"However, we hope to occupy all Moroccan territories south of Agadir, and the Moroccan Government should compensate our government with at least 500 million pesetas." Prime Minister Prim feigned a thoughtful expression, and after pondering for a moment, he finally spoke.
"500 million pesetas, Prime Minister Prim, why don't you just rob it? That's too much; it's compensation far beyond what the Moroccan Government can bear.
If I may speak frankly, Prime Minister Prim, given the economic condition of the Moroccan Government, the maximum compensation they can accept is 20 million pesetas." Ambassador William, somewhat defensive and losing his composure, said to Prim.
500 million pesetas is no small sum. The value of the peseta and the franc are roughly equivalent, and this amount also equates to 500 million francs, a tenth of the compensation France paid Germany after the war.
