The Last Punic War. Tunis, Past and Present
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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2008 https://archive.org/details/lastpunicwartuni01broauoft THE LAST PUNIC WAR The Bey of Tunis. Reproduction by Madure & Macdonald THE LAST PUNIC WAR TUNIS, PAST AND PRESENT WITH A NARRATIVE OF THE FRENCH CONQUEST OF THE REGENCY BY A. M. BROADLEY BARRISTER-AT-LAW CORRESPONDENT OF THE ‘TIMES’ DURING THE WAR IN TUNIS IN TWO VOLUMES.— VOL. I. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS EDINBURGH AND LONDON MDCCCLXXXII TO THE RIGHT IION’BLE. EARL DE EA WARR STfjcse Folumrs ARE GRATEFULLY AND RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED — — PREFACE. I have associated with my narrative of the French conquest of Tunis the title of Punic War, partly from the fact of the invasion having taken place on the spot which once witnessed three famous con- tests of antiquity so called, and partly on account of the consistent Punica jides 1 displayed in the web of tortuous diplomacy which has practically put an end to Tunisian independence. If my reader will open the Almanack de Gotha- for 1 88 1, at page 1029, he will find the following passage : “ TUNIS (regence).” “ Depuis 1575 sous la souveraiuete de la Turquie. Le Sultan a rtgle, par firman du 25 Octobre 1871 (9 Chaban 1283), les conditions de la souveraiuete de la Sublime-Porte sur Tunis et il a renonce a l’ancien tribut. D’apres ce firman la situation de Tunis est a present celle-ci : Le ‘Bey’recoit 1 “ Ego comperio ilium Punic!! fide egisse.” Sallust. VOL. I. b VI 11 PREFACE. l’iuvestiture do Constantinople, il ne doit sans l’autorisa- tiou du Sultan ni faire la guerre, ni conclure la paix, ni coder du territoire. II ne doit faire de negociations diplo- matiques avec l’otranger que sur des questions int^rieures. II est oblige de frapper la monnaie au nom du Sultan et de mettre ses troupes a la disposition de la Sublime-Porte en cas de guerre.” AVithin four months from the time when this clear and unmistakable definition of the political status of the Regency of Tunis appeared in the celebrated Annuaire genealogique, diplomatique et statistique, the government of the French Republic, without any declaration of war, either against the Bey of Tunis or the Sultan of Turkey, invaded the country, compelled the Bey, by moral if not phy- sical duress, to accept a Protectorate, and finally effected a complete military occupation of the Regency from the Khaimr mountains to the frontiers of Tripoli. The virtual extinction of Moslem power in Tunis, after an unbroken duration of more than twelve centuries, is in itself an occurrence of no small political importance, but when considered in connec- tion with its actual and possible consequences, not only in Tunis itself but throughout the whole of North Africa, the “last chapter in the history of the Moors ” seems to be likely to excite a durable, and perhaps an increasing, interest. This belief has PREFACE. IX prompted me to attempt to write the chronicles of the French Invasion, and to briefly sketch, by way of introduction, the more recent chapters of Tunisian annals. In 1880 the Moslems of North Africa had almost forgotten the shock occasioned to their religious susceptibilities by the conquest of Algeria, and prior to the events of which I am about to speak, Panislamism had in that region a theoretical rather than a practical existence. Tunis has always been an intact Moslem state, and it contains Holy Kairwan, after Mecca perhaps the most hallowed of Moslem cities. The invasion of the Regency, and the occupation of the shrine, at once converted this sentimental Panislamism into a stern and un- compromising reality. To these causes must undoubtedly to a certain extent be attributed the rising in Algeria, the so- called insurrection in Tunis itself, the wide-spread agitation in Tripoli, and the crisis in Egypt. So much for the consequences of the “ Last Punic War,” as far as they concern the World of Islam. I11 Europe its effects have been hardly less momentous Italy has become the avowed ; enemy of France, England no longer believes in the X PREFACE. peaceful intentions of the Government of the Republic, Spain is hankering after Morocco, and Germany is posing as the champion of the Caliphate. In Italy the Ministry of Signor Cairoli fell twice within a month, because it was unable to stay effectually the tide of French Diplomacy, while in France M. Ferry succumbed to the unpopularity which attends a failure, and M. Gambetta was wrecked in the storm to a great extent occasioned by his injudicious support of M. Roustan. All this and much more has resulted from the taking of Carthage. While France has her hands full in Tunis, both Turkey and Italy are openly and almost ostentatiously