'Italian proceedings on the African coast of the Red Sea' [‎125v] (6/32)

6
Danakils, or actually wearing the spoils of the
On the other hand, one Mahomond, second Chief
at Beilul, in conversation with Captain H niton on
the 22nd June, disowned any knowledge of the
affair, or that any of his people had had anything
to do with it, in very firm language; the perpe
trators were, he said, others up country in a part
where his people were afraid to go, and where they
themselves had had 30 men killed last year. But
he seemed very nervous and uneasy in his manner.f
Writing from off Beilul on the 26th July, Captain
Uulton expressed his opinion that there was little
probability of the inquiry ending in securing any
of the culpable ones, or even finding out with
certainty who they were, as the witnesses were
almost all denying any knowledge of the affair, and
many of them were contradicting themselves,
showing that the evidence was valueless, and
leaving the inference also that they had been told
what to say 4
In accordance with this anticipation, the Egyptian
Commissioners telegraphed to their Government, on
the 7th August, that the inquiry was on the point
of being terminated ; that no proof had been esta
blished against the inhabitants of Beilul; and that
the massacre seemed to have been committed by un
subdued tribes in the interior at 13 days distance
from the coast. §
See post, p. 30.
f Somali Coast, Sect. 3.
From Foreign Office, 5th August 1881
No. 558.
J Somali Coast, Sect. 5.
From Foreign Office, 27th August 1881;
No. 619.
§ From Foreign Office, 13th August 1881;
■Nivf
This information was communicated by Lord
Granville through the British Charge d’Affaires
at Borne to the Italian Government, who however
had received similar intelligence from their own
Agent. In conversation with Mr. Macdonell,|J
Signor Malvano said that the Government were
not only disappointed, but seriously annoyed, with
the failure of the inquiry. It was beyond doubt,
he added, that several individuals connected with
the massacre were seen at Beilul, and that, though
the Italian Government did not desire the punish
ment of innocent persons, it was, he thought, the
bounden duty of the Egyptian Government to make
an example of any one directly or indirectly con
nected with the crime. Eurther details must, of
course, be awaited, but the results reported were
sufficient to prove that the Egyptian Government
had not acted with the good faith which the Italian
Government had a right to expect.
Signor Malvano, however, requested Mr. Mac-
donell to assure Lord Granville that, notwith
standing this painful result, the Italian Government
were determined to act with the utmost moderation,
and to do all in their power to avoid raising a
question,—though they expected to be severely
attacked and criticized for the insufficiency of their
action.
|| Mr. Macdonell to Lord Granville,
No. 331, 17th August 1881.
From Foreign Office, 27th August;
No. 621.
In connection with his employment at Beilul,
Captain Hulton took the opportunity of visiting
Assab, and his report, dated the 16th Jnly, con-