• The intelligence from Morocco continues to be satisfactory ;
in other words, the Spaniards are making no way in their unjusti- fiable and aggressive war. The Moorish Government has issued, in the shape of a despatch to the British Chargé d'Affaires, an explanation upon one point omitted in the previous official cor- respondence—the state of relations with Spain on the subject of the Riff pirates. The Moorish story is this,—the people of Riff, a mountainous district on the coast, were beyond the governance of the Moorish Sultan, and they committed acts of aggression on foreigners which he could not prevent. On some occasions they were punished and compelled to make compensation ; and foreign Governments were not restrained in their retributive attacks upon the people of Riff. However, by fresh efforts, the Moorish Go- vernment at last succeeded in repressing the piratical outrages, and nothing has occurred since the last act of Imperial chastisement, about four years ago. On that occasion reparation was made both to France and England, and the Imperial Government paid the cost of a small Spanish vessel that had been attacked. The Spanish Government, however, has affected to believe that the Riffs still continued their piratical attacks. Peaceful traders who had succeeded the pirates in the district having themselves suf- fered from Spanish attacks, on the false pretence that they were trespassing, and the demand for compensation preferred by the aggressive state was amongst 'She pretexts for the present war- upon Morocco.
The despatch irxecaliailv important however, net so much for this explanation,'Whick4ta been to somenxte4,AntiefliatecT the private accounts, as for the official suggestion, that the Spanish Government has acted under systematic deception prac- tised upon it by one of its diplomatic officers. If we are not mistaken, the arrogance of that functionary had already been de- nounced by countrymen of our own who had the means of ob- taining the authentic information. It is very probable that the arrogance and the obstinacy of one or more officials have drawn the Spanish Government into a war which may inflict injury upon the Moors, but can scarcely have any complete success or profit for the Spaniards.