watching their opportunity. These patent facts can but enhance the historical importance of the events which are related in these volumes. The policy of England as regards the Tunisian Question has been almost a diplomatic enigma. She sang a song of triumph over the Firman of 1871, still declared Tunis “an integral part of the territory of the Sublime Porte in 1880, then told the Bey just one year later to cheerfully assist at his political suicide, and finally, just six days after the convention of Kasr-es-Said, promulgated an PREFACE. XI Order in Council, to be cited as the Ottoman (Tunis) Order of 1S81, the preamble of which justifies its existence by the consideration that “ by treaty, capitulation, grant, usage, sufferance, and other lawful means, Her Majesty the Queen has power and jurisdiction in relation to Her Majesty’s sub- jects and others in the Ottoman Dominions /” I have endeavoured to tell the story of recent events in Tunis essentially from an English point of view, and to mete out impartially the share of praise and blame ascribable to the different con- tending parties. In all probability I shall please neither of them. The present result of the expedi- tion in the Regency itself can be described in a word, chaos. Mr. Whitaker has very fairly summed up the situation in his useful Almanac for 1882 : “ “ Last year,” he writes, Tunis was a tributary pro- vince of the Ottoman Empire, and in a state of profound peace. At the present time, it may be considered as a turbulent, informally annexed dependence of France, nominally under the do- minion of the Bey, but really under the control of a French Resident.” The prime mover of the mis- chief, M. Theodore Roustan, has quitted the scene of his exploits, and M. Paul Cambon reigns in his Xll PREFACE. stead. Upon him will fall the arduous task of evolving order out of chaos, and cleansing an Augean stable of no small dimensions. He pro- mises well, and Europe will await with pardonable curiosity and some impatience the initiative which must sooner or later follow his study of existing difficulties. It must be remembered in England that the indemnity to the pillaged and bombarded Maltese of Sfax yet hangs fire, that none of the families of the British subjects massacred in cold blood at Oued Zerga or on the Kairwau road have been recompensed for their irreparable loss, and that no satisfaction has been given, or even proposed, for the judicial murder of the British Consular Agent’s servant at Hammamet. In these serious matters it is to be hoped that M. Paul Cambon will pour oil on the troubled waters. I once and for all disclaim any intention of criticising in a hostile manner the conduct and bearing of the French troops. Their work has been performed well and honestly, and the marches of General Forgemol, as well as the organisation of the Susa column by General Etienne and Colonel Moulin, are deserving of all praise. To the French diplomacy concerning the Regency both at Paris PREFACE. Xlll and Tunis, I uncompromisingly take exception, and I fear that the political history of the “ Last Punic War ” throws its military achievements en- tirely into the shade. I believe that both M. Saint- Idilaire and M. Roustan “have deserved ill of the Republic,” in contriving and promoting the invasion and occupation of this country. At any rate, it is to be hoped that the numerous and serious com- plications which have been engendered by the “Last Punic War,” will serve as a memorable lesson -to strong Powers endowed with absorptive tendencies as regards their weaker neighbours, and that the pitiful spectacle of the Paris Assize Court will prove a warning to Political Agents inclined to imitate the diplomatic vagaries of M. Roustan. I desire to express my obligations to the kindly interest and assistance of the Earl De la Warr, to Colonel Frederick Burnaby for many excellent simo-estions, to Colonel Moulin and Commandant Coyne for much assistance in the matter of detail concerning the military movements at Tunis and Kairwan, and to Mr. A ice-Consul Galea, who was good enough to lend me his diary of the siege of Sfax. The reproductions of the curious Spanish pictures illustrating the expedition of XIV PREFACE. Charles V. have been reduced from large photo- graphs in the possession of H.M. the Queen, which were taken from the original paintings by H.RH. the late Prince Consort, and a few copies of which were printed by special permission for Lieutenant Colonel Playfair, the learned author of “ Travels in the Footsteps of Bruce.” I have to ask the reader’s indulgence for irregu- larities that he may discover in the spelling of Tunisian and other proper names as distance from ; England, and the necessity of sending these volumes to press, have prevented me from finally revising the proof-sheets.