Afrikaans: In die tydperk 1822 tot 1875 het Groot-Brittanje verskeie aansprake rakende
eienaarskap op die suidelike gedeelte van Delagoabaai gemaak wat tot ‘n aantal
insidente met Portugal gelei het. Hierdie aansprake het nie ‘n spesifieke patroon
gevolg nie.
Kaptein William Fitzwilliam Owen kan as die grondlegger van Britse aansprake op
die suidelike gedeelte van Delagoabaai beskou word. Sy ooreenkomste met die
inheemse leiers van Tembe en Maputo in 1823 het die grondslag vir Britse
aansprake op die suidelike gedeelte van Delagoabaai gelê.
Portugese protes teen Owen se aggressiewe bevordering van Britse belange in
Delagoabaai het reeds in 1826 tot die eerste korrespondensie op diplomatieke vlak
gelei. Hierdie korrespondensie, en veral die verskil in interpretasie oor die Anglo-
Portugese konvensie van 1817, sou in 1875 die grondslag van die Delagoabaaiarbitrasie
vorm.
Hernude Britse belangstelling in die handelsmoontlikhede van die suidelike gedeelte
van Delagoabaai het in November 1861 tot die Britse besetting van Inyackeiland in
die monding van die baai gelei. President M.W. Pretorius se poging in 1868 om die
Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek se grondgebied tot Delagoabaai uit te brei en sy
daaropvolgende erkenning van Portugal se aanspraak op die suidelike gedeelte van
die baai, het protes van die Britse regering ontlok. Langdurige Anglo-Portugese
onderhandelinge het uiteindelik tot ‘n gesamentlike besluit gelei om hul opponerende
aansprake aan die arbitrasie van die Franse president, maarskalk Patrice
MacMahon, voor te lê. Op 27 Julie 1875 het MacMahon uitspraak ten gunste van
Portugal gelewer.
In the period of 1822 to 1875, Great Britain made various claims regarding
ownership of the southern part of Delagoa Bay which led to a number of incidents
with Portugal. These claims did not follow any specific pattern.
Captain William Fitzwilliam Owen can be regarded as the champion of the British
claim to the southern part of Delagoa Bay. His agreements with tribal leaders of
Tembe and Maputo in 1823 lay the foundation for the British claim to the southern
part of Delagoa Bay.
Portuguese protests against Owen’s aggressive advancement of British interests in
Delagoa Bay led to the first correspondence on diplomatic level in 1826. This
correspondence and especially the difference of interpretation of the Anglo-
Portuguese convention of 1817, would form the foundation of the Delagoa Bay
arbitration in 1875.
Renewed British interest in the possibility of trade relations with the southern part of
Delagoa Bay led to the British occupation of Inyack Island in the mouth of the Bay in
November 1861. The attempts of President M.W. Pretorius in 1868 to expand the
Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek’sZ.A.R.’s territory to Delagoa Bay and his recognition
of Portugal’s claim to the southern part of the bay, led to protestation from the British
government. Lengthy Anglo-Portuguese negotiations would eventually lead to a
combined decision to have the issue of their opposing claims arbitrated by the
French president, Marshal Patrice MacMahon. On 27 July 1875 MacMahon decided
in favour of the Portuguese.
