A Late Victorian Official Presentation Desk Set, dated 1892-93

Silver mounted maroon leather stationary box and matching blotter, presented on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government by the British Legation at Tangiers in 1893 in recognition of assistance rendered during Sir West Ridgeway’s mission down the west coast of Morocco in May 1893. Made by William Comyns of London, the silver mounts engraved with Royal coat of arms.

Sir (Joseph) West Ridgeway (1844-1930) and the British Mission to Morocco

Following the rough reception of the British minister Sir Charles Euan Smith at Fez, and hot competition with France for influence over the decaying Moorish empire, it was decided to despatch Sir West Ridgeway to Morocco to reassure the Moorish empire of Britain’s good intentions and indeed that of other interested parties including Germany, Italy and Spain. Behind the façade of European co-operationr, the French continued to seek dominance, causing West Ridgeway and his party to set out from Tangiers to gain some first hand experience of the country. The result of the tour was a report that identified Britain’s best hope of gaining a foothold in strategically important Tangiers was its acknowledgement of French claims –

 ‘France must be allowed to encroach or she must be resisted.  The alternative policy is to temporize until the long-expected European war takes place, and the map of Europe is remade….When war breaks out England must take Tangier; and therefore it will still be necessary to fix a time limit to French encroachment in time of peace, and to prevent her occupation of the zone which is necessary for a British occupation of Tangier.’

 The present desk set was presented to one M. Abensur who facilitated the tour undertaken by Sir West Ridgeway and his military attaché Count Edward Gleichen, Grenadier Guards. It was given to Abensur, as an accompanying note testifies, by Ridgeway’s successor Ernest Satow. Sir Ernest Satow is remembered as a distinguished British scholar, diplomat and Japanologist.

 For more on Ridgeway’s Moroccan mission – see A.J.P. Taylor, ‘British Policy in Morocco 1886-1902’, English Historical Review, Vol. 66, No. 260 (Jul., 1951), pp. 342-374