CHAPTER XV

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THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 1859-1862.

In September, 1859, Mr. Hay returned from leave to find that Sultan Mulai Abderahman had just died, and that troubles were brewing on the French frontier. With Spain also difficulties had arisen and, for months past, the Spanish Government had been preparing for an expedition against Morocco. The ostensible motive which was put forward for these hostilities was the chastisement of the Rif pirates and the redress of insults received at Ceuta. But public opinion in England inclined to believe that, under cover of reprisals for past wrongs, schemes of European aggrandisement upon the coast opposite Gibraltar were to be carried out by simultaneous action on the part of France and Spain against Morocco.

Lord John Russell, then at the head of Foreign Affairs, raised no objection to the temporary occupation of Tangier by the Spaniards; and Spain, who had steadily refused all offers of English mediation, only replied to repeated concessions on the part of the Moors with fresh and more exorbitant demands. At length, early in October, 1859, the Spanish Chargé d’Affaires sent secretly to beg Mr. Hay to persuade the Moorish Government to give way yet once more, at the same time solemnly assuring him that, if this demand were accepted, peace would be made. Mr. Hay spent six hours with the Moorish Minister, upon whom he brought to bear every possible argument, and terrified him by the prospect of the dire displeasure of the Sultan in case of a refusal. The Minister accepted the ultimatum and fell into a fainting fit!

Four days later, on October 15, a third ultimatum was presented, involving the cession of further territory. Mr. Hay then withdrew from further mediation, and war was declared between Spain and Morocco.

Many years after, Mr. (then Sir John) Hay was called on by the subordinate official who had brought him the secret message from the Spanish Chargé d’Affaires. Sir John recalled the incident, and then for the first time heard an explanation of what had appeared to be an act of bad faith.

The ex-official related that the third ultimatum was brought by a Spanish war-ship. On board the vessel was an official, who informed the Chargé d’Affaires that _war was determined on_, whatever might be the concessions made by the Moors; that the attempt to arrange matters had been a grave mistake, and that now any extravagant concession, however absurd, must be demanded as a pretext for war. The Spanish Chargé d’Affaires told his subordinate how distressed he was at thus appearing to deceive his British colleague; but added ‘We must obey orders and keep them secret.’

War having been declared, the European population and many of the Jews fled from the coast towns to Europe, rather from fear of the wild tribes who flocked to the defence of their country, than on account of the threatened invasion by Spain.

Mr. Hay stopped his wife and two little girls, who were on their way from England to join him, at Gibraltar—where they remained during the six months that hostilities continued. But he, with the English portion of his staff, stayed at Tangier. All other Foreign Representatives left.

Writing at this time to his mother, he says:—

All is quiet here up to the present moment; thanks to my friends, the hunters, having acted as the police of the town, and saved all Christians from molestation.

It is supposed the Sultan will be acknowledged everywhere, but my supposition about the French frontier being invaded has turned out too true; all however may be arranged quietly.

It is rather from the Spaniards that we have to expect trouble and ferment. They have been playing the fool at Ceuta, and now seek for satisfaction, which would humiliate the new Sultan, and then perhaps cause him, if he concedes, to totter upon his throne before he has even taken a firm seat thereon.

‘My friends the hunters,’ alluded to in this letter, were, it may be explained, villagers from outlying hamlets in the Tangier district. They were strongly attached to Mr. Hay as a brother sportsman and friend, and are frequently mentioned in his stories and in his little book on Western Barbary. The bond lasted throughout his life, though one generation of hunters passed away during his long residence in Morocco.

Writing again to his wife on November 13, he says:—

Green and Reade[39] live with me, and are very useful and attentive; but I am bored with this bachelor’s life and miss my wife and my dear children.

All well so far.

Government has again approved of all I have done and am doing.

When war begins you will probably see me; but be assured I shall not be in Tangier when bombardment takes place. I shall either be on board a ship or safe inland amongst my hunters on ‘Mount Washington[40].’ No imprudence shall I be guilty of, for your sake. As to the Moors, they are ready to do anything for me. I will not trust the Spaniards, nor go amongst the ‘Kabail.’

Sultan’s brother (Mulai Abbas, in command of the troops) and I are good friends.

