§ Colonel DAYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has 860W received a report of an attack by Abyssinian soldiers on a British camel caravan whilst travelling in Abyssinia and which had come from British Somaliland; and whether he can make a full statement of this occurrence?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINYes, Sir. An unprovoked attack was made last June on a caravan bringing supplies to the party of His Highness the Maharao of Kutch, who, accompanied by Sir G. Archer, was travelling in Abyssinia after having been the guest of the Regent in the capital. The caravan at the time of the outrage was travelling southwards from Hargeisa in British Somaliland, and had reached a point in the Ogaden district, some 50 miles inside Abyssinian territory. Camp had been pitched near Dagabur, in the territory of Jig-jiga, and at four o'clock in the morning it was attacked by Abyssinian soldiery, between 8 and 13 British Somalis being killed the head man of the caravan was deliberately shot and his body was mutilated. The caravan itself was completely looted.
A request that arrangements might be made for the safe passage of the Maharao and Sir G. Archer through Abyssinian territory had been addressed in ample time to the Regent, Ras Taffari. But even if warning of the approach of the caravan had not been issued in time to the local authorities, this would in no way justify the outrage. His Majesty's Representative in Addis Ababa is endeavouring to obtain compensation from the Abyssinian Government.