The correspondents from Morocco all state that the dangerous strain
there, which might have produced a, massacre of Europeans, has been eased off. The Sultan has virtually apologised for the dismissal of his European ad- visers, explaining that his only motive was a reduction of expense ; and the Divan has consented to retain the French- men in Shereefian employ, and offer no objection to a special French Embassy. The Sultan even, according to one report, recognises the special friendship of France, and promises to be guided by her advice. It is stated that he expected M. Combes's Government to be overthrown; and the whole matter comes to this, that if the French can induce the Sultan not to offend Mahommedan feeling, he will retain his throne, and France will begin her work of "pacific penetration" without having previously to march an army into Morocco. This is well for the present, as France does not wish to annex Morocco, but only to guide it ; but we have still to see whether the wilder tribes will accept the situation, or whether the Sultan can be strengthened till he is inde- pendent of their threats, and able to put down local disorder.
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