Beginnings were difficult. The country was far from tranquil. In May 1906, a Frenchman was murdered at Tangier. At the end of the same year, a Franco-Spanish naval demonstration had to be prepared, on account of the activities of Raisuli against Europeans in the suburbs of Tangier;—of which the famous "Kaid" Sir Henry Maclean himself, colonel of the sultan's body guard, was afterwards a victim, and had to be ransomed by the British Government for £20,000. One of the Sultans' mehallas finally put into flight the brigand-functionary.
French Landing at Casablanca in 1907.—On March 19, 1907, Dr. Emile Mauchamp was murdered at Marrakesh; and Ujda occupied by French troops until satisfaction should be given to the French demands. On July 3o, nine European work men, employed in the Casablanca harbour works, were killed; and the passage of a detachment landed from the cruiser "Gali lee" having been opposed, and all the Europeans attacked, the town was bombarded. (The occupation of the Shawia district followed, the tribes opposing Generals Drude and d'Amade, and the fighting being heavy.) By June 1908 the district became quiet and the original force of 15,000 men was reduced.
In September 1908 the incident of the six deserters from the Foreign Legion (three of whom were Germans) followed in Casa blanca. They had a safe-conduct from the German consul, but were arrested by a French patrol. The German Government demanded that France should express her regret before the facts were fully established. The case was submitted to the Hague Court of Arbitration, which decided substantially in favour of France (May 1909). But the incident created some excitement in France and in Germany. Nevertheless an agreement was reached between the two countries on Feb. 8, 1909, in which France re-affirmed her will to maintain economic equality and Germany her pursuance of economic interests only, recognizing France's special political claims.
In 191o, Mulai Hafid obtained a loan of £4,000,000 chiefly from France, who had also given the new Sultan a proof of her moderation by the promise of gradual evacuation of the Shawia country, and even of Casablanca, against the creation of a Makhzen police force under French instructors and the payment of an indemnity by the Shawia tribes. An agreement on some what the same terms was signed with the Makhzen by Spain in Nov. 191o. But a revolt had already begun round Fez in October.
It continued to spread and the town was besieged by the neigh bouring tribes in March 1911. All the consuls called for help; and the sultan himself asked for it. A French expedition released the town. In June, Spain occupied El Qsar and Larache (El Araish).
The Agadir Incident and the Franco-German Treaty of 1911.—On July I, came the explosion of the Agadir bomb; the German gunboat "Panther" suddenly appearing before the town, "in order to protect German interests." War seemed imminent; but Great Britain stood firmly by the Entente, and announced her formal opposition to Germany's obtaining political rights in Morocco. Complicated negotiations between France and Ger many followed; and ended in the treaty of Nov. 4, 1911. France obtained from Germany a certain number of rights—to occupy, by agreement with the Sharifian Government, points where the maintenance of order might render the occupation necessary; and to be the Sharifian Government's obligatory medium in its foreign relations. A Resident General might be appointed, if necessary, at Fez and France should have the right to control the Sharifian finances in order to ensure the payment of foreign debts, etc.
In exchange, the principle of economic equality for all, notably for the concession of mines and railways, etc., was reaffirmed.
In a letter annexed to the treaty, a large slice of French Congo was handed over to Germany, to the indignation of a part of French opinion which could not see the link between the two questions. On the other hand, though the word "Protectorate" was not formally used in the body of the treaty itself, a near equivalent could be found in it ; and, by a second letter, Ger many agreed not to oppose it, if circumstances rendered it necessary.