The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-18 00:00:00

COURSING.

COURSING MEETINGS TO 00M.B.
t3EPTEMBEH.
Name. Judge. Days of Ilunnin4
Brampton. Cumberland Mr. Warwick

• OCTOBER.
Aneaster and Willoughby,
Lincolnshire • .11r. Spofford

WAR WITH ABYSSINIA.

The following letter has been addressed to tike
editor of the Times :

Sir,—The opinion has been expressed in the
columns of more than one of your contemporaries
that in the war with the Emperor Theodore now
imminent, a large army would be necessary. Ten
thousand soldiers of all arms are commonly spoken
of, and even as many as 15,000 men have been sug-
gested. These, with the concomitants, would
amount to a considerable force, and would cost the
nation an enormous sum of money..
The idea of the necessity for such a large force
can only arise from an insufficient acquaintance
with the power and resources of the rulers of Abys-
sinia. Whatever these may have been in past ages
they have become so weakened and exhausted by in-
ternecine wars that the present Emperor and the
entire country under his nomiag sway' (even were
it united,and in subjection, instead of being split
up into parties all, in open rebellion) could not offer
any serious resistance to a well armed and disci-
plined European force quite insignificant in num-
bers according to our European Lotions.
The Portuguese expedition into Abyssinia to-
wards the middle of the 16th century will best illus-
trate what is thus advanced.

In
of thels4l,uly,ted v
cDeloenbCrahris topahscero
da Gam
a,
, enteredyoungest
Abyssinia
brother
with 450 musketeers and six small pieces
of artillery, his object being to assist the Christian
Emperor Claudius against the Mahomedan King of
the neighbouring country of Adel, Ahmed Granye
("Mahomed Gragne"), who, with assistance
obtained from the Turks, then all-powerful in the
Red Sea, had invaded Abyssinia, conquered the
native troops in repeated battles, and overrun and
devastated most of the provinces of the empire.
Da Gama first met the enemy in Tigre on the
25th of March of the following year (1542), when
a conflict took place of no importance, except that
the Portuguese kept their ground and the Mahome-
dans retreated. -
Having united his forces with those of the
Empress, Don Christopher marched southwards and
encamped in Woffla, a district of Lasta, near the
edge of the Abyssinian tableland, the enemy taking
up his quarters in Zobul, the neighbouring low
country to the eastward of Lasta. In the first in-
stance the native force of Ahmed Granye ("Ahmed
the Left-handed") had consisted of 15,000 foot
and 1,500 horse, with 200 Turkish musketeers; but
he subsequently obtained large reinforcements from
the Turkish Pasha of Zebid, on the opposite shore
of the Red Sea, consisting of 3,000 Turkish in-
fantry, of whom as many as 700 (or, according to
one account, 900) were musketeers, with ten pieces
of artillery, besides numerous volunteers from
Arabia. Don Christopher's army, on the other
hand, consisted of his 450 Portuguese musketeers,
with, it is true, numerous attendants and camp
followers, to whom were joined about 12,000 native
Abyssinian foot soldiers armed with spears, and a
few horsemen: His field-pieces were only six in
number, and these in no good condition.
The two armies met in WofflA on the 30th of
August, 1512, when a pitched battle ensued. At
the first discharge of the Turkish artillery the whole
of Da Gaina's Abyssinian allies precipitately fled.
The Portuguese, though thus left,to fight single-
handed against so overwhelming a force, offered a
long and determined resistance till they lost 160 0
their number, and their brave leader being wounded
was taken prisoner and beheaded by the conqueror..
This reverse was soon Sand sigtfally revenged
The Turkish Contingent from Arabia having
been withdrawn in consequence of disputes
between the Moslem commanders, Ahined
Granye was left to his.own native resources, and
the Portuguese now reduced to about 400 in num-
ber, having joined the Emperor Claudius, a pitched
battle was fought between the Christian and Maho-
medau armies on the 10th of February, 1513, when
the latter were completely defeated and put to
flight, Ahmed himsel remaining dead on the fkld.
From the foregoing details it will be perceived
that the temporary defeat of the Portuguese did not
arise from any superiority on the part of Ahmel
Granye himself, but was c tused by
the presence of
his Turkish auxiliaries, who, besides po
larger number of muskets and guns, were probably
not much inferior in discipline to the Portuguese
themselves. It was, in fact, as if at the present day
the Emperor Theodore were aided by the Viceroy
of Egypt, instead of the case being thaV this Prince
could only be glad of an opportunity to unite his
forces to ours in the invasion of Abyssinia.
Left to his own native resources, tho Emperor
Th6odore would be even less able to cope with an
European force than was Ahmed, the Left-handed,
himself. Capt. Cameron, writing from Magdala as
lately as the 17th of last April, states that the Em-
peor had then but 5,0U0 followers, and
the country
that in his
opinion 2,000 filibusters could conquer
and 3,000 regular troops hold ani settle it. For
my own part, were the invading European force not
much larger than that of Don Christopher de Garna.
I should not despair of their penetrating
and taking it single handed. With the aid of
Waagslium Grobazye, the actual ruler of Tigre and
Lasta, through which provinces they would have to
to Magdala
mar3h on that fortress, their task would become
quite au easy one.—
servant, am, Sir, your very obedient
servant,
CHARLES BEKE.
Bekesbourne, July 16.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENOE.—This Day.

LONDON', July 18.- -Wind this day at noon—South-
Westerly; strong breeze and cloudy weather, with rain in
the morning.
Off Hui ST CASTLE, Juno 18 —Arrived—Teutonia, screw
steamer, from New York. •
FALItouTn, July 17.—Arrived—Nueva Unione, from
St. Jago de Cuba.
BatsToL, J uly 17.—Arrived—Mary Dundas, from Sa-
vannah. -