'Italian Proceedings on the African Coast of the Red Sea.' [‎27r] (5/32)

13
5
* From Foreign Office, 2nd August 1881:
No. 542.
f Mr. Cookson to Earl Granville, 15th
June 1881.
From Foreign Office, 2nd July; No. 464.
x From Foreign Office, 14th June 1881 ;
No. 401.
§ From Foreign Office, 24th June 1881;
No. 446.
|| Somali Coast, Sect. 4.
From Foreign Office, 15th August 1881 ;
No. 586.
IT Somali Coast, Sect. 3.
From Foreign Office. 4th August 1881 ;
No. 558. ' 6
institute a rigorous inquiry into the facts, at which
the Italian Government desired the presence of the
“ Ettore Eieramosca.”*
In conversation with Mr. Cookson, the Offici
ating British Agent and Consul General, M. de
Martino confessed that the Italians had done wrong
in entering on such an enterprise without the
authorization and protection of the Egyptian Local
Government, in whose territory he fully admitted
Beilul and the place of the massacre were situated.
He did not seek to hold the Egyptian Government
responsible for what might have happened in a
district where their authority was necessarily only
nominal; nor did he expect much practical result
from the inquiry which, however, was necessary to
satisfy public opinion in Italy.!
On the 13th June, the Italian Ambassador in
London informed Lord Granville of what had
happened. His Excellency stated that an Italian
despatch boat had been sent to superintend the
inquiry which was to be held on the spot, and that
his Government would be glad if an English vessel
could also be present. They were anxious, he said,
to show that they had no thoughts of occupying
the place, and the Italian vessel would be there
simply for the purpose of watching the inquiry
which would be conducted by the Egyptian autho-
rities.J
There appearing no objection to compliance with
the Italian request, Her Majesty’s Consul at
Jeddah was directed to proceed to Beilul on board
a ship of war; but, it being found that he could
not reach the spot in time. Her Majesty’s ship
“ Dragon ” was ordered on the duty. The instruc
tions to Commander Hulton were, to be present at
the inquiry, but to take no part in it himself, and
to avoid recognizing any sovereignty over the coast
but that of the Sultan, and, under him of the
Khedive. §
The Egyptian Government appointed Ibrahim
Bushdi Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. and the Governor of Massowah to
conduct the investigation, but demurred to the
presence either of an Italian or a British ship.
This point, however, was ultimately conceded, it
being clearly understood that neither the Italian
nor British Commander would be entitled to in
terfere with the course of the inquiry, which would
be entirely in the hands of the Egyptian Com
missioner. ||
The investigation commenced at Beilul, about
the middle, of July. The precise result is not yet
known. According to Signor Bianchi, writing on
the 20th June from Assab,^] there was no doubt
that the whole country round Beilul was concerned
in the massacre, the plan for its execution having
been discussed there, and assented to by the Chiefs;
those who had taken part in it were at that date
beginning to return to Beilul, where they showed
themselves with impunity, carrying on their arms
the signs of victory, after the fashion of the
6005. b