Tangier is deserted. Nothing but armed men: not a woman, not a child.

Difficulty in getting anything.

Every effort was made by the Spaniards to remove Mr. Hay from the scene of action. His conduct was the subject of violent attacks by the Spanish Minister, Señor Castelar, and by the Madrid press. It was also commented on in a letter in the _Times_ from the Special Correspondent of that paper. These attacks were brought before the House of Commons, where Mr. Hay’s conduct was defended by Lord John Russell and Mr. Liddell.

‘From Mr. Hay’s long residence in Morocco,’ said Lord John, ‘and his kindness to all who hold any intercourse with him, he has gained to a great degree the respect of the people of that country, not only of the Foreign Minister of the Emperor of Morocco, who was formerly a merchant, but of the wild tribes of natives who so frequently made incursions into the Spanish settlements. Having this influence, I believe that he, according to instructions from Her Majesty’s Government, endeavoured to prevent the breaking out of war between Spain and Morocco. He endeavoured to prevent this war, till he was told by the Moorish Minister that, whatever advice might be given, Morocco could make no further concessions. Mr. Drummond Hay did exert himself to the utmost, and used the influence he had so justly acquired to prevent the outbreak of hostilities. Since that time, it being the policy of Her Majesty’s Government to be neutral in the war, his conduct has been in strict conformity with his instructions. The hon. member has read a report from the correspondent of _The Times_ newspaper—a very respectable gentleman, I believe; but he is in the Spanish camp, and can hear nothing but what he is told by Spaniards. They have stated various matters which the correspondent repeats, but he says that he knows nothing of them, and has no proof of them whatever. I have not heard from Mr. Drummond Hay since he had an opportunity of seeing these statements in the newspaper, but I have not a doubt they are, one and all, entirely false. I do not believe that Mr. Drummond Hay has felt it his duty to take any part in the war. The Spanish Minister did on one occasion state to Mr. Buchanan that complaints had been made of the partiality of Mr. Drummond Hay; but he gave no instance of such partiality, nor any proof of it whatever. We are aware that the Spanish Government in this war has obtained the aid of British merchants, and that the Spanish army has been supplied with British stores and provisions. Any complaints, therefore, of a violation of neutrality might more justly be made by the Government of Morocco than by the Government of Spain. I believe that the conduct of Mr. Drummond Hay has been entirely free from blame. I do not wish to say which party in this war is right; but I cannot sympathise with the enthusiasm of the hon. gentleman in regard to it. I do not think because one party is Christian and the other Mohammedan, we ought to give the former all our sympathy, without knowing the causes of the quarrel.

Throughout the whole crisis Mr. Hay’s efforts to protect property were unremitting, and an instance of his success is here given in his own words.

When the rupture of relations between Spain and Morocco took place, and Spanish subjects at Tangier were required by their Government to leave Morocco, the ‘Padre Superior’ of the Roman Catholic Mission paid me a visit, and informed me he had received orders from the Spanish Minister to embark, with all the members of his Mission, in a vessel sent to convey them to Spain. He added: ‘We are ordered off in such haste that we have no time to pack and convey to Spain the sacred pictures, crucifixes, and other religious emblems adorning the chapel.’

(At that time the only chapel was that adjoining the Spanish Legation.)

‘All the Foreign Representatives,’ he continued, ‘the Consular Officers, as well as all foreign subjects, both Christians and Jews, have begun to depart, and I hear that no one of them, with the exception of yourself and the gentlemen attached to the British Consulate, intends to remain in the country, fearing that the Mohammedan population may, when the war commences, massacre the Christians and Jews and pillage their dwellings.’

I replied that it was my intention to remain at my post, and that, as I had never acted unjustly or unkindly towards the Mohammedans, I had no grounds for supposing that they would seek to injure me; though, in pursuance of instructions received from my Government, my family would remain at Gibraltar.

The Padre Superior then said that the object of his visit was to ask me a great favour—that I would prevent, as far as lay in my power, the chapel from being broken into and pillaged.

‘After all,’ he said, ‘though we may entertain different views regarding the forms of the Christian religion, _somos hermanos_ (we are brothers).’

