British Consular Representation in Morocco, 1912–24: ‘A Question of Pounds, Shillings and Pence’

Abstract:During the late 19th and early 20th centuries debates occurred about the fitness for purpose of Britain’s Consular Service. Simultaneously, the scope of its work came under fresh scrutiny. In particular, the role of the consul in promoting commerce was debated. This article presents a case study of the Consular Service in Morocco at a formative time in the country’s history. It examines the difficulties experienced by consular officers when executing their duties and considers to what extent these problems were attributable to the neglect of the service in Morocco by the home government in London. Furthermore, it investigates various solutions which were proposed to remedy its perceived shortcomings. It concludes that in view of difficult postwar conditions, these remedies did not fundamentally address various problems within the service in Morocco and elsewhere. This was also symptomatic of the decreasing importance attached to Morocco in diplomatic and strategic terms by successive British governments.