Frequent incidents have taken place on the borders of French and Italian Somaliland, which have never been strictly delimited by the local French, Italian or Ethiopian authorities, On several occasions, shepherds in Italian Somaliland have crossed the frontier into French territory. One year ago detachments of Italian troops occupied several wells in French Somaliland, and remained there since.
Similar incidents have occurred on the borders of Italian and British Somaliland, and that the Franco-
Italian border affairs are not serious in themselves. These minor incidents may, however, become of a more grave nature in view of present tension between Paris and Rome.
The Italo-Ethiopian conflict broke out following such a similar incident, that at Walwal on December 4, 1934, it was recalled. The Italians had for long occupied the Walwal post although it was outside Italian territory; strife finally occurred, leading to the Ethiopian campaign and all its ensuing complications.
Politicians believe an Italian man-œuvre is bound to end in failure, because of the similar nature of the incidents on the Franco-Italian and Anglo-Italian borders of Somaliland. The British Government have already been informed of the tenor of France's recent reply to the Italien Note denouncing the 1935 accords.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.