Show prepared by the tattnal Bo clety washington D C OST of northwestern africa france has taken for her own but in this gallic cm alre stand two enclaves little if any influenced by france the territory of tangier and the zone of morocco the chief cities of these areas tangier and ceata ceuta are Eu ropes two nearest municipal neigh bors in africa only the narrow strait of gibraltar separates them franr spain tangier on the atlantic side of the strait Is in a permanently neutralized and demilitarized zone administered by representatives of france great britain spain and italy this arrangement was only arrived at in 1925 the tangier question was of such delicacy that it was dodged by mutual consent for more thin a decade the moroccan crisis of 1911 between france and germany almost set the world war off oliree years before ilg time and when peace was preserved by the narrowest margin the powers were glad enough to the tangier question hastily aside by slating that the city was to be given a special regime to be agreed upon later meantime a temporary inter national commission administered affairs in the city and a territory of square miles around it and failed to please great britain who wanted permanent aunce who wanted the zone an need to the french protectorate or apt in who wanted control herself situated only a few miles from eu rocq tangier has been affected to a greater or less degree by western chiv for centuries since the MOO S set up their power in north western africa the portuguese span larda and english have at time the place but the english the last of the three to have possession aban boned it to the moors in 1681 for a long time afterward it was one of the chief cities of the suit in of morocco but since the city has been in the hands of infidels it has been only on the rarest occasions by the sultans for many centuries it has occupied a reserved scat on the african side of the strait of gibraltar in full view of the jarade of commerce to and from mediterranean ports but today its unimproved harbor does not permit dock ing of larger ocean going vessels no wheeled in tangier fraai the sea tangier Is the aab city of north africa par excellence for the ugly dashes of yellow green and rd with which scattered modern constructions have marred the otherwise glistening whiteness of the na the city are not distinguishable until the steamer lies close in the traveler from europe will bo struck at once by the total lack of the well known rumble of city streets for though the uneven thoroughfares are in most part paved with cobblestones wheeled vehicles are practically un known the streets are nevertheless crowded with other means of trans port so narrow are some of them that at the oft repeated bilaki Bil akl look one must again and again earing into some doorway in order to let donkeys mules and horses with their spreading burdens pass by camels have to be unloaded in the or market place outside the walls bilings too heavy to be carrle dy n single must be franq arted by men and it Is no un asua usua sight to see great stones live ano dx feet long slung on poles and bone by a down or more half naked moos moo s in these narrow streets the little box like shops waist high give the proper oriental setting to alie whole in them one sees tie owner reclining and sedately reading seemingly lous to the stirring scina around him until he Is disturbed by a purchaser tor his goods all of which are within arm a reach in the business section coffee houses otter the principal tangier recreation patrons elt in groups on the floor pl iving walh odd marked cards or lean the walls sip ping a beverage seoung their pipes and sometimes singing to the tune ot a native orchestra door an un kempt shopkeeper seemingly more in tc rested in keeping his long stemmed lighted than in making a sale presides over his shop displacing pot tery and trinkets most importunate the beg for alms and often follow a prospect until be yields a coin in the homes and market an americano description of a tan gler residential district would be more narrow winding lanes hemmed in by high white walls the walla are blank except for doorway leading into courts A peep through an open door reveals some of the cites gap den spots flower beag surrounding fountains shaded by lofty palms some courts are also used as ture farmyards where cattle and fowls are fattened for the market most travelers agree that a visit to the large market lang just outside of the city wall Is well a trip to tangier there city folk mingle with the rural folk from the fertile regions in the vicinity men women and children camels horses donkeys dogs and fowls all are huddled together in the dust amid piles of oranges bas bets of eggs casks of olives and im stands for nuts dates can dies kitchen utensils and homemade home made shoes the country women wear broad brimmed straw bats the strict er moslems wear kerchiefs half covering their faces around the edge of the marketplace letter writers and fortune tellers ply their professions black portly SQ danese negroes in tatters dance to the tune of metal cymbals and disks dangling about their bodies and tha fire eater and snake charmer amaza throngs with their clever tricks of all the side shows that of ahn snake charmer perhaps is strangest As his assistant beats a doleful tom tom he draws a hissing reptile arora a sack allows it to bite his tongue and wipes away the blood with a handful of shavings after convincing his audience that he Is really wound ed he rolls the wet shavings into a pellet places in dry shavings then he blows on the mass until it smokes and later bursts into flames your nathe guide will say he Is a very holy man the variety and congestion of life in tangier give an impression of size which the estimated census does not warrant the city has only about people it Is spread over a half bowl opening into the straits of gibraltar little Is manufactured and the exports are slight but there are heavy imports for points throughout morocco tangiers Tan giers strategic importance lies in the fact that it Is at the southern entrance to the strait of gibraltar and as a fortified naval base might prove almost as effectual in blocking that exceedingly important passage as the famous rock itself the city Is only 35 miles southwest of the rock of gibraltar and Is barcly 25 miles from the nearest point on the span ish mainland ceata ceuta Is a spanish city different Is ceata ceuta on the mealter side of the strait of gibraltar and in the spanish zone modern ceata ceuta Is a military and penal station tor spain and at mo sphere of the town are bantly spanish for several hundred beirs the mosque has been used as a cathedral the cathedral and the governors goer nors palace are the only build ings of architectural interest the medieval fortifications with their an dent moat and drawbridges have have been kirtly modernized the town Is peopled mostly by the spanish garrison and the civilian convicts there are a number of moors resident there and colonies of jews mid negroes lying behind the southern pillar of hercules ceata ceuta has the same natural strategic position as has gibraltar opposite the strait neighboring towns and gibraltar are kept in regular communication with cauti ceuti by steamers and falu chos small boats equipped with one lateen sail originally a colony ceata ceuta was brought by various sieges under the control of lie romans an dais goehs goths arabs berbers gacse and spanish for a short time during the nineteenth century chuta was even occupied by british troops but it was restored to spain by britain at the close of tho napoleonic vars |