Skip to item: of 32
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

'Italian Proceedings on the African Coast of the Red Sea.' [‎39v] (30/32)

This item is part of

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.

Apply page layout

44 portation will probably be weapons for the arming
,<t of that dangerous and aggressive neighbour.”
Concurrently, on the 3rd September, General
Menabrea visited Lord Granville at Walmer Castle,
for the purpose of discussing the matter.
His Excellency brought with him an extract of a
telegram which he had received from his Govern
ment, and which lie read. It was a comment on the
reply returned by Lord Granville on the 31st August
to the Italian request that Her Majesty’s Govern
ment should dissuade the Egyptian authorities from
their intention of landing troops at Eaheita. It
stated that it appeared from Lord Granville’s lan
guage that the object of this request had not
been understood. The Italian Government did
not ask that of Her Majesty to make objections
to the sovereignty of Egypt over Eaheita, nor
to say or do anything to prejudge the general ques
tion of sovereignty over the west coast of the Red
Sea. What they had asked, and hoped to obtain,
was that Her Majesty’s Government should make
use of their incontestable influence with the Egyptian
Government to advise it to abstain from an act
which might have the most unfortunate conse
quences. They asked this as a friendly service, and
they believed that, in their owm interest, Her
Majesty’s Government ought to be inclined to
render it. Eor Her Majesty’s Government, on the
one hand, must assuredly recognize that complica
tions in the Red Sea might become dangerous, and
on the other hand, should be anxious to prevent
public opinion in Italy being excited and led astray.
After the support which Italy had faithfully given
for tw T o years to Her Majesty’s Government in
every question which affected England, either
slightly or closely, the Italian Government consi
dered that they might on this occasion count upon
an act of reciprocity, and they would feel their dis
appointment all the more keenly if their expecta
tions were deceived, inasmuch as they would be
unable to explain to themselves the reasons for a
refusal.
General Menabrea then recapitulated the'request
which had been made by his Government, and the
answer given him. He complained strongly of the
conduct of the Egyptian Government, and said that
the inquiry into the recent massacre at Beilul had
been a farce. Although the criminals were well
known, although they were actually wearing the
dresses of the victims, the Egyptian Government
had produced none of them. A proof how idle the
procedure had been wes given, he said, by the fact
that the Captain of the English vessel of war present,
wko had no orders to take any part or to make any
observations, wdien he was asked by the Egyptian
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. to give a sort of certificate of the regularity
of the proceedings, had indignantly and con
temptuously refused.
General Menabrea said that the conduct of the
Egyptian Government as to this inquiry, and their
subsequent pretension to disturb the status quo in

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

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

'Italian Proceedings on the African Coast of the Red Sea.' [‎39v] (30/32), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B22a, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100029480026.0x00001f> [accessed 29 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100029480026.0x00001f">'Italian Proceedings on the African Coast of the Red Sea.' [&lrm;39v] (30/32)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100029480026.0x00001f">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000788.0x0003e5/IOR_L_PS_18_B22a_0030.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000788.0x0003e5/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image