The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-05 00:00:00

Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Yesterday a meeting of this institution was held
at its house, John-street, Adelphi ; Thomas Chap-
man, Esq., F.R.5.,V.P., in the chair. There were
also present Sir Edward Perrott, Bart. ; W. H.
Harton, Esq. ;, Admiral Sir Vim. Hall, K.C.B. ;
Capt. De St. Croix, Admiral M'Hardy, Colonel
Palmer, and Richard Lewis, Esq., the secretary of
the institution.

The minutes of the previous meeting having been
read, a reward of £4 10s. was voted to the crew of
the society's Rhoscolyn lifeboat, for going off on the
sth ult., in a gale of wind and very heavy sea, and
assisting to take to a place of safety the schooner
Hope, of Beaumaris, and her crew of three men,
which vessel was in a perilous position in Cymmuran
Bay, Anglesey. Various other rewards were also
granted to the crews of the institution's lifeboats at
Lytham, Lancashire, and Cahore, Ireland, for put-
ting off during rough weather with the view of
rendering assistance to the crews of distressed vessels.
A reward of £4 was likewise voted to the crew of
a shore-boat,- for rescuing in a leavras&—ties
crew of four men from the sloop Woolpacket, of
Dartmouth, which was wrecked on Barnstaple Bar.
Other rewards were also granted for saving life
from different wrecks on our coasts. It was
ieported that during the past month the institution
had sent new lifeboats to Redcar, Yorkshire, Seaton
Carew, Durham, and West Wittering, Sussex. The
several railway anel steam packet companies had
kindly granted the boats a free conveyance to their
destinations. The Redcar lifeboat was taken to
Burton-on-Trent on the way to its station, and a
grand demonstration took place there on the occa-
sion of the presentation and launch of the boat.
The West IVittering lifeboat was also publicly in-
augurated on the 20th ult., at which the Bishop of
Chichester assisted. The late Miss Mary Short-
ridge, of Cleadon, Durham, had left the society a
legacy of £5O, free of duty. It was also stated
that a contribution of £5OO had been received from
the City of Worcester Lifeboat Fund, through Cap-
tain Saumarez Frazer, R.N., iu aid of the Ban-
bridge, Isle of Wight, lifeboat station. £4OO had
also been handed to the institution on account of
the lifeboat fund raising among licensed victuallers
on behalf of the new lifeboat establishment about to
be formed at Hunstanton, on the coast of
Norfolk. £3OO were also contributed for a new life
boat for Dundalk, Ireland, from the Stockport Sun-
day School Lifeboat Fund. New lifeboat houses
were ordered to be erected at St. Ives
(Cornwall), llunstanton, and Stromness, N.B. The
institution decided to place a new lifeboat at
Kessingland, on the coast of Suffolk. Payments
amounting to £1,900 were ordered to be made on
various lifeboat establishments. Mr. Lewis, the
secretary of the institution, reported that he had,
on the occasion of the great ceremony on Monday
last, in the Palais d'lnlustrie, Paris, received from
the hands of the Emperor of the French the Grand
Prize of Honour awarded to the National Lifeboat
Institution in acknowledgment of its great services
to sailors of all nations when shipwrecked on our
shores. The medal is a magnificent work of art,
and weighs about 12oz. 11. R 11. the Prince of
Wales, who sat next the Sultan, who was on the
right of the .Emperor, appeared much pleased at
his great tribute to the English Lifeboat Institu-
tion, he having recently presided over its annual
meeting at the Mansion-house. Reports were read
from the inspector and assistant-inspector of life
boats to the society on their recent visits to different
stations. Most favourable accounts had been
received of several of the safety fishing-boats of
the institution. The proceedings then terminated.

PRICK.... 4d.
sTA hiriCll sd.

111.1/: Wllll Al IF SN N

__+_

The following lettcr has been addresled to the
editor of the rincs:—

Sir,—At length it seems that we are fast drifting
into war with the Emperor Theodore. It is there-
fore important to consider how such a war is best
to be carried on. And I am of opinion that by our
availing ourselves of the assistance of some one of
the insurgent chiefs, the cost and the work of an
expedition would be greatly reduced, while success
would be more surely and more rapidly attained.
In your impression of July 25, 1866, I gave an
account of the state of parties in Abyssinia at the
time of my return from that country a short time
previously. Since then the changes have all been
in favour of the insurgents and against the Emperor
Theodore, whose army is now reduced to a' few
thousand men, and whose territories are little more
than the country in the actual occupation of isi*
soldiers.

