THE SINAI PENINSULA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 734, 6 January 1915, Page 3

THE SINAI PENINSULA.

Just now, when every Bcrap of information about Egypt is of interest to New Zealanders, ii is worth recalling that the possession of the Sinai Peninsula has been settled only in comparatively recent years. The question at one time threatened to cause a rupture between Britain and Turkey. This was in 1906. The dispute arose really in 1892. Until that date Egypt had administered not only the peninsula, but also certain posts on the Turkish side of the Gulf of Akaba, The firman ißsued by the Sultan on the accession of Abbas, however, wa Y framed with the plain intention of withdrawing the whole of ihe peninsula from Egyptian control, Britain naturally objected to any change of the kind, and after considerable pressure had been exerted in Constantinople the Porte agreed that the peninsula should remain as part of Egypt, but that t>.e Egpytian garrisons should be withdrawn from the .Arabian shores of the Gulf of Akaba. The frontier was then defined as running from the head of the gulf to Raba, on the Mediterranean In 1905 the lawlessness of the Bedouins made it necessary to take steps to police the peninsula and to protect the main caravan route, and a British officer was 'appointed inspector of the area, with power to carry out certain administrative measures. Tbe repurt was spread, however, that Britain proposed to fortify the frontier, and, as a railway from Damascus to Akaba was being contemplated by Turkey, the Porte protested. An Egpytian force was sent to occupy Tana, on the western Bide of th« but before it arrived the Turks from Fort Akaba had stepped in. The Turks raised objections to the old frontier, and endeavoured to create a new line that would enable them to build strategic railways right into Suez or within striking distance of that part. The purpose was exposed by Lord Cromer. Afer a period of discussion, in which the Porte showed a disposition to hold out, a British note was delivered to the Sultan requiripg compliance within ten days, and it was stated that if the Turkißh suzerainty Were found to be incompatible with the right of British interference in Egypt, or with the British occupation, then Britain would not hesitate to defend her position with the whole force of the Empire. This formidable threat had its effect, and the frontier of Egypt was settled as a line from Rafa to a point on the Gulf of Akaba three miles west of Akaba. Perhaps the next maps of : Egypt to be issued Bh^^t^e^rontißrvto^