I told the Padre it would afford me sincere satisfaction to be of service to him; that I should let the Moorish authorities—and also my native friends in the town—know that the Roman Catholic Chapel was a house of God, and that it would be taken under my special protection.

The Padre expressed his heartfelt thanks, and, shaking hands warmly, we parted.

At the commencement of the war, large bodies of armed men belonging to the tribes of the provinces of Tangier and El Araish arrived at the former town, to buy powder and provisions before proceeding to the Ceuta district—the seat of war. Amongst them came a body of Beni Aros, composed of twelve hundred armed men. They are a fanatical tribe, many of them being Sherífs, and guardians of the sanctuary of Mulai Abd Selam. These wild fellows assembled in the little market-place adjoining the Spanish Legation, which was situated about a hundred yards from the British Consulate, and in the same street.

A Tangier Moor, having overheard some of the chiefs of these Beni Aros, who were purchasing provisions, propose that the tribe should break into and pillage the Spanish Legation and burn the Chapel, ran down to report to my kavasses what they had said. As soon as I received the information, I walked towards the little market-place, accompanied by one of these kavasses, just in time to meet the tribe, who had collected in the market-place, and were moving in a body towards the Spanish Chapel with hostile intentions. I was not acquainted with any of the Chiefs, but my kavass announced to them that I was the ‘Naib Ingliz,’ the friend of the Moors, who—having confidence in their good-will—had remained in Tangier, when all other Christians had fled.

‘Oh, friends and warriors of the faith!’ I exclaimed, ‘where are you going?’

They replied, with shouts,

‘It is our intention to destroy the dwelling of the accursed “kaffer” (unbeliever), and the Spanish place where they worship the devil, and to burn the pictures and idols it contains.’

I said, ‘Are you not aware that this house of the Spanish Bashador and all it contains, as also this place of worship since the declaration of war, is no longer the property of the Spaniards, but belongs to your Lord the Sultan? Moreover, the Spaniards do not worship the devil, but Allah—though their forms are different from yours and mine. That chapel is a house of God, and you would bring a curse on yourselves by committing such a sacrilege, and would be punished by the Sultan for destroying his property. You are brave warriors of your faith, going to the seat of war to defend your country. War not against brick and mortar, the property of your Lord and Master the Sultan, but lose no time and hasten off to Ceuta to join your brethren in arms who await you.’

‘The Englishman speaks the truth,’ the chief Sheikh cried out. ‘He is the friend of the Mussulmans. Come away.’

Many of the wild fellows looked up as they passed and gave me a friendly nod.

Not a door, not even a pane of glass, was broken, and when peace was restored and the Spanish Legation and other Missions returned, everything was found safe and uninjured as they had left it.

During the war, my friend the Superior had died, and was succeeded by another very worthy priest, who devoted day and night to attending on the sick. All that he possessed he gave away in charity to the poor, but he was more fanatical and intolerant towards the ‘hereticos’—as he called all Christians of other than the Roman Catholic creed—than towards the Mohammedans and Jews.

On the return of the Franciscan Mission, after peace had been concluded, the Superior called and thanked me for having guarded the chapel and their property, which, he said, was found just as it had been left. I replied that it had afforded me much pleasure to be of service to the Franciscan friars, always so distinguished for their charity and kindness to the poor Christians and Mohammedans; and, ‘after all,’ I said, ‘_Somos Cristianos y hermanos_’ (‘we are Christians and brothers’).

The Padre looked very grave when I used this expression, and took his leave. The following day he called again, after dark, and requested to see me in private. He told me that he had been pondering over the expression I had used, ‘_Somos Cristianos y hermanos_.’ ‘If that be indeed the case,’ he added, ‘I rejoice; but I am surprised that, as a Christian, you never attend at the Chapel. If, on the other hand, you are still a Protestant, then you are not a Christian or a brother, but a heretic, damned to all eternity.’ He continued, ‘Are you a Catholic?’

I replied, ‘Yes.’

‘Do you believe in God?’ ‘Yes.’

‘In the Trinity?’ ‘Yes.’

Then followed questions regarding the Sacraments, and whether I acknowledged the Pope as God’s Vicar on earth.

