'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.' [‎25v] (50/70)

46
interior draw the rock salt, which forms their circu
lating medium, as well as the sulphur mines in the
same neighbourhood, which they use for manufac
turing powder.
"Both of these lie in dangerous proximity to
Adoolis"
On the 29th April, 1861, a Treaty of Commerce, Hertslet's Treaties, vol. xi, p. 567.
&c., was concluded between England and Turkey,
by the XXth Article of which it was declared that, it
should receive its execution " in all the provinces of
the Ottoman Empire situated in Europe, in Asia, in
Egyyt, and in the other parts of Africa belonging
to the Sublime Porte, in Servia, Moldavia and
Wallachia;" but what those African possessions
were, was not defined.
In the early part of the year 1862 the natives of
Zeyla who had been wrongly accused of the
murder of M, Lambert, and taken to France, were
conveyed back to their country in a French ship of
war from Suez, on board of which was M. Schaeffer,
Chief Dragoman to the French Embassy at Constan
tinople.
Mr. Colquhoun, Her Majesty's Consul-General in Mr. Colquhoun, No. 63;
Egypt, reported that M. Schaeffer had passed 10 ' 1862 '
through Egypt under a feigned name ; and as it
was known that he was provided with a considerable
sum of money, it was supposed that the object he
had in view was the purchase of territory in the
neighbourhood of the Red Sea for the use of the
French Navy.
Tn fact, M. Thouvenel admitted to Lord Cowley Earl Cowley, No. 752
that he had sent M. Schaeffer to Massowah for the June 6 ' 1862 "
purpose of obtaining a coaling station for the line of
French steamers about to be established in the Red
Sea; but he assured his Lordship that there was no
foundation for the report that France meditated
acquirements or conquests on that Sea. A desert
spot called Agos or Abos (Obokh), he observed, had
been pointed out to the Minister of Marine, as
affording a safe harbour and good water, and it was
hoped that a depot for coals might be found there;
but, with regard to M. Schaeffer travelling under a
false name, M. Thouvenel assured Lord Cowley that
it was only done to escape the jealous observation of
British agents.
It afterwards transpired that as the French vessel Dr. Beke;
descended the Red Sea a careful survey was made June 14,1862.