'Italian proceedings on the African coast of the Red Sea' [‎130r] (15/32)

15
“ Le Grouverncment Royal ne se servira jamais.
d’Assab pour y fonder un etablissement peniten-
taire. Le Commissaire Italien ne devra laisser
subsister aucun doute en ce qui concerne cette
resolution.
“II importe enfin faire savoir a tout le monde
que, dans nos mains Assab n’est point, et ne
deviendra jamais un point, d’appui pour une
action quelconque ayant pour but de leser ou de
menaeer les possessions de Sa Majeste Britan-
nique. Bien loin de la, nous ne pourrons quo
nous feliciter bautement si a 1 ’avenir la marine
Britannique se trouvera dans le cas de profiler,
dans une mesure quelconque, de I’etablissement
que nous essayons de creer et de developper a
Assab.”
{ 2-6
* From Foreign Office, 19th March 1881;
No. 208.
f Home ; No. 208.
J Despatch to Sir A. Paget, No. 137A.,
4th April 1881. From Foreign Office, 14th
April; No. 249.
General Menabrea* at the same time communi
cated a resume of a Despatch which he had received
from his Government, in reference to Lord Gran
ville’s reply to his Note of May 1880. The Italian
Government offered to renew, in any form that
might be desired, its previous declarations that the
Assab establishment should never assume a military
character, and expressed a hope that, in return, the
British Government and its officials would do
nothing which might impede the success of the
settlement. From what the Ambassador said, it
appeared that, in view of discussions impending in
the Italian Chamber, his Government hoped to be
enabled to declare that not only did the establish
ment in question meet with no opposition from Her
Majesty’s Government, but that it would have their
moral support.
This application having also been referred to this
Office for Lord Hartington’s opinion, a reply was
sent (24th March 1881),t to the effect that the
matter appeared to be primarily for the consideration
of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; but
that, in His Lordship’s judgment, such an assurance
as was desired by General Menabrea, if given, could
scarcely fail to be embarrassing to the Egyptian
Government, while it would be inconsistent with
previous declarations of that of Her Majesty.
Accordingly, when pressed by General Menabrea
for a reply, Lord GranvilleJ said that his answer
must be in the negative; that in his last com
munication to the Italian Government note had
been taken of their assurances and of the categorical
and peremptory declaration of Signor Cairoli, in his
Note of the 19th April 1880, that no Italian Govern
ment establishment of a military character would
ever be formed at Assab, and that at no time would
either troops or fortifications be maintained, either
on the mainland or on the islands in the bay. It
was, however, a very different thing to give such an
assurance as was now requested. It would put
the Egyptian Government in a false position, and
would be contrary to the language Her Majesty’s
Government had throughout held.