My responses no longer met the good Padre’s views; for he burst out, ‘I eschew you as a Christian! You are an accursed heretic, and shall burn hereafter in the everlasting fire of hell,’ and he raved in his excitement.

I interposed, ‘Judge not, lest ye be judged. Condemn not, lest ye be condemned;’ adding, with a smile, ‘you have declared that you believe I shall go to hell and suffer eternal punishment. Now, I declare my belief that you, for your good works and charity, will go to heaven, and there I hope to meet you. You see I have the more charity, since you have cursed me; but I say, God will bless you. I return good for evil, as taught by our Saviour. If you inquire,’ I continued, ‘regarding the belief of the members of the Church of England, to which I belong, or of Protestants in general, as you call us, you will find that we have the same moral laws as the Roman Catholics, and that the livery alone and the outward forms separate us from the Roman Catholic Church.’ So saying, I held out my hand to the good old fanatic, repeating, ‘You shall be blessed for your charity and kindness to all men.’

He took my hand in silence, and I bade him adieu.

Throughout these troubled times Mr. Hay rode daily, unattended, on the beach or in the country. One afternoon, when riding along the narrow road leading outside the town walls to the sea, he encountered an armed tribe coming in to join the forces then bound for the Tetuan district, the seat of war. As he passed quietly through them, one of the men, cursing him for an infidel, spat at him. Mr. Hay at once retaliated by bringing his heavy hunting crop sharply down on the head of the offender, abusing him roundly the while.

In a moment the long guns of those who witnessed the occurrence were brought to their knees, and he heard the click of the clumsy flint-locks as they cocked their pieces.

Undaunted, he cried, ‘Shame on you, that would call yourselves men! Cowards, go and fight with women!’

Some of the elders, who were rather in the rear, observing the pause and disturbance, hurried forward and checked the excited tribesmen, and Mr. Hay, turning to them, said, ‘It is most unseemly and unworthy of the warriors of your race that these young men should attack an unarmed and unoffending individual. Is it for these youths to insult and abuse me, an Englishman, and the friend of the Moors?’

The elders soundly rated the offenders, and offered to bastinado, then and there, the chief culprit, which Mr. Hay however declined. They then frankly apologised, pleading that the men were under the influence of great excitement at the prospect of fighting the Spaniards, else they would never have behaved so ill to the ‘Ingliz,’ their friend. The weapons were lowered, and Mr. Hay rode through the midst of the horde, who made way for him quietly.

When peace was finally concluded, in 1860, it was in great measure due to Mr. Hay’s intervention. All the variations between hope and fear are chronicled in his letters home.

At last, on March 29, he is able to write:—

Thank God! on the 25th preliminaries were signed. _Entre nous_, though Spaniards continue to rave against me, it was I who got this Government to agree to peace after a hard-fought battle in the plain of Tetuan.

Altogether this period had been for him a time of great anxiety. His troubles were increased by a sharp attack of what is now known as ‘Russian influenza,’ which prostrated him just when affairs were in the most critical condition. He fought against the malady, however, in his anxiety to secure peace; but when his family returned to Tangier they found that the illness had left him with snow-white beard and moustache, who before had not a gray hair.

The three letters that follow were written from Meknes during a mission undertaken by Mr. Hay to the Moorish Court with the object of inducing the Sultan to concede the demands of Spain, and to place the peace just concluded between the two countries on a firm basis.

As will be seen, great difficulties arose with regard to the payment of the indemnity claimed by Spain. The Sultan had asked the British Government to guarantee a loan, to which request they could not accede. During his sojourn at Meknes, Mr. Hay received a proposal from Mr. Forde, a British merchant, to raise a loan in England at 10 per cent., provided the British Government would make a convention with the Moorish Government by which the interests of the shareholders in the proposed loan would be safeguarded by the British Government. This matter was not concluded when Mr. Hay left Meknes, as much depended on the attitude taken by Spain. He writes to his mother from Meknes on July 18, 1861:—

Here we are! all well and not even fatigued by our journey. We have had a triumphal march through the country, and had I been the Sultan himself, more honour and respect could not have been shown me.

