No. 160.] TUNIS. No. 33. Mr. Heap to Mr. Hunter. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, Tunis, October 23, 1873. (Received Nov. 18.) SIR: I received yesterday a communication from the Bey, informing me of the appointment of General Keredine, late minister of the interior, to the post of prime minister and minister of foreign affairs. General Keredine is a Circassian by birth. He was brought here as a slave when a child, was educated in the Mahometan faith, and has risen from the humblest station to be the virtual ruler of the regency. This elevation is not unprecedented in this country, for all his predecessors, as near as I can remember, rose from an equally humble origin; the late minister, Sidi Mustafa, was a captive saved from the massacre of Scio in 1822. The rise of Sidi Mustafa to power was rapid, for at the age of twenty-five-thirty-eight years ago-he already occupied an important post, from which he was promoted by Achmet Bey, on his accession to the throne in 1838, to that of kasuadar (treasurer) and prime minister, which he continued to occupy, under many trying and difficult circumstances, to the present time. He is a man of great natural talent and finesse, and urbane and conciliatory in manners. He has had the advantage of a liberal education, and through his knowledge of the French language has been able to study European literature, and even to publish several works, mostly on theological subjects, both in Arabic and French. This revolution-for the change almost amounts to one-was brought about by the pressure of French influence. The late minister, while opposing the encroachments of Europeans in the administration of the internal affairs of the regency, had of late favored the introduction of several useful enterprises, such as railroads, gas-works, mining, works of irrigation, banks, &c., and as these schemes, requiring as they do large outlays, find only in England capitalists disposed to take the risk, they appeared to give a preponderance to British influence. The French government, believing that they would find General Keredine less favorably disposed toward the English, employed a pressure on the Bey which has resulted in this change. The Viscount de Vallat, who has the rank of minister but is accredited as chargé d'affaires, was sent here in September last, and the result of his mission was not long in being seen. If the previsions of the French are correct, this change will be unfortunate for the material interests of the country; for without the aid of foreign capital it will be impossible to develop its latent riches. The late minister retires with a colossal fortune, variously estimated at from thirty to one hundred millions of francs; but there are already rumors that the Bey's government, under the pretext of public and private claims, will sequestrate it. Much of his fortune, however, is said to be invested in France and elsewhere; a portion of which is probably beyond the reach of the government. General Keredine was the slave and son-in-law of Sidi Mustafa, and owes his elevation entirely to him. Having risen in the early part of this Bey's reign to the responsible position of president of the council, he incurred the Bey's displeasure by his dictatorial and overbearing manner, and was dismissed from office. But Sidi Mustafa shielded him from the usual consequences of disgrace in despotic countries, and employed him on several important and delicate missions to Turkey and different European courts; but he generally lived in retirement and the enjoyment of great wealth until the Bey's aversion wore away, when he was made minister of the interior, a post second only to that of prime minister in power and influence. He is the owner of vast estates in different parts of the regency, and, although he is lavish in his expenditure, has the reputation, rare indeed in this country, of paying punctually every claim against him. * * * The Bey will give me audience on the 27th instant; I shall also have an interview with the prime minister, and shall request permission to visit Sidi Mustafa, with whom I have always entertained the most agreeable and friendly relations. I am, &c., G. H. HEAP. [No. 162.] No. 34. Mr. Heap to Mr. Hunter. [Extract.] CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, Tunis, November 10, 1873. (Received Dec. 11.) SIR: I had the honor to inform the Department on the 23d of October last, [No. 160,] of the appointment of General Keredine as prime minister and ininister of foreign affairs, in the place of General Sidi Mustafa Khaznadar. At an interview with the bey on the 27th of October, I expressed the desire to call on General Sidi Mustafa, to which his highness gave his assent. His consent was necessary, as the late minister is kept under strict surveillance in his palace, which he is not allowed to leave. Sidi Mustafa seemed very tranquil under this great reverse of fortune, though