ORIGIN OF THE MISCHIEF.

Otago Witness, Issue 2722, 16 May 1906, Page 19

ORIGIN OF THE MISCHIEF.

AN INTERESTING LETTER.

In the course of a letter dated February 21, Laffan's correspondent at Constantinople gave the following interesting description of the origin of the Akabah dispute: — "In tho middle of January an AngloEgyptian officer, Rumbley Bey, an inspector of the Turko-Egyptian frontier, was making a tour in the Sinaitio Peninsula., when lie was not a iittle surprised to find a garrison of 100 Turkish soldiers at the village of Tabah, on the sea coast, eight miles southwest of the Turkish port of Akabah, at the head of the gulf of that name. The Turks were decidedly on Egyptian soil, but they eeemed to consider the Anglo-Egyptian inspector as the intruder, and, although iLe report has not been confirmed, it is alleged that they temporarily arrested him. On his release, Rumbley Bey immediately communicated with his department, and it was. not long before the matter reached Lord C'romer's cave, who passed it on to Downing street. A note, strongly worded, was sent through the Khedival Government to the Sublime Porte, protesting against this violation of Egyptian territory. '"It may be mentioned that by a Firman of the Imperial Ottoman Government, a line of demarcation was regulated between El Arish (of Napoleonic fame) and the Turkish port of Akabah (the ancient Ezion Gebar of Solomon). According to this Firman that part of the S'inartic Peninsula., south-west of this line should be under the * pcieonal administration of the Khedive.' A« such it has always heen recognised. The Porte's reply to the Khedival Government, which asked why no intimation had been made to it of this strategical movement beforehand, was to the effect that such a question was beyond the power of the Egyptian Government to ask", seeing tlAfc it was no more than a vassal province of the Sublime Porte. To this the Khedivil Government retorted that this theory might have held good long ago, but such was not the case now. The Turks, however, refused to budge, and so the matter vasagain referred to London, which instructed the British Embassy at Constantinople to act. Thus far no tangible result has been arrived at. and it is possible that a naval domonstration on the part of the Egyptian Government, which has several welloquipped gunboats in its ee.rvice, may l-e appealed to as a last resort, before the garrison at Tabah is 6helled out of its position — a very easy manoeuvre. Tho British Government could not interfere for international reason* — actively, that is. although, of course, it is Lord Cronier who U really conducting the negotiations. These is, therefore, the likelihood of a paradox taking place in the form of a rupture of relations between the two States, which are to all outward etiquette one and the same."

THE TURKISH VERSION.

The theory of Turkey's African, dominion lias, with the exception of the Vilayet of Tripoli, in Barfaary, vanished as completely as the Isthmus of Suez. The Turkish version of the incident is that the battalion had been ordered to Daba, a post on the Arabian shore of the Gulf of Akabah, but the captain m charge had misunderstood his instructions to reach Tabah, a very plausible excuEe, which might be accepted in view of th« difficulties of Turkish orthography, were 't not swept away by the bare facts of the Turks persisting in their occupation. Several theories have naturally sprung u-p regarding the purport of this frontier incident. One is, and it is an old one, that the Turks are wanting to sret a better hold in th© Sinaitic Peninsula, in favour of their strategic Hedjaz line, so that they may one day make a dash on E«jvpt, and occupy their lost province. In further development of this theory it is said that they once sank a Turkish steamer in the Canal in order to see whether it would be possible to block up the Canal and prevent a navy interfering with the passage of Turkish troops. Another, that this is a counter-move to the open-ing of Port Soudan, -which will tend more than ever to make the Red Sea, and, therefore the Hedjaz, come under the Anglo-Egyptian jurisdiction and political influence, vrhich, of course, it is the Sultan's policy and interest; to oppose, as he is now doing, with the Hadjaz railway. Thirdly, that this occupation is only a ballon d'essai to divert England's attention from Asia Minor, which has become of ■ interest just now owing to the Mining Law Revision. ; Lastly, that it Is merely an intrigue similar to that practised on Persia, in order to secure some concession or other in com1 pensationr for a withdrawal. In any case the smallnesg of the number of Turkish troops shows the slight plausibility of all these versions. It has been decided to close the Oamaru South School for a fortnight owing to the xuauralence of scarlet fever.