HC Deb 27 November 1882 vol 275 cc100-2
BARON HENRY DE WORMS

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is the fact that the Bay of Tajoura, at the head of the Gulf of Aden, on the East Coast of Africa, has been ceded to France by the Sultan of Laita; if so, whether this cession, which places Prance in a position from which she might threaten the road to our Indian possessions, was recommended by Her Majesty's Government, as in the case of the cession to Italy of the Bay of Assab; and, whether Her Majesty's Government have made, or intend to make, any communication to the French Government on the subject?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

Sir, Her Majesty's Government are not aware of any such cession having been made to France by the Khedive of Egypt, to whom the territory in question belongs under the Sovereignty of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. As the hon. Member thinks fit to repeat a statement which he has already made, and I have already contradicted in this House, I may state that the cession to Italy of the Bay of Assab was not recommended by Her Majesty's present Government, and that the Italian flag was already flying there when the late Government went out of Office.

BARON HENRY DE WORMS

asked, Whether the despatch of Lord Dufferin to Earl Granville (Blue Book, No. 131) of December 7 was correct, in which the writer said he was pressing for a speedy settlement of the Assab Bay Convention, and that Said Pasha had promised that no time should be lost in the matter?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

On the 20th of April last I fully explained the circumstances to the House. The essential portions of that explanation were that the Convention we produced was intended to define and limit the rights which were supposed to have been acquired by Italy over Assab Bay, that we were dealing with accomplished facts brought about before we came into Office, and that our intention was to limit the rights which Italy had acquired de facto under the Convention, but that, as a matter of fact, the Convention was never concluded.

MR. BOURKE

May I ask, with regard to Tajoura Bay, whether it is competent, under Treaties already existing, that any cession of Tajoura can take place without the consent of the British Government?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

I have stated in my answer, and I confine myself to this phrase, that Tajoura is, in our opinion, a portion of the dominion administered by the Khedive under the Ottoman Power. We take it that there is not the slightest doubt about Tajoura belonging to the Khedive.

MR. BOURKE

I shall ask the hon. Baronet to-morrow more pointedly about this matter, as I do not think that he quite understands my Question.

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

I do not want to raise any question of local Treaties. We have no doubt whatever as to Tajoura being a portion of the territory of the Khedive under the dominion of the Ottoman Power.

BARON HENRY DE WORMS

The hon. Baronet says, as I understand him, that there was no Convention between the British and the Italian Government as to Assab Bay.

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

I said that it had never been brought to a conclusion, nor signed at all.

BARON HENRY DE WORMS

Then I wish to ask the hon. Baronet whether this reply is correct— The British Government share the opinion of the Italian Government as to the desirability of promoting the Convention in the hope that it would be accepted by the Sublime Porte and the Egyptian Government?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

That is so, Sir. I merely stated as a fact that the Convention did not exist, and the phrase of which I complained was that we had recommended the cession of Assab Bay.