'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.' [‎23r] (45/70)

41
then he felt convinced that, as a place of residence
for Europeans, as a naval station, and as a strong
strategical position, giving almost absolute command
of Annesley Bay, a better spot could not be selected,
and he said that it had been described by others as
one of the pleasantest spots in the Red Sea.
The Chief was absent when General Co^hlan
arrived, but he spol<e to a young man who acted as
Chief in his elder brother's absence, and from him
he learnt that several of the Chiefs relations were
employed as coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. in the coal depots at Aden,
and that their intercourse with the English had
given the people of Disseh a high sense of the
power and good government of the English nation,
and they expressed a hope that they would come at
once and settle on the island.
The Acting Chief also informed General Coghlan
that a French mission had landed, surveyed, and
taken plans of every part of the island; that they
had told the people the island was now theirs as
well as all the country round Zulla, although they
were not told who it was that had made over the
island to the French Government; that they had
stated that they would forthwith open a large trad^
with Abyssinia, which would add greatly to the
prosperity of the island; and that in two months
from that time many French ships would come from
the west to take possession of Disseh, and to carry
out their ulterior projects.
General Coghlan was then shown a large wooden
cross which the French had erected on a rock close
to the island, but which had been blown or taken
down, on which was painted in large letters,
"Yemen, 1859," and was. afterwards conducted
towards the largest of the bays on the southern part
of the island, where he found two square pieces of
canvas tied to a couple of trees ; surveying points
marked on the rocks forming the harbour; and a
line of sticks fixed along the beach, as if used for
measurement, clearly denoting that this was the
locality chosen by the French for the establishment
of their settlement.
The general report was that the only title the
French had to this possession was a gift from the
Ruler of Tigre, who was himself a rebel against the
Emperor of Abyssinia.
[201] M