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'Italian Proceedings on the African Coast of the Red Sea.' [36v] (24/32)
The record is made up of 1 file (16 folios). It was created in 19 Sep 1881. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
24
c ‘ that the understanding exists with Her Majesty’s
“ Government (even if disadvantageous to them).
“ Italian Ambassador lias led his Government to
“ infer that your Lordship declines to interfere in
“ the matter,"but the Government urgently pray for
“ an answer. If favourable, they will esteem it as
“ a marked token of friendship.
“ Their request for an early answer is obviously
“ to enable them to prepare public opinion here.
“ They will, if unsuccessful, I venture to fear, be
“ then found less pliant, and perhaps will adopt a
“ course which they are most desirous to avoid.”
Lord Granville replied on the 13th Septem
ber :—*
“ Inform the Italian Government that, if they
are willing to enter into a formal convention with
“ Egypt, which shall confirm their purchases of
“ territory at Assah, on the condition that, in
“ accordance with their previous assurances, the
“ Settlement shall he purely commercial, and shall
“ not be fortified or used as a military or naval
“ station, Her Majesty’s Government will sound
“ the Egyptian Government and the Porte as to
“ their willingness to accept the proposal, and will
“ support it.
“ The Egyptians will probably, if they assent,
“ require some provisions for the prevention of the
“ transit of arms to Abyssinia.”*)*
It is not yet known in this Office what reception
this proposal has met with from the Italian Go
vernment.
Correspondence connected with a proposed
Disembarkation of Egyptian Troops at Ra-
heita.— The urgent necessity for some settlement of
the question has, within the last month, been brought
prominently before the Governments interested by
the circumstances now to be narrated.
On the 24th August, J Mr. Cookson, Acting J From Foreign Office, 25th August 1881
British Agent and Consul General in Egypt, tele- No - 607 *
graphed to the Foreign Office as follows:—
“ Egyptian Minister for Foreign Affairs has
“ informed me that Egyptian Commissioners at Beilul
<£ have reported that Commander of Italian corvette
“ formally warned them that he was aware of the in-
“ tention of the Egyptian Government to land troops
“ at Raheita, south of Assab, and that he has orders .
“ from his Government to oppose, by every means
** in his power, the exercise of any act of authority
“ by the Egyptians at that place, which he claims
“ as belonging to Italy. The Egyptian Govern-
“ ment has written to Italian Acting Consul
“ General, asking that instructions may be tele-
“ graphed to the Commander disapproving his con-
“ duct, and has ordered Egyptian vessel carrying
“ soldiers destined for Raheita to execute its
“ original orders to disembark them there.
“ Egyptian Government prays Her Majesty’s
“ Government to order an English vessel to pro-
“ ceed at once to Raheita, with instructions not to
* As above.
f See post, p. 29.
About this item
- Content
A paper written in continuation of a previous memorandum regarding the Italian Occupation of Assab Bay [IOR/L/PS/18/B22], which brings the story up to date.
The first section describes the course of events at and around Assab from May 1880 to September 1881, including protests made by the Egyptian Government to the Italian Government at their purchase of the whole coastline around Assab Bay and the islands nearby, and an enquiry that followed the massacre of an Italian exploring party. This section concludes with two reports suggesting that, although the Italians had not made much progress at Assab Bay, they had shown their intention to get a foothold on the African continent.
The second section reproduces correspondence between the British, Italian and Egyptian governments, and between the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. and the Foreign Office from May 1880 to September 1881. The correspondence relates to the purchase of land at Assab Bay by the Rubattino Company; Italian Government denials that the territory would be used for military purposes; attempts made by the Italian Government to legitimise their occupation of the place by encouraging the British Government to accredit a British Agent there, both for commercial purposes and for the purpose of co-operation in the suppression of the slave trade; and a British Government proposal that the Italian Government enter into a formal convention about the matter with the Egyptian Government.
The final section reproduces correspondence connected with a proposed disembarkation of Egyptian troops at Raheita to the south of Assab Bay; Egyptian appeals for a British warship to be sent to the area; Italian protestations that disembarkation at Raheita would constitute a provocation; and the British Government's re-affirmation that the sovereignty of the coastline at Raheita and Assab Bay belongs to the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and the Khedive of Egypt.
The paper is written by Arthur William Moore.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (16 folios)
- Arrangement
This file consists of a summary of historical events (ff 25-28), followed by two further sections reproducing correspondence (ff 28-36) and (ff 36-40).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at folio 25, and terminates at folio 40, as it is part of a larger volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Italian Proceedings on the African Coast of the Red Sea.' [36v] (24/32), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B22a, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100029480026.0x000019> [accessed 19 April 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/18/B22a
- Title
- 'Italian Proceedings on the African Coast of the Red Sea.'
- Pages
- 25r:28r, 29v:31r, 32v:34v, 36v:37r, 38r:40v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence