§ MR. FORWOOD (Lancashire, Ormskirk)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it is the intention to transfer the Consulate at Mogador to Casablanca, and appoint a Vice Consul at Mogador; and whether, in view of the facts that British trade with Mogador amounts to nearly half of the total trade between Great Britain and Morocco; that the distance between Mogador and Tangier, the residence of the British Minister to Morocco, is double that from Casablanca, involving more responsibility on the British Representative at Mogador; and that there is also a very large district south of Mogador, in which the Consul at that port has to exercise a supervision over British interests, Her Majesty's Government will restore the Consulate at Mogador, and in any appointment made select an officer of long experience capable of holding the usual Consular Court and dealing with the difficulties frequently arising in connection with British interests in that district?
§ * SIR E. GREYIt has been decided, after full consideration of the subject with Sir West Ridgeway, that it will be more advantageous to British interests to establish a Consulate at Dar-el-Baida, under which there will be a Vice Consulate at Mogador. The officers selected for the two posts have the requisite experience and knowledge of the country, and it is confidently anticipated that the 315 new arrangement will be preferable to that which it replaces. I may say that the statement in the question as to the proportion of British trade with Mogador to the total British trade with Morocco does not correspond with the figures in possession of Her Majesty's Government nor with those in such publications as the Statesman's Year-Book. I am, however, to add that any representations which the right hot). Member has to make on the subject will be forwarded to Sir West Ridgeway for his consideration.