20 tons of gas shipped through Suez by Italy , Eden ' s disclosure at Geneva . Two hundred tons of gas had been shipped by Italy through the Suez Canal , Mr Anthony Eden , British Foreign Minister stated to the Committee of Thirteen the League of Nations conciliation committee which met at Geneva to consider Italo - Abyssinian peace proposals . Mr Eden asked that there should be an immediate investigation by competent observers and urged that both Italy and Abyssinia should be requested to give a pledge not to use gas . Photo shows , Anthony Eden smiling across the council room at the Committee of thirteen meeting in Geneva . 10 April 1936