Not an unkind word has been heard from high or low. The General Officer sent by the Sultan to Tangier to escort us is the third military dignitary in the Empire. All the governors and chiefs who met us were under his authority, and the good fellow told me he was ordered by the Sultan to attend upon me and to meet my wishes as if I were the Sultan himself. He and I have made great friends. He said, ‘When I received the Sultan’s order to take charge of the Mission, I thought I should have to take care of pots of china, which would crack or break at the first jolt, and that I might therefore be ruined by some accident; but I find I have to deal with men who have kind and stout hearts.’

I will not tell you of the thousands of wild fellows—cavalry and infantry—who have saluted us on the road, but will merely describe our reception this morning.

We left our last encampment, called Kasba Faráo, at 4 a.m., escorted by the Governor of Sherarda with about 1,200 cavalry.

At 5.30 we were met by the wild tribe of Zerhóna, shouting and firing. I do not believe they meant to offend us in any way, but, on the contrary, to welcome us in this boisterous manner; but our old Kaid declared that no man should shout or fire again till I had passed. The Zerhóna objected, as they said they wished to honour me face to face. I should mention that they are of Rif origin, and fight better than all the other tribes put together. A dispute took place, and then the order was given to the cavalry to surround our party. In a moment we found ourselves surrounded by the 1,200 cavalry; the chiefs of Sherarda declaring that they would ride down the Zerhóna if the slightest insult were offered. All passed off quietly.

At 7 a.m. mounted officers arrived, sent from the capital by the Sultan to welcome us. At 8 o’clock, about four miles from the town, the Kaid-el-Meshwa, the first military officer of the court, met us, and we beheld a line of about 15,000 cavalry and 18,000 infantry[41], with banners flying, ranged along the heights surrounding the town. Along these lines we passed, and I was presented to all the governors, generals, and other dignitaries. A _feu de joie_ was fired repeatedly along the lines.

The Governor of Meknes arrived in state to receive us, also a relation of the Sultan; and the late Ambassador to London, with another Moorish officer, came out to welcome us, and to say that they were ordered by the Sultan to attend upon us during our sojourn at the court.

All the shops were shut; the whole population lined the wall.

We are lodged in a large and handsome house, with a fountain in the centre of the court. The walls are in Arabesque filagree, the floors in glazed tiles. The house is lofty, and has a second story. The rooms are magnificently furnished with carpets, mirrors, clocks, beds, and velvet and cloth tapestries.

The provisions are profuse, never have I eaten such bread; and, strange to say, the butter is delicious.

The ex-Ambassador waits below to learn our wishes, the General Officer to act as chief guard. _Too much_ has been done, and it almost makes me feel sad, as I know how little we can do to help them, and what a bitter pill I have to offer as the remedy to be taken to save the Empire.

_July 22_, 1861.

This morning we had a public audience of the Sultan.

One of the chief officers of the royal household, with a guard of honour, was dispatched by the Sultan to this residence to conduct us to the palace. We proceeded on horseback, and threading the winding and narrow streets of this town, which had been well watered for the occasion, we arrived at the beautiful and picturesque gate of the castle built by Sultan Mulai Ismael about two centuries ago. On entering the gate we passed through lines of troops, placed on each side of the passage conducting to the great court, or ‘Meshwa,’ of the palace. This court, a mere walled enclosure, is about 200 yards long and 120 broad. Around it were arranged some 2,500 infantry, amongst whom I observed about 500 men drilled in the European style.

We were conducted to the centre of the court and there dismounted. A chair, which I declined, was offered to me whilst awaiting the Sultan’s arrival. Immediately in the rear of where we had been placed stood the chief dignitaries and officers of the Sultan’s court. A few minutes after our arrival, the chief Uzir came out from the gate of the palace and, after salutations had passed between us, placed himself in the centre of the line of officers standing in our rear. The Uzir was followed by the ‘Kaid-el-Meshwa,’ or High Chamberlain, of the Sultan’s court. A few moments after, from the gate facing our party, the Sultan, mounted on a magnificent white horse, entered the court. His Majesty was preceded by five led horses splendidly caparisoned, then came two officers carrying very long lances: these men were followed by a number of officers on foot, ranged on each side of His Majesty. Amongst them I observed the Chief Executioner—wearing a broad sword—and the bearer of the Sultan’s gun.

