports to Marocco consists o f manufactured goods, and that the returns fo r these are entirely raw materials, many o f which are essentially necessary in our manufactures. T h a t the present trade is so inconsiderable, arises entirely from the little encouragement and support it meets with ; for British subjects, finding th e y had to depend on their own exertions alone, for the protection and safety o f the property embarked in this traffic, have, for the most part, abandoned it, and now it is falling into the hands o f subjects o f Marocco, established in England. This is the more to be regretted, as we ha ve it in our power, b y proper representations and a judicious négociation, to supply, through this channel, a great part o f the interior o f A fr ica with our superfluous manufactures, while we might receive in return many v e ry valuable and useful articles, such as oil o f olives, hides, skins, almonds, gums, wax, silver, and gold, in addition to which may be mentioned oranges and lemons, o f which a greater quantity might be procured from two ports* in the empire, than is afforded by both Spain and Portugal. T h e oranges o f Tetuan are the finest in the world, and are sold for eight drahims, or about 3s. 6d. per thousand. Those o f Marocco, o f Terodant, o f Fas, o f Mequinas, o f Rabat, and the adjacent country, are also v e ry good, abundant, and equally cheap; they might be imported from Rabat to England with considerable advantage : but I believe the exportation has lately been prohibited, this fruit being included in the general prohibition to the exportation to Euiope of all articles o f provision. T h e season for gathering them for exportation is from November t ill January. It may, perhaps,, be objected b y some, who have experienced- difficulties in treating with the Emperor, that he would not,, probably, allow fruit to be exported: to this I answer, that it is' possible, by proper means, to obtain almost any favour from a- Sovereign who is uncontrollable; it is not gold which rules his> conduct, though some ingenious persons have imagined that to be the only means o f procuring any thing from him : had this been the case, he would not have granted me the privilege of: exporting mules to the West Indies at h a lf the duty that another- house.offered him. In short, nothing is wanting to secure a most- extensive and lucrative trade with Marocco, bu t an established, friendship between the two nations, strengthened b y a mutual, return of good offices and attentions. Indeed the present Emperor, Muley Soliman, may be said to have made overtures o f this nature ; but from our impolicy, and inattention, added to the ignorance o f the proper mode o f treating with him, these, overtures were neglected. * Viz. Tetuan and Rabat or Saline. L L
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