1909 ORIGINAL HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT JOURNAL DETAILING A BRITISH LEGATION MISSION TO MEET THE SULTAN OF MOROCCO

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On offer is a simply sensational seventeen [17] page handwritten original journal detailing a British Legation mission of some importance to meet with the Sultan of Morocco in 1909. This 100 year old coverless folio sized journal is an account of a political mission, most likely, from April 19, 1909 to December 1909. Historians and collectors of the World War I era and the history running up to the 'Great War' and of North Africa will acknowledge this was a critical period of Moroccan history when European countries were trying to influence Morocco. One online source claims: "The first years of the 20th century witnessed a rush of diplomatic maneuvering through which the European powers and France in particular furthered their interests in North Africa. Disputes over Moroccan sovereignty were links in the chain of events that led to World War I." In a strong, neat hand our author, Corporal Stanley, R.A.M.C. Medical Orderly, reports just such a mission and he begins with a list of all the members of the mission; the Minister [the Hon. R. Lister], a Doctor [Major C.E.P. Fowler], Military Attache [Colonel Count (Albert Edward Wilfred) Gleichen who appears to have published Journal of our Mission to Fez (1909) By the Military Attaché (London: Harrison & Sons, 1909 and a number of other WWI related books) that may very well have come from this manuscript or his own parallel journal], wives, secretaries, attaches, valets/grooms, etc. This is an absolutely stunning record of the trip with the commentary beginning on Gibraltar then on to Tangiers and then Fez. Along the way Stanley notes many mishaps of early exotic travel; wild camel attack causing multiple injuries and a broken leg, insurgent attacks, shootings, deserters, storms, visiting royalty +++. Living in tents and traveling across deserts this is very well written by an intelligent, keen observer and in many ways typical British soldier and citizen who has a great handle on the written language of the day. Some of the super commentary includes Corp. Stanley's description of a presentation of gifts to the Sultan wherein the Minister gifted the Sultan a beautiful gold Bulldog statue. In return the Sultan gifts a moth eaten camel blanket, a rogue stallion that was returned due to its wildness and further embarrassed the company by not giving the traditional gift of a curved silver knife to all members. The Corporal's disdain for the event drips from the page. This is fascinating relic of British colonial times and the global politics pre World War I. VG. Size: Folio - over 12" - 15" tall. Seller Inventory # 0001023

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