'Italian proceedings on the African coast of the Red Sea' [‎133r] (21/32)

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at Assab was as a fact incontestable. Under such
circumstances it was often found to be a matter of
international convenience to make such arrange
ments as seemed best suited for an altered condition
of circumstances, while avoiding any act that
necessarily implied approval or formal recognition.
It was for this purpose that the proposal under
discussion had been made, and he thought that it
might have been accepted without committing Her
Majesty’s Government to any abandonment of
principle. He added that the Italian Government
were ready to make any declaration that might be
required as to such an arrangement not implying
any recognition of the question of right.
The remark in this Office letter of the 26th
Government of its rights of sovereignty over Assab
Bay, was elicited by the report of a conversation in
at Beilul, when Signor Mancini stated
^ 0 ^,^ that the Egyptian Government had
lately declared that it claimed no sovereignty or
jurisdiction over Assab Bay, though it did over
Beilul.
Her Majesty’s Agent in Egypt was instructed
(13th July 1881, No. 131) to inquire of the
Egyptian Government whether it was the case
that they had renounced the sovereignty hitherto
claimed by the Khedive, under the Sultan, over any
part of the western shore of the Bed Sea.
Mr. Cookson, on the 5th August (No. 211), for
warded the reply which he had received from the
Acting Minister for Eoreign Affairs, Eakhry Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. ,
the Egyptian Government had never ceased pro
testing in the most formal terms against the pre
tended acquisition of the Bay of Assab by the
Bubattino Company.
In proof of this the Minister enclosed copy of a
Despatch, with appended Memorandum, which he
had addressed to M. de Martino on the 6 th July,
and also copy of a Note, in which, on the 25th
July, he disputed the right of M. Bianchi to the
title conferred on him of ec Civil Commissioner at
Assab,” as being one which seemed to confer upon
a foreign functionary some power within Egyptian
territory.
The Minister’s Despatch of the 6 th _Ju]y above
of past assurances of the Italian^ Government,
things were occurring at Assab which pointed to
a political occupation of the place, to the prejudice
of the sovereign authority of the Khedive.
In respect to the territorial rights of His High
ness, it was observed:—
“ La Baie d’Assab etait comprise dans le terri-
“ toire de 1’Empire de Zeilah, fonde au premier
“ si&cle de 1’Hegire par les conquerants Arabes.
6005. F
* Page 19.
July,* as to an alleged renunciation by the Egyptian
t Sir A. Paget to Lord Granville, 29th the Italian Chamber on the 28th June,f respectin:
J From Foreign Office, 25th August 1881;
No. 619.
to this inquiry, J in which the assertion of Signor
Mancini was declared to be entirely incorrect, as
No. 622.
|| See ante, p. 10.
§ From Foreign Office, 27th August 1881;
; referred to is an important paper, § being, in fact,
a reply to the Italian Note and Memoire of May
1880. || It called attention to the fact that, in spite