In the French Chamber of Deputies a debate on the
Yellow. book on Morocco was begun on Tuesday, and was continued on Wednesday. It is clear that the Government have the confidence of a large enough part of the country to enable them to continue their present policy. The speeches against the Government were noticeably lacking in fire and conviction. M. Pichon, the Foreign Minister, insisted that the Government wished to avoid rash adventure, and had withstood all temptations to be drawn into the interior of Morocco. Their one object was to restore order and defend French territory. A particular difficulty had arisen when Mulai Hafid declared himself Sultan, but France had remained on the side of Abd-ul-Aziz, and it was with French help that he had made his journey to Rabat. The French .Government had organised at Tangier a municipal police force, which had made it unnecessary for troops to be landed. A police force was also being formed on the Algerian frontier. In 1906 French imports in Morocco were fifty per cent. of the whole, and those of Germany only eight per cent. The French Government had no immediate solution of the difficulties to offer, but their policy would be directed by a consideration of the obviously predominant interest of France in the country, and by a prudent determination to avoid all conquest. A vote of confidence in the Government was carried by 464 votes to 54.
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