His Sherifian Majesty was dressed all in white, and wore a ‘burnous’ with large silken tufts on the hood—these tufts being the sole mark of the Sovereign.

As His Majesty entered the court, the Master of the Horse shouted in a loud voice to the officers and troops, ‘Our lord says, May God assist you.’ All the line of officers in our rear, Uzir included, kneeling, bowed their heads to the ground, and the troops, bending low, raised a shout of ‘May God prolong the life of our lord.’ This was repeated twice.

His Majesty, having advanced to within thirty yards of where we stood, waved to us with his hand to advance, which I and the other gentlemen did, after making our bows, till I stood within a yard of His Majesty’s horse. The interpreter, Mr. David Sicsu, accompanied us; as on such occasions it is etiquette to speak through an interpreter.

Formal speeches were then exchanged and the Sultan withdrew. The letter continues:—

The horse is the throne of the Sultan of Morocco, who is the descendant and representative of the prophet Mohammed and of those Kaliphs who, rallying from the deserts of Arabia on their swift horses, conquered such vast and fair portions of Africa, Asia, and Europe.

The fact of the Sultan having mounted a milk-white horse is meant to be emblematic of peace and goodwill. When His Majesty is displeased he rides a black horse, and according to the royal humour he is said to vary the shade of the steed he mounts.

_July 28_, 1861.

We have not made much progress in negotiation, for the war party is strong here, and the Sultan feels very strongly his past humiliations. I have had one or two battles with the chief Uzir, and he now openly declares that he takes my view of the whole question, whatever may be the decision of the Sultan.

We continue to be feasted, and are rather bored thereby, for they fix on the late hour of 10 p.m. to commence festivities, and there is a great monotony; illuminations, Moorish music, tea and cakes.

The houses are most beautiful, fountains bubble all around, and the

## scene is a fairy one.

Princely honours are paid me everywhere, the population being compelled to stand up as I pass, in fact I am exceedingly bored by all these attentions and forms.

We have our prayers on Sunday; it is perhaps the first little gathering of Christians that ever prayed together at Meknes.

_July 30._

I have just returned from a long private interview with the Sultan. He has not conceded Spanish terms, for he has not the money, and, therefore, to say he would give what he has not, would only make matters worse; but he agrees to send an Ambassador to Madrid to treat. To persuade him to do this was one of the chief objects of my mission.

Thus far we have succeeded.

Sultan is very kind, says much that is flattering, and laughs and talks with me.

Tangier, _August 20_, 1861.

We have arrived here, all well.

I succeeded in obtaining Sultan’s consent to all demands the British Government desired me to put forward; so, if Spain keeps good faith, all will be settled.

With the object of bringing negotiations to a conclusion, Mr. Hay subsequently paid a short visit to Rabát, where the Sultan was then staying. After his return to Tangier he writes on October 23 to his mother:—

The Sultan is at Rabát, and my object was to have a chat with him. He received me very kindly, and privately, as I had requested. He agreed to all I suggested, and even told his Uzir that his duty would be to listen to what I proposed, and then to act at once on my recommendations.

His Sultanic Majesty was in good spirits, scolded me good-humouredly for not writing to him, told me he looked upon me as his best counsellor and friend, and he therefore expected I should write to him, not only what was agreeable, but also what was disagreeable, as he said thus alone he could learn the truth.

I was lodged sumptuously. I refused all presents, but accepted for Commander Nicolas a splendid sword mounted in gold which the Sultan sent him through me.

I begin to feel almost nervous about the blind confidence placed in me by the Sultan. I happened to mention to the Uzir that one of the governors of a port was an ‘imbecile.’ Next morning I was informed that the Sultan said my opinion sufficed, and he was dismissed from office. A Jew had been robbed and put in prison by a governor. I mentioned it. Orders were given for restoration of the property, and the governor is sent for by the Sultan, which is equivalent to imprisonment. I must think twice before I speak to these folk.

There are sad delays in England about the loan, but I am working hard.

