HC Deb 25 April 1904 vol 133 cc1046-7
MR. CHARLES HOBHOUSE

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, when the operations commenced against the Somali Mullah in March, 1901, he was then located in Italian Somaliland; and what has been the political and military advantage gained by the three years war against him.

THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Earl PERCY,) Kensington, S.

The hon. Member will see if he refers to the despatches published in the Blue-book No. 5, Africa, 1901, that the Mullah was within the British protectorate when the operations against him were begun in 1901. The result of the operations has been to expel the enemy from British territory, to relieve the tribes under our protection from the suffering and loss which his presence occasioned, and so completely to break up the Mullah's following as to make a re-establishment of his power improbable.

MR. CHARLES HOBHOUSE

asked whether it was not the fact that during the greater part of the operations of 1901 the Mullah was in Italian Somaliland; and whether, in consequence of the Mullah's being in Italian Somaliland, the Italian Government were requested to co-operate with the British Government in expelling him.

EARL PERCY

It is quite true that later on the Mullah was in Italian territory; but at the beginning he was in British territory.

MR. BRYN ROBERTS

Shall we have an official history of this war also?