British treaty default indirectly strengthened Abyssinia and Italy

Evidence

The Italian version of this treaty was interpreted as making Abyssinia an Italian protectorate, but Menelik claimed that the Amharic version did not oblige him to conduct all his external relations through Italy. This inconsistency, however, was not to come to light until later. For the moment, the Italians, who had gained formal recognition of their sovereignty over Eritrea, felt confident of their position and made arms and ammunition freely available to Menelik: loan capital was also granted, and in 1890 Italy sponsored Abyssinian membership of the Brussels General Act which empowered her as a Christian state to import munitions legally. … This influx of war material which on the Italian reading of the Ucciali treaty accorded with Italian interests, was in succeeding years to be applied to the consolidation of Menelik’s realm, and finally enabled the Emperor to assert his country’s independence. In the process, Somali clans which hitherto had lain outside the ancient Abyssinian hegemony were incorporated in the new Ethiopian empire. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 165 (#expands, via linked claim)

The post at Biyo Kaboba consisted ‘of a fragile block-house built of loose stones and thatched with straw, … it is garrisoned by seven men … a nondescript and ragged riff-raff of Somali and Sudanese – no Abyssinians amongst them … those poor devils, who receive no pay … only live on passing caravans… .’ … Thus the Abyssinian encroachments were mere tokens, but the effect of this rather nominal Abyssinian pressure was to make Britain realize that her Somali territory was more extensive than was really necessary for her purposes. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 750 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Nominal Abyssinian incursions led Britain to trim its Somali territory. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 750; Italy armed its own future adversary through the Ucciali treaty. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 165; External pressure from European powers and Mahdists drove Abyssinian unification. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 164

Related

• Italy armed its own future adversary through the Ucciali treaty. (similarity 0.88)
• Italy’s ambiguous Ucciali treaty armed Menelik to destroy Italian ambitions (similarity 0.86)
• Nominal Abyssinian pressure made Britain deem its Somali territory overextended. (similarity 0.84)
• External pressure from European powers and Mahdists drove Abyssinian unification. (similarity 0.84)
• Token Abyssinian posts made Britain see its Somali territory as overextended (similarity 0.84)
• Nominal Abyssinian incursions led Britain to trim its Somali territory. (similarity 0.81)
• Italy acquired its Somali protectorates through private treaties with clan sultans (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Italy armed its own future adversary through the Ucciali treaty. #expands (0.80) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 165
• Nominal Abyssinian incursions led Britain to trim its Somali territory. #expands (0.50) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 750