Between 1884 and June 1885, however, Italy pressed Britain to agree to an Italian occupation of Zeila and Harar. In June 1885, Lord Granville indicated that notwithstanding the de jure sovereignty of Turkey over these, Britain would not oppose an Italian bid. By this time, however, the Italian parliament would not accept an Italian occupation.

I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Som…, loc. 741