3-085-750 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Arrest of Englishmen by the Moorish Government: the Shereefian steam-ship "Al Hassani" and her crew, 1898. 'From a Photograph supplied by Mr. Budgett Meakin...of the "Times of Morocco". A party of Englishmen organised by the Globe Venture Syndicate, a company recently formed...for mining operations on the Sus coast of Morocco, has come into conflict with the troops of the Sultan. It appears that the English expedition, helped by disaffected natives, took possession of the port of Arksis, but was interrupted in the landing of stores and ammunition by the Al Hassani, acting in conjunction with a land force. The Englishmen refused to acknowledge the right of the Moorish authorities to interfere, and fired upon the Shereefian boat from their vessel, the Tourmaline, to prevent the capture of one of her boats. A number of Moors were killed, but the English boat was captured before she could reach the Tourmaline, and four Englishmen and an interpreter were taken prisoners. The...Globe Venture Syndicate maintain that...their expedition were within their right..., since they were acting in conjunction with the tribesmen of Sus, who claim to be entirely independent of the Sultan, and acknowledge only the sovereignty of Sidi Ben Hassan, King of Sus.' From "Illustrated London News", 1898.