'Italian Proceedings on the African Coast of the Red Sea.' [‎31r] (13/32)

13
* Sir A. Paget to Lord Granville, 29th
January 1881.
From Foreign Office, 10th February 1881;
No. 97.
“ honour to communicate to me on the 13th May
“ last, respecting Assab Bay.
“ General Menabrea in his Memorandum refers
“ to the communications which have already passed
“ on this subject between Her Majesty’s Ambassador
“ at Home and the Italian Minister for Foreign
“ Affairs, and you are therefore doubtless aware of
“ the reply which, on behalf of Her Majesty’s
“ Government, was returned by my predecessor in
“ office to the Despatch from Sir Augustus Paget,
“ in which His Excellency sent home a copy of a
“ note from Count Maffei, dated in January last,
“ expressing the regret of his Government at the
“ opinion expressed by the Marquis of Salisbury
“ that Assab Bay lies within the territory of
“ Egypt.
“ It is now my duty to assure you that a further
“ consideration of this subject has only confirmed
“ the opinion at which Her Majesty’s Government
“ have arrived in regard to the question under dis-
“ cussion, as set forth in the Despatch to the
“ British Ambassador above referred to, of which
“ he was authorized to give a copy to Count Maffei,
“ and that they are unable to arrive at any other
“ conclusion than that already announced to your
“ Government, viz., that to the Porte directly, as
“ Sovereign, and to the Khedive under the Porte’s
“ suzerainty, the territory in question must belong.
“ While thus adhering to the views which Her
“ Majesty’s Government have already expressed on
“ this subject, I have now the honour to request
“ that you will inform your Government that they
“ take note with satisfaction of the categorical and
“ peremptory declaration of Signor Cairoli, in his
“ note to Sir A. Paget of the 19th April last, that
“ no Italian Government establishment of a military
“ character will ever be formed at Assab, and that
“ at no time will either troops or fortifications be
“ maintained either on the mainland or on the
“ islands in the bay.”
The report, which had reached the British Agent
in Egypt, as to the conclusion of a treaty between
the Italian Government and a Chief in the neigh
bourhood of Assab, w r as very shortly confirmed.
Sir A. Paget, British Ambassador at Borne, took an
opportunity of inquiring of Count Maffei as to its
truth, which was at once admitted.*
The Count was not quite clear as to whether the
territory of the Chief was placed by the treaty under
the suzerainty of Italy, but his remarks left no
doubt on Sir A. Paget’s mind that it was so, The
treaty, Count Maffei said, contained an article for
the suppression of the slave trade, which had been
inserted, not only in order to give effect to the
feelings entertained by the Italian Government in
regard to that traffic, but also because of the interest
known to be taken by England in the question. A
request by Sir A. Paget for a copy of the treaty was
evaded.
6005. D
*7