is lack of training for so important a
part, and the venality of his entourage, at once attracted birds of
prey, and they have worked their will.

Since the death of El Hasan III., in 1894, the administration had been
controlled by the former Lord High Chamberlain, or "Curtain" of the
shareefian throne, whose rule was severe, though good, and it seemed
doubtful whether he would relinquish the reins of authority. The other
wazeers whom his former master had left in office had been imprisoned
on various charges, and he stood supreme. He was, however, old and
enfeebled by illness, so when in 1900 his end came instead of his
resignation, few were surprised. What they were not quite prepared
for, however, was the clearing of the board within a week or two by
the death of his two brothers and a cousin, whom he had promoted to
be respectively Commander-in-chief, Chamberlain, and Master of the
Ceremonies--all of them, it was declared, by influenza. Another
brother had died but a short while before, and the commissioner sent
to Tangier to arrange matters with the French was found dead in his
room--from asphyxia caused by burning charcoal. Thus was the Cabinet
dissolved, and the only remaining member resigned. There then rose
suddenly to power a hitherto unheard of Arab of the South, El Menebhi,
who essayed too much in acting as Ambassador to London while still
Minister of War, and returned to find his position undermined; he has
since emigrated to Egypt. It was freely asserted that the depletion
of the Moorish exchequer was due to his peculation, resulting in his
shipping a large fortune to England in specie, with the assistance
of British officials who were supposed to have received a handsome
"consideration" in addition to an enormous price paid for British
protection. Thus, amid a typically Moorish cloud, he left the scene.
From that time the Court has been the centre of kaleidoscopic
intrigues, which have seriously hampered administration, but which
were not in themselves sufficient to disturb the country.

What was of infinitely greater moment was the eagerness with which the
young ruler, urged by his Circassian mother, sought advice and counsel
from Europe, and endeavoured to act up to it. One disinterested and
trusted friend at that juncture would have meant the regeneration of
the Empire, provided that interference from outside were stayed. But
this was not to be. The few impartial individuals who had access to
the Sul