he must know, better than any one, what dangers surrounded him. He was grateful, he said, for the numerous favors he had received from the bey, and protested that his aim had always been the prosperity of the regency and the honor and welfare of his sovereign; he was old and needed repose, and was thankful that he was allowed to seek it in retirement from office. A few evenings after this visit I returned that of General Keredine, who had called at the American consulate upon his appointment as prime minister. He is familiar with the French language, speaking it fluently and with precision and elegance. * * The minister requested me to inform my government that it is his firm intention to devote his best energies to the reform of abuses, the amelioration of the condition of the country, and the maintenance of friendly relations with foreign powers by the respect of treaties and a strict adherence to principles of justice and equity in all his dealings with their subjects, and that he desired above all their friendly co-operation. He spoke eloquently of the abasement and humiliation of Mahometan nations, and although Tunis holds but an humble rank among them, he hoped that when its resources come to be wisely developed and administered, it will contribute no mean quota to the wealth of the world."We are aware," he said, "of our weakness, surrounded as we are by great and powerful nations, and set the highest value on the Sympathy and friendship of your great and generous nation in the efforts we may make for our regeneration." I am, &c., * G. H. НЕАР. No. 167.] No. 35. Mr. Heap to Mr. Hunter. [Extract.] CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, Tunis, February 26, 1874. (Received March 27.) SIR: Having received on the 20th instant information from Mr. Spizzichino, consular agent at Bizerta, that the men sentenced to the galleys and imprisonment on the 1st of June last for the murder of the drago man of that agency in December, 1872, were at large, I immediately addressed a letter to the Bey's prime minister, making inquiry into the matter, a copy of which is inclosed. The next day the minister sent Mr. Conti, a director in the foreign office, to explain that the release of these men was owing to a mistake, and that he would at once order their arrest and re-imprisonment. Í requested Mr. Conti to ask the minister to state this in writing, when he informed me that the criminals were secured. Mr. Conti promised that this should be done, but said that it would be some days before the minister could reply to my letter, as, in consequence of a Mohammedan festival, the foreign office would be closed for a week. * Although the minister's explanation is unsatisfactory, as it does not convey the real facts, I shall accept it when I am officially informed in writing that the men are again in custody. I am, &c., G. H. HEAP. [Inclosure 1 in No. 167.] Mr. Heap to General Keredine. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, EXCELLENCY: It is my duty to bring to your excellency's knowledge that I am informed that the prisoners, four in number, who were sentenced in June last to various degrees of imprisonment for the assassination of Mohammed Sennen, a dragoman of the consular agency of the United States at Bizerta, are at large. If my information is correct, I would respectfully ask your excellency to let me know the reasons that have caused His Highness to release these criminals. I was officially informed on the 1st of June, 1873, by Mr. Conti on the part of His Highness, and so communicated to my Government, that the four men accused of the murder had been tried by His Highness in person and found guilty, and that one was sentenced to the galleys for life, with hard labor, in chains, and the other to imprisonment for life. It is, therefore, a matter of very natural surprise to learn that these men, after an incarceration of a few months, have been set at liberty. The lively solicitude my Government has already exhibited to obtain reparation for the murder of an officer attached to a consular agency of the United States, will, I hope, convince your excellency that they will receive the news of the release of these criminals with the greatest concern. I avail, &c., No. 36. Mr. Heap to Mr. Hunter. G. H. HEAP. No. 169.] CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, Tunis, March 16, 1874. (Received April 10.) SIR: I have the honor to inform you that in consequence of my demand of the 20th ultimo, repeated more energetically on the 7th instant, the three murderers of the dragoman of the consular agency at Bizerta, who had been released by the Bey, have been recaptured and placed in jail. The prime minister sent me an official communication yesterday to that effect. It appears that the least guilty one of the four criminals, but who is at the same time the poorest, was not released with the others. He was their servant, and is the one who was sentenced to the bastinado and hard labor in chains in the galleys. 