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Article 17 of the Treaty of Uccialli1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 January 2009

Carlo Giglio
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Extract

By Article 17 of the Treaty of Uccialli, the Italian Government did not intend to establish a protectorate over Ethiopia, but only to preponderate among all the other Nations by obliging Menelik to use the Italian channel as portalettere (postman); even so, Antonelli was authorized to modify or even to suppress this article. When Antonelli discussed the matter with Menelik, the latter refused to accept an obligation; both negotiators agreed that the text of the Article should reflect only an option. This agreement was correctly transcribed in the Amharic text, but not in the Italian one. Antonelli, giving more weight to oral than to written understandings, left unchanged the original wording of the draft he had brought from Rome, i.e. consente (Menelik binds himself to use Italy as postman).

Against the opinion of Antonelli, Crispi decided to take advantage of Article 17, using the opportunity created by the General Act of Berlin, 1885. In October 1889 he notified the Article to the signatories of the said Act, in spite of the fact that Ethiopia was not on the African coast and that Article 17 was not a formula on which a protectorate could be based. The acknowledgement of such a notification gave birth to the Italian protectorate. It was at this moment that the imbroglio was created, by Crispi and not by Antonelli.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of African History , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , July 1965 , pp. 221 - 231
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1965

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References

2 Cf. Mai, A. S., 36/18–185, Memorandum by Agnesa, Rome, 2 June 1896.Google Scholar

3 Mai, A. S. 36/5–47, Baldissera and Antonelli to Bertolè Viale (Mm. of War), telegram 787, Massawa, II August 1888.Google Scholar Antonelli and Baldissera indicated as compensation to be requested from Menelik the following: ‘cession to Italy of Hamasen and Okulai-Kusai and the facilitation of trade in the event he came to the throne of Abyssinia. Useless to treat for Harrar, a rich and peaceful region, considered very valuable by the king.’ Professor Rubenson does not cite this significant telegram although he examined the dossier 36/5–47.

4 Cf. unpublished Memorie of Antonelli, pp. 254–62.

5 It does not appear from the documents in the archives or from the Memorie thatAntonelli was given written instructions for his mission (this should not be surprising!). Antonelli mentioned instructions, probably oral, in his report from Entotto, 29 January 1891, in A. S. Mai, 36/13–106. The passage is reproduced in the Green Book, Missione Antonelli in Etiopia, p. 75.

6 Cf., Antorielli to Menelik, 25 January 1891, inclosure XIX in the above-mentioned report of Antonelli (Inclosure XIII, in the Green Book, p. 86).

7 Cf. A. S. Mai, 36/8–69, letter, Antonelli to Pisani Dossi, Rome, 20 October 1889; telegram, Crispi to Ragazzi (via Aden), 23 October 1889. These documents are cited by Professor Rubenson on p. 280, footnote 209, but given a different interpretation. See also, Antonelli to Crispi, Report, Addis Abeba, 29 December 1890, in A. S. Mai 36/13–104 and Green Book, p. 60: ‘T told His Majesty that Ttaly had not proclaimed a protectorate over Ethiopia.’

8 Cf. Mai, A. S. 36/8–69, Catalani to Crispi, telegrams, London, 31 October and 14 November 1889Google Scholar; Tornielli to Crispi, Report 2892/1192, 19 December 1889; A. S. Mai, 36/11–90, Tornielli to Crispi, Report 3 18/203, 22 March 1890.

9 Regarding Antonelli's mission in Tigre, see: A. S. MAT, 36/11–89 to 93. The letter to Queen Victoria dated 5 March 1890 was transmitted by Antonelli with his report from Massawa, 6 April 1890 (in A. S. MAI, 36/11–91) and by the Foreign Ministry to London with the despatch of 29 April (in A. S. MAT, 36/11–92).

10 The original texts (minutes and telegraphic forms) of the telegrams, Pisani Dossi to Mayor and Mayor to Dossi, Pisani, both of 14 October 1889, are in A. S. MAT, 36/6–55 and 36/8–69. Professor Rubenson cited only 36/6–55 (p. 280, footnote 208).Google Scholar

11 For instance: (a) the originals of the drafts of the treaty in Italian and Amharic, in vain searched for by Professor Rubenson (p. 262, footnote 102) are in A. S. MAT 36/13–107; (b) the additional Convention published with the date 1October 1889, was not signed on 7 October (Rubenson p. 244, footnote 7), but between 16 and 20 October, see A. S. MAT, 36/8–69.