ment
of 1849 was ever cancelled.[97]

In Morocco the Consular Protection System affected Jews more closely
than in Turkey. It was for many years their sole protection against the
oppressions of the Bashaws and the cruel fanaticism of the people, and
on this ground there was much to be said for its so-called abuses and
irregularities. The right of protection seems to have been derived from
a very loosely worded article of the Anglo-Moorish Treaty of 1728,
granting immunity from taxation to all the native servants of British
subjects, whether Moors or Jews.[98] This Treaty was abrogated by the
general Treaty of 1856 (Article XXXVIII) and a more definite scope was
given to British Consular jurisdiction (Article III), but in a Treaty of
Commerce signed on the same day, it was expressly stipulated (Article
IV) that native agents employed by British subjects "shall be treated
and regarded as other subjects of the Moorish dominions."[99]
Nevertheless, the old abuses continued in virtue of the "Most favoured
nation" clause,[100] and a very large number of native Jews received
protection at the hands of the Consuls of all the Powers, partly on
account of their usefulness and partly on account of the insecurity of
their lives and property under the Moorish authorities.

It was, however, difficult to restrain Moorish fanaticism, and the
Consuls were frequently called upon to protect their Jewish proteges or
to avenge outrages of which they became victims.[101]

DOCUMENTS.

* * * * *

PROTECTION OF RUSSIAN JEWS IN PALESTINE.--THE AGREEMENT OF 1849.

_Earl Russell to the Jewish Board of Deputies._

FOREIGN OFFICE,

_February 1st, 1864_.

SIR,--I am directed by Earl Russell to acknowledge the receipt of your
two letters of the 29th of December and 22nd inst., in the former of
which you enclose a Memorial to His Lordship from the Jews of Safed and
Tiberias, praying that they may again be placed under British
protection, of which they assert that they were deprived by Mr. Consul
Finn under the circumstances stated by them.

I am now to state to you in reply for the information of the
Memorialists that Her Majesty's Government have every disposition to
give effect to the arrangements which were made with the Russian Consul
General in 1849, namely to afford British protection to those Jews who,
having declined to return to Russia, have divested themselves of their
Russian Nationality, and so