§ LORD NOEL-BUXTONasked His Majesty's Government if they will give information as to the raid into the British Sudan by armed Abyssinians in February 539WA last, with special reference to the numbers engaged in the raid, and the number of slaves captured.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMThere were no raids by armed Abyssinians into the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan in February last, but it is presumed that the noble Lord is referring to a serious double raid which took place on March 21 and 22 last, in which a party of Abyssinian Anuak, assisted by a few Sudanese Anuak and numbering approximately 600 in all, attacked the Beir tribe and penetrated some 50 miles into the Upper Nile Province of the Sudan. The Beir losses were 27 men killed, 27 women and 55 children captured and some 800 head of cattle taken. His Majesty's Minister at Addis Ababa immediately approached the Abyssinian Government who agreed to send urgent instructions to the Abyssinian local authorities to investigate the raid and to take measures for the release of the captives and the punishment of the raiders and requested His Majesty's540WA Minister to urge the Government of the Sudan to co-operate with the local officers.
The Abyssinians also agreed to establish a new frontier post in the Baro salient in the endeavour to hold these unruly and largely unadministered tribes in check. Owing to the extreme difficulty of communications in a primitive and almost trackless country, three or four weeks being necessary for the transmission of a message from Addis Ababa to the district in question, it is not yet known what effect has been given to the requests of His Majesty's Minister for the release of the captives and the punishment of the raiders. Arrangements are however being made for the Governor of the Upper Nile Province to proceed to Gambeila early this month for a meeting with Abyssinian delegates, at which the organisation of the necessary measures, both punitive and preventive, is to be settled.
House adjourned at two minutes before five o'clock.