The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-04-09 00:00:00

THE ITALIAN-ABYSSINIAN QUARREL.

A correspondent at Cairo writes as follows: "It is

no news tat the Italians, who have held peaceful
possession of Massowa and its environs for two years;
were suddenly attacked, on the second anniversary of
tkeir occupntion, by Ras Alooa at the head of an
overwhelming force, and suffered a very great dis-
aster. Reinforcements have been despatched to
Massowa, and we may shortly hear of a renewal of
hostilities; yet no one has inquired into the cause
of this sudden rupture. The reason for it, though
little known, is easily explained. A ifew years ago
Admiral Sir William Hewett, when commanding in.
the Red Sea, was despatched by the British Govern-
ment on a diplomatic mission to King Johannes.
Under his auspices and with the assistance of Captain
Speedy, the well-known traveller, a treaty was drawn
up between Egypt and Abyssinia, which was subse-
quently ratified, When the Italians took over
Massowa from Egypt with the sanction of the British
Government, they were supposed to subscribe
to the terms of the treaty, which assured
certain important privileges to King Johannes.
Among other things, the Egyptian', and
consequently the Italian, occupation should be con-
fined to the island of Massowa and the M'Kullu Fort
on the mainland. The adjacent territory was declared
to be neutral ground as far as Ailet, about 26 miles
inland, which marked the boundary-line. Notwith-
standing the existence of this agreement, the Italians
occupied and strongly fortified daati, a central post
midway between M'Kullu and Ailet, and sent a party
of engineers across the border into the Bogos country,
which had been ceded to Abyssinia. This party was
promptly captured by order of the King, who sent Ras
Aloola to reconnoitre. Ras Aloola made a military
reconnaissance towards Saati, and lost some men in
killed and wounded. He then sent a messenger to
Massowa to inquire of General Gene whether he
wished for peace or war; adding that in the former
case the Italians must evacuate Saati, respect the
neutral ground, and confine themselves within the
strict limits prescribed by the treaty. The
General courteously supplied his enemy's
wants, but .declined peace on these terms, and
when Ras Aloola observed that the Italians
were sending up supplies and munitions of war to
Saati, he attacked and annihilated the convoy. It is
quite comprehensible that the Italians do not care for
peace on the terms proposed. Their nth(/' &etre on
the African coast is not to garrison a wretched island
in the worst locality in the Red Sea, but to develop
the resources of the country by encouraging trade
with the interior through Massowa. King Johannes
had long complained of Egyptian obstruction, and
Admiral Hewett's mission was undertaken with the
object of protecting the Abyssinians from such ob-
struction, and affording them every legitimate facility
for trade through Massowa. The treaty, like the
Capitulations under which Egypt is now suffering,
was a necessity for the time; but when ceding the
place to Italy, England should at least have notified
the termination of the contract, for the breach of
which she is morally responsible. Under the present
conditions no treaty can be imagined more likely to
produs e dissensions and border warfare than that
drawn up by our gallant admiral."