. The price varies in other places according to
circumstances.
6. Cattle.--The cattle exported from Tetuan, Tangier, and El-Araish, for
the victualling of Gibraltar, is likewise a monopoly; it amounted during
my stay to 7,500 dollars. In consequence of an alleged treaty, but which
does not exist on paper, the Emperor of Morocco has bound himself to
supply our garrison of Gibraltar with 2,000 head of cattle per annum,
1,500 of which must be shipped from Tangier, the rest from other parts
of the Gharb, or north-west. British contractors pay five dollars per
head export duty, the ordinary tax is ten. It is estimated, however,
that some three or four thousand head of cattle are annually exported
from Morocco for our garrison. The Gibraltar Commissariat contractors
complain, and with reason, that the Maroquine monopolist supplies the
British Government with "the very worst cattle of all Western Barbary."
These monopolies do not interfere with the custom-house, which levies
its duties irrespectively of them. Leeches pay an export duty of 2s. 9d.
the thousand; wax pays an _ad valorem_ duty of fifty per cent; bark pays
a very small duty, and millet scarcely a penny per quintal.
Independently of these monopolies, there are exports of merchandise of a
special character, and requiring a special permission from the Sultan,
such as grains and beasts of burden; and, if we may be permitted,
bipeds, or Jews and Jewesses.
His Imperial Highness has absolute need of Jews to carry on the commerce
of the country. No male adult Jew, or child, can leave the ports of
Morocco, without paying four dollars customs duty. A Jewess must pay a
hundred dollars. The reason of there being such an excessive export-duty
on women is to keep them in the country, as a sort of pledge for the
return of their husbands, brothers or fathers, in the event of their
leaving for commercial or other purposes. Slaves are not exported from
Morocco. Besides the payment of special impost on exportation, wool pays
a duty of three dollars per quintal, and two pounds of powder when
dirty, and double when washed. A bullock pays export duty ten dollars,
and a sheep one. Sheepskins eight dollars the hundred, bullock-skins
three dollars per quintal, and goat-skins the same. Of grain, wheat pays
an export duty of three-fourths of a dollar per fanega, or about a
quintal. Barley is not exported, there being scarcely enough for home
consumption.
Horses are exported in smal
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