'Memorandum on the Turkish claim to sovereignty over the eastern shores of the Red Sea and the whole of Arabia; and on the Egyptian claim to the whole of the western shore of the same sea, including the African coast from Suez to Cape Guardafui.' [‎29v] (58/70)

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to it (sic) nor the right of selling it; and that they
were informed by the Egyptian Government that
they could not be allowed to take possession of it;
but that no collision could have taken place, as
reported, as there was no Egyptian vessel of war
near the place where it was stated to have occurred.
In June 1870 an Egyptian ship of war visited Colonel Stanton, No. 60;
the ports of Berbera and Belgar on the Somali June 3 ' I870 "
coast, upon which the Commandant of Aden wrote
to the Egyptian Commander to ascertain the object Memorandum on Turkish claims to
" . . . , . . iiiii • Sovereierntv over the Soumali terri-
of his visit, and to inquire whether he had any views t
of conquest over the territory in question. To this
inquiry the Egyptian Commander appears to have
replied that tjie territory (viz., Berbera and Belgar)
belonged formerly to the Sultan ; that it had recently
been ceded to the Khedive of Egypt, and that there
fore there could be no question of conquest.
The Commandant of Aden rejoined that the
British had had possession of Aden for thirty years ;
but that he had never before heard of the Soumalis
being subjects of the Sultan, but on the contrary
that they had always been independent.
Upon this the Egyptian Commander and the
Governor of Aden determined to refer the point in
dispute to their respective Governments and await
further orders.
The conduct of the Egyptian Commander has been
approved by the Kfiedive; but before offering an
opinion. Lord Granville stated that he would rather
wait for further information on the subject (which
was promised), and his Lordship asked to be furnished
with distinct evidence to show that the British
Government were entitled to protest against the
Viceroy taking Berbera, or seeking to rule it in the
name of the Sultan, as well as for insisting on the
independence of the tribes; for be considered that
although it might be convenient to Aden that tbe
Turks should not hold sway in Berbera, that would.
scarcely be a sufficient reason for disputing their
right to do so.
The next thing heard was that the Viceroy of
Egypt had appointed Momtaz Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. Governor of all
the African coast from Suez to Cape Guardafui,
including Bulbar and Berbera. Upon making this
announcement the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. observed that
Momtaz Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. had previously been Bey at Suakin,
and was said to be enlightened, and to have some