Of all the insurgent chiefs the one to be pre-
ferred is Gobazye, the Waag Shun, or Prince of
Wang, in Lasts, who is the actual ruler of North-
eastern Abyssinia, or that portion of the empire
contiguous to Massowah and the sea coast, and
whose personal claims to the imperial throne are far
superior to those of any of his competitors.
Enclosed I beg leave to send you a- copy of a
memoir on the right of Waag Shum Gobazye, which
I addresSed froth-I-falai to a person of high rank in
on April27th, 1866, at which time, as is
recorded in the Tiines of July Bth, 1866, I ex-
pressed my misgivings (since, unfortduately, more
than realised) as to the fate of Mr. Rassain's mis-
sion. It the present juncture I would hope that
this memoir may be deemed worthy of insertion in
your columns.—l am, Sir, your very obedient ser-
vant, CHARLES BEKE.
Bekesbourne, July 3.

" MEMOIR.

►► The antiquity and former rank, wealth, and
power of the Empire of Ethiopia, or Abyssinia, are
matters of history. Its inhabitants received Chris-
tianity in the time of the Boman Emperor Con-
stantine, and intimate relations continued to sub-
sist between the Byzantine Empire and Ethiopia till
the rise and advance of Mohammedanism shut the
latter out from the Western Worll.

" Without dwelling on the details of the internal
history of Abyssinia, it will be sufficient to state
that about 1,000 years ago the line of Christian
sovereigns claiming descent from Menilek, the son
cf Solomon, King of Israel, and the Queen of
Sheba, was violently set aside by a female Falasha
(lsraelitish) usurper named Judith, who massacred
all the members, save one, of the Imperial family,
and whose descendants • occupied the throne for
nearly 200 years. About the time of the Norman
conquest of England this intrusive dynasty was
superseded by a Christian sovereign of the house of
Zagye, whose origin was in Lasta, and whose de-
scendants continued to reign till the year 1268,
when one of the most remarkable events in the his-
tory of any nation is said to have occurred.
"The reigning Emperor Nakwetolaab, at the
instance of the famous native saint, Abuua Tekla
Haimanot, voluntarily abdicated the throne of
Ethiopia in favour of Aikuna Amlak, who claimed
to be descended from the sole survivor of the family
of Menilek. In return for this abdication Nakwe-
tolaab and his descendants were recognised as in-
dependent sovereigns in Waag, the chief province
of Lasta, subject only to the suzerainty of the em-
perors, and with the agreement that if the line of
Aikuna Amlak should ever fail that of Nakwetolaab
should resume the throne. The latter had further
the following personal privileges accorded to them.
They might enter the inner court of the palace with
their drums beating ; might come before the Em-
peror without uncovering the upper part of the
body and rolling the robe round the waist ; might
be seated at meals before the tables were served (all
other persons standing) ; and might occupy a chair
of State at side of the Emperor's throne, according
to the Abyssinian saying : —4Negus la Wabar,
Waagshum la Maubar.'
" These privileges were retained inviolate by the
Waagshums or princes of Waag till the time of the
present usurper Theodore, who barbarously muti-
lated and then hanged Waagshum Gebra Medhin,

the father of the present Waagshum Gobazye, and
annulled all his rights and privileges.
" For 600 years from the accession of Aikuna
Amlak the throne of Ethiopia was occupied by the
lineal descendants of that monarch, whose power
and authority, however, kept gradually on the
wane ; till at length, towards the close of the 18th
century, the once absolute Emperors of Ethiopia,
like the last Merovingian Kings of France, became
mere tools in the hands of their inaires du palais,
who bore the title of Rus, a dignity which for more
than half a century was hereditary in the family of
Ras Guksa. The form of placing a puppet Empe-
ror on the throne was continued till Ras Ali, Guksa's
grandson, was conquered by his son-in-law, Dedjatj
Kassai, of Kwara, who having subjugated all his
rivals, and scorning the secondary title of Ras, caused
himself to be crowned Emperor by the name of
Theodore U. In doing so he pretended to be the
Monarch of that name, who, according to a native
prophecy, is to divide the Eastern World with the
Emperors of ' Rome'—that is to say, the Eastern
Roman Empire—he being crowned at Jerusalem ;
while the Emperor of Russia, as the head of the
Roman' Empire, is to be crowned at Constantinople,
and in his time all the world is to become Christian.

" This vast scheme, which is rather an appropria-
tion than a fulfilment of the native prophecy, is of
foreign origin. It would be out of place here to
trace it to its source ; but it may be stated as a fact
that the Abyssinians generally did not accept the
present usurper as the true "Theodore' of prophecy,
who is to come from the East, whereas Rassai's native
country, Kwara, is in the West ; that it was only in
consequence of his wonderful successes at first that
they submitted to close their eyes to the discrepancy;
and that in consequence of his excessive tyranny,
cruelty, and oppression—so diametrically opposed
to the attributes of the Christian Monarch they
were led to expect—they now style him Pharaoh,
King of Egypt,' and sigh for the Moses who is to
deliver them from the hands of their oppressor.
"To look for such a deliverer among
the degene-
rate descendants of Aikuna Amlak would be use-
less. Since the death of the Emperor Tekla
Ilaimanot 11., now just a century ago, they have
ceased to occupy by succession the throne of their
illustrious ancestors, having
.been placed on it and
removed from it at the caprice of every powerful
chief who could gain possession of the capital and
desired the title of Ras or Vizer as a cloak to his
actual power. So frequent, indeed, have
Eipebeentrhoesrs,e
changes that there were as many as six , n
living at one time despised and neglected ; and the
existing members of this family are become so
thoroughly lowered and contemptible, and their
right to the throne so completely ignored, that not
one of them could hope to bring a dozen soldiers to
rally round the standard of the Lion of the tribe of
Judah,' were he to unfurl it—an act of madness
which would inevitably insure his immediate and
violent death.

