Should you ever have been tempted to think diplomacy a polite synonym for intrigue, this letter will renew the temptation.
Since
the installation in 1789 of the violent, mercenary, and unpredictable Sultan
Yazid as Emperor of Morocco, the British consul in Tangier, James Matra, has
been busy trying to keep him friendly to Britain, whose garrison in Gibraltar
is partly provisioned from Morocco, and to ensure that if there are hostilities
they should be directed against Spain, as indeed they were, culminating in the
siege of the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. In this letter, Matra proposes the
acceptance of Yazid’s request for two artillery men to come over from Gibraltar
to train his troops in firing cannon. As it happens, the letter was written just at the beginning of what turned into a long
ceasefire at Ceuta. Some artillery training might be useful in the interim
before a resumption of hostilities, something which did indeed happen in 1791.
I
have not been able to establish the identities of all those mentioned below, notably
Harcas. This water-damaged letter was written nearly six months after an
earlier letter posted immediately before this one at
https://www.otherpeoplesletters.com/2026/09/on-death-of-sultan-mohammed-third-his.html
The letter is written on the same Britannia watermarked paper as the previous letter (and
other letters in my possession) and the paper is probably official issue. I do think
it is written in Matra’s own hand but may be a second copy. The outer wrapper with an address is missing, as is true of the related letters I
have.
Transcription
Addressed
to: “Gener” [ General Charles O’Hara in Gibraltar]
Datelined:
Tangiers 15 October – 1790 –
Docketing
note: 1790 15 Oct Consul Matra [ and in a different ink] 45 [presumably
45th item in a series]
Dear
Sir
I
am particularly obliged to you, for your Introduction of Col. Symes, with whom
I have had much conversation [Edward Symes, at this period the minder of
Prince Edward feckless Duke of Kent recently despatched to Gibraltar by his
father George III ] – as R. [?] is rather costive of his information. I knew
not that Harcas [?] had risen his demands beyond the Feramaty [?] &
Pully[?] which the Emr. [Empe[?]ror = Sultan of Morocco Yazid,
1789-92] mentioned to me. The fellow has behaved like a Moor & probably
may pay for it. Both he & our acting Governor [of Tangier] had twice
written to Master that he had everything. [That is to say, they had
handed over all the money in their Treasury to Yazid]. They were both so
frightened that I had some difficulty to keep them from deserting. I have sent
H [Harcas] of & given him a Letter to his Master – if the fellow be
not in a scrape at his first onset, it may save him on a supposition that there
is some reason left [in his or in the
Emperors’s mind?] – I have explained the delicacy of our situation to him;
but I might just as well sing him a Psalm.
Harcas
has picked up much military information from you, which I have digested
for him & if he is to give it to his Master, that he may be prevailed on to
let Ceuta sleep in quiet, until he is better prepared to disturb it. [Sultan
Yazid set siege to Ceuta on September 25, 1790, followed by a ceasefire from
October 14, 1790 – note the date of this letter - ending August 15, 1791] I
have always been driving at this, but indirectly, for here, one must not appear
wiser than an Emperor. Under your shield, I may, & so may H [Harcas]
talk more freely.
Now
for a hot shot –
Yesterday
I had a sealed Letter from the Emperor delivered with the utmost caution of
secrecy. After mentioning the purchase of some Prize Cannon as Gib. [Gibraltar] he tells me – that his
People are very ignorant, and that he wishes I would have two sent here from
the Garrison, good Artillery Masters, capable to instruct some of his men to
fire hot Balls. If they come, he says by the blessing of God he will reward
them liberally, & will never forget my rendering him that service. The
arguments ordered to be used with me were that the French did so for the Turks
while they were at war with the Germans, and as that we always have a number of
soldiers & officers here, it may be done without being known.
Certes
[Certainly] if a Gentleman & his Deputy, or two Deputies without a
Gentleman, would volunteer such a business, for benefit of health, I
think I could conduct it so, that neither you, nor the Government at home – nor
probably anyone here should know anything of the matter. And so I have told Mr
Grenville [presumably in Tangier?] – all I should
require would be a little discretion on the part of the two - & I assure
you - & If by accident two such People come over here on any other account
I shall privately employ them that way - & let you know nothing of the
matter. You may call me a Moor, or what you please. The whole is a childish
piece of business and will end in a Present [presumably from the
Emperor to Matra].
Some
of your People have shaved us completely. Except myself every human creature
believes the Spaniards are coming from Algeciras to knock Tangier down; &
we are busy making Fagots & Batteries – Colasso [the Portuguese
consul in Tangier, Jorge Pedro Colaço de Sarre] & Chappi [? ] have
written to the Emr. for leave to send their families to Europe.
None
of your reports about the place are true – no war is declared against Spain –
not a shot has been fired – no Ships have been taken or lost on the Coast – nor
no Cruizer out. But they say Spain wishes to accommodate with this country
which looks like quarrelling with us. I will now assure you a truth which I
have proof of – Count Florida Blanca [ Chief Minister of Spain 1777-1792]
was concerned in the Corn trade here. He must in the end protect Salmon [Spanish
consul who presumably knows about Floridablanca’s business dealings; the
Moroccan Jewish vice-consul for Spain was gruesomely executed by Sultan Yazid a few
months previously]. This was generally believed, but until within these
last few days, I could not suppose a Prime Minister capable of such things.
For
the particulars of Business here I must refer you to Col. Symes.
Would
to God our Masters knew their own minds, & would give us either War or
Peace, and invalid me with an Irish Mitre, for that is the utmost of my
Ambition now – here I will not stay [Matra stayed and died in Tangier in
1806].
If
it be War, you stand a worse chance of getting [out] from Gibr. than I do from this;
for I suppose they have sense enough to know that you are the properest person
to defend your own works [Gibraltar’s defences]. The Government [Governorship
of Gibraltar] may be hung up as expectancy, as long as Jamaica did [O’Hara
was sent to Jamaica from 1782-42 after being
freed from American wartime captivity]. It is too good a thing to be
given in a hurry. [O’Hara did eventually become Governor of Gibraltar].
I
must turn away all my workmen before I can move from this, which I wish I could
tomorrow. I have already a Drawer full of Letters from this Man [Sultan
Yazid] – am hourly pestered from every corner of the Coast, that my name
may be made use of, & till the Sp. [conflict with Spain?] blew up,
was hourly pestering every body that their name might be made use of, so that I
can never lose sight of my Desk.
I
am ever Dear Sir Your most Faithful Humble Servant
J.
M. Matra
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