3. The minister sent Mr. Conti to me twice to express his regret for the release of these men, which he attributed to a "mistake" in one of the bureaus. I am, &c., No. 37. G. H. HEAP. No. 172.] Mr. Heap to Mr. Hunter. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, Tunis, April 14, 1874. (Received May 6.) SIR: A few days ago the prime minister stated to me that the Bey had directed him to call the attention of the foreign consuls to the large number of "protections" given by them to his subjects, as he apprehended that if this practice is continued a large portion of the population of the regency will eventually pass under foreign jurisdiction. He seemed to complain principally of the French anthorities in Algeria, who give certificates of nationality to Tunisian subjects after a residence of a few days only over the border. I have granted no "protections" to Tunisian subjects, and the minister readily acknowledged that the Bey had no cause for complaint against the American consulate, but that His Highness desired me to bring the matter to the knowledge of my Government, in the hope that it would sustain him in such action as he might find it necessary to take to put an end to this state of things. I informed the minister that the only Tunisian subjects I claimed the right to protect were those actually in my service, or in that of the consular agents. I am, &c., G. H. HEAP. No. 176.] No. 38. Mr. Heap to Mr. Hunter. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, Tunis, June 2, 1874. (Received June 22.) SIR: A military expedition to the desert, under General Rustem, which started in April last, has given very satisfactory results so far, in quieting disturbances among the Arabs, and reducing many unsubmissive tribes to acknowledge the authority of the Bey, and pay large arrears of taxes. General Rustem, who is the minister of war, is a wise and just administrator, and his integrity is above suspicion. His personal reputation is a guarantee to the Arabs that they may safely trust to any engagements he may take. There is a project on foot of introducing the waters of the Mediterranean into the great desert of Sahara through a cutting to be made near Gabes, in the southern part of this regency, by which an inland sea will be created of 350 kilometers in length and 70 to 80 in breadth, with a maximum depth of about 45 meters. This region was once a gulf with a narrow entrance to the Mediterranean, which it is now proposed to re-open. As late as the beginning of the Christian era there were extensive lakes which have now dried up through evaporation, and the streams which once flowed into them from the spurs of the Atlas range on the north, have ceased to run. It is thought that so large a body of water south of the Atlas Mountains, constantly supplied from the Mediterranean, will modify the climate of that region and that its effects will be felt even as far as Sicily. Sev eral careful surveys have already been made which establish beyond the shadow of a doubt that there exists a considerable depression extending east and west for a distance of over 225 miles, and north and south an average of 50, with a depth of from 0 about 12 miles from the sea, to about 27 fathoms near its western limits. The height of the sandhills that separate this basin from the Gulf of Gabes is inconsiderable, consisting merely of drift from the sea and the desert, and the whole outlay of the work, including the expropriation of several oases, inhab ited by Arabs, which would be submerged, is estimated at $4,000,000. I am, &c., G. H. HEAP. No. 218.] BELGIU M. No. 39. Mr. Jones to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Brussels, December 28, 1873. (Received Jan. 15, 1874.) SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch of the 10th instant, No. 148, and to inclose herewith copy of a bill introduced by the government relative to the transportation of emigrants. Very respectfully, &c., J. R. JONES. [Inclosure-Translation.] Bill respecting the transportation of emigrants. ARTICLE 1. No one shall undertake to engage or transport emigrants without the authorization of the minister of foreign affairs. ART. 2. Such authorization shall be granted only on the condition that such security be previously furnished as shall serve as a pledge for the fulfillment of the obligations entailed by the contract for transportation, and for the payment, with assignment, of the insurance premium. ART. 3. Emigration-agents shall cause to be insured, at their own expense, in the interest of the emigrants, the price of the passage and the provisions, all losses and damages which may result from the total or partial execution of the contract for transportation, or else shall place a sum equal to the amount of the insurance in the depositfund. ART. 4. A special government regulation shall regulate: |