Finally, in January, 1862, in virtue of a convention between Her Majesty the Queen and the Emperor of Morocco, the loan was issued in bonds amounting to £501,200. The terms of the payment were that half of the custom’s duties were to be hypothecated as security, Her Majesty undertaking to appoint Commissioners to receive the customs duties. The Consuls and consular agents at the various ports were directed to act as these commissioners, and the moneys so collected were delivered to the British Representative to be transferred by him to the contractors in London.

At the time the loan was issued, the customs duties were assessed as follows:—

Imports paying 10 per cent £91,676

Exports paying 25 per cent 231,228 -------- Total £322,904

It was expected that this sum would be increased by a duty on exportation of wheat and barley, which would have added another £100,000, raising the total to be paid to the contractors to £211,452[42].

The other moiety of the customs duties was paid to the Spanish Government to cover the remainder of the war indemnity—they also appointing Commissioners.

When the loan was finally paid off in 1883, the returns were—

Exports £832,212

Imports 807,536 ---------- Total £1,639,748

as against £322,904, quoted in 1862. This increase was attributable, not only to larger commerce, but also to the improved system introduced at the customs which Mr. Hay persuaded the Sultan to adopt. Hitherto the officials, as was common in Morocco, were a permanent unpaid staff, who were supposed to pay themselves by subtracting a percentage from the duties levied. Under the new system supervisors were appointed, who received a fixed salary, and these officials were changed every three months. This reform worked well. It at once materially increased the revenue derived from customs duties, and, after the loan and war indemnity were paid off in 1883, the Custom House officers continued to be appointed and paid on the same system.

Mr. Hay’s services were recognised by Her Majesty’s Government, and he writes to his wife’s sister in May, 1862:—

I received a telegram a few days ago from the Minister, congratulating me on my nomination to the K.C.B. I am pleased, as Government recognises so handsomely my labours; and, after all the abuse of the Spanish Press, and even of the Spanish Government, it is a public acknowledgement that I have done some good in the cause of peace and goodwill. My ambition is now nigh satisfied, and I am quite content if this is the last handle I get to my name.

I am rather troubled with inflamed or weak eyes. I have perhaps strained them at night. I have given up reading almost entirely, and only write to earn my bread, or to retain the affections of those I love.

This eye trouble had its origin, no doubt, in the attack of influenza from which he had suffered in 1859, accompanied as it was by overstrain and work. It was further aggravated by his hurried journey to Meknes in the great heat of summer. For many years he continued to suffer, and, by the advice of eminent oculists in London and Paris, gave up all reading and writing. All his letters and dispatches were written from his dictation. Though towards the latter part of his life Sir John in great measure recovered the use of his eyes, he was always unable to read much at night, and thus endured what to him was a great deprivation.

The following extract from the _Gibraltar Chronicle_ of July 21, 1883, concludes the history of the Moorish loan.

We are informed that a letter has been lately addressed to the Secretary of the Stock Exchange by Messrs. Robinson and Fleming, the contractors of the Moorish loan of 1862, notifying its final settlement last month. The text of the communication is as follows:—‘It affords us great pleasure to hand you enclosed the official announcement of the payment off at par, on June 26, 1883, of the total amount of the undrawn Bonds of the Loan of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Morocco. We take this opportunity of stating that His Majesty has been careful to observe the provisions of the contract upon which the loan was issued, and we further beg to observe that Her Britannic Majesty’s Minister at Morocco, Sir J. H. Drummond Hay, K.C.B., has most kindly rendered, voluntarily and continually, his valuable services in all details connected with the loan.’ In further speaking of this loan it was observed that it is one of the only loans where no hitch of any kind had occurred, and where perfect good faith had been shown. That such has been the case all credit should be given to the Sultan, but we may also observe that the Moorish Government has been so carefully watched and kept up to the mark in its payments by our energetic Minister, that they have had no opportunity of falling into arrears. The loan was not a very big one, but the amount of detail work caused by the smallest of loans to a country such as Morocco is much greater than is generally imagined. From the first, however, the superintendence of it was undertaken by Sir John Drummond Hay without any benefit or remuneration to himself, and it has been carried through with the thoroughness which has marked throughout his long public career every measure to which he has put his hand.

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