" Under these circumstances, the line of Aikuna
Amlak may be considered as virtually extinct, and
the existing hereditary Prince of Waag, Gobazyc,
as the descendant and representative of the Emperor
Nakwetolaab, has consequently a right to resume
the throne abdicated by his ancestor, under the con-
tract which sir. centuries ago reserved that throne to
his descendants in the event which may be regarded
as having now occurred.
" llalai, Abyssinia, April 27, 1866."

THE SHEFFIELD OIiTRAGES.—Some further 016-
deuco was taken before the Sheffield Commission yester-
day, and the inquiry was adjourned until Saturday, when
Mr. Ovorond and his colleagues are expected to close their
labours as far as the examination of witnesses is concerned.

"/

--

conT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

A Court of Common Council was held yesterday
in the Egyptian Hall at the Mansion House, at
which Alderman Sir F. Moon presided as locum
tenons of the Lord Mayor.
THE TRAFFIC ON LONDON-BRIDGE. _ .

Mr. E. D. Roc.r.us said lie should be glad to put
a question to the chairman of the Bridge House
Estates Committee in reference to the repairs that
were at present going on in the roadway of lion-
don-brilge. The greatest poaiihle inconvenience
was omi;iiont.il to thy' public \while these repairs were
going on, and lie wished to know whether it was
not po.,:sible to get through the work more quickly,
either by employing additional hands, or by adopt-
ing the same plan as in Paris, of employing relays
of workmen to go on with the work during the
night. He said it was most essential for the conve-
nience, if not for the safety, of the public that the
work should be completed as speedily as possible.
Mr. S. RICHARDS, the chairnian of the Bridge
House Estates Committee, said that the committee
were most anxious to have the paving of the bridge
completed as speedily as possible. He could assure
the hon. member that if either of the suggestions he
had referred to could be carried out, the committee
would be most anxious to do so, and he would con-
y* the architect upon the subject. (Hear, bear.)
Later in the day a petition was presented by Mr.
Medwin from a number of season ticket holders and
other passengers travelling by the London, Brigh-
ton, and South Coast Railway, praying the court to
take some steps to relieve the foot traffic upon the
bridge, and suggesting that a footway might be
erected at the side of the bridge, which would have
the effect of preventing a great deal of the inconve-
nience that existed at present. Mr. Medwiu pro-
posed that the petition should be referred to the
Bridge House Estates Committee for them to con-
sider the statements madein it, and report thereon
to the court.

Mr. H. L. TATI.OII,_Rut .some questions to
the petitioners who attended to support it,
with a view to show that by the pro-
posed amalgamation between the South-East-
ern Railway Company and the London and
Brighton Railway, the effect of which would
be to enable both companies to convey passengers
to Cannon-street, a great deal of the inconvenience
that at present existed would be avoided. He then
said he objected to the petition going to committee,
because he did not see that any good would come
of it. The same proposition to erect an iron foot-
bridge at the side of the present bridge was brought
forward some years ago, and was abandoned, be-
cause it was found utterly impracticable to carry it
out. He was willing to admit that London-bridge
was crowded, and he must say that he was glad to
see it. The real question, however, was whether
the inconvenience was so great as to justify them in
disfiguring the bridge in the manner that was pro-
posed. (Hear, hear.) The original architect of
the bridge strongly objected to disfiguring the
bridge in the manner that was proposed ; and
although it would, no doubt, be a nice little job for
some other gentleman to carry out, it appeared to
him that the court ought not to sanction such a
proposition, and he should therefore move, as an
amendment, that the petition lie on the table.
Deputy OBBARD and Mr. LAWLEY supported the
motion for the subject to be referred to a committee,
on the ground that the corporation was bound to
prevent the public from sustaining inconvenience
by all the means in their power, and the committee
would have au opportunity, at all events, of seeing
if anything could be done to carry out the object
of the petitioners.
The amendment of Mr. Lowmeu Taylor was,
however, eventually agreed to.
TIIE EMPEROR MAXIMILIAN.
Alderman SIDNEY announced to the court that
the news of the melancholy death of the Emperor
Maximilian had been confirmed, and that, in con:
sequence of it, the review that was to have taken
place in Hyde-park on the following day had been
postponed.
The announcement was received in silence, and
evidently caused great sensation in the court.

THE LATEST EDITION of "'TIE SUN."
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THE SUN " as soon as published —No. 16, llsmpstead-
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