The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-25 00:00:00

THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION.

At the meeting of the Geographical Society, on Monday
evening, two communications were read from Mr. MARK-
HAM, one of the honorary secretaries of the society, who
had accompanied the scientific portion of the expedition
into Abyssinia, describing the geographical results to the
22nd of January. The general features of the country
have been preViously described, and the chief value of
Mr. Markham's communications consisted in the details
of the character of the rocks, the elevations of
the different mountain passes, and the meteoro-
logical phenomena. An enlarged map of the coun-
try, from Annesley Bay to Magdala, served to illustrate
the various parts of the paper. The mot important point
in reference to the success of the expedition was the
statement, founded on his personal experience, of the
mountain passes in many parts of South America and in
India, that the access to the elevated table-land of Abys-
sinia through the defiles from the plain is much more easy
than through any mountain passes he had traversed. The
height of the Abyssinian Alps, as he termed them, is
about 10,000 feet, and Senafts is situated 6,000 feet abova
the level of the sea. The vegetation is very rich at that
altitude, and partakes of the character of the flora of
England and of Italy. The mountains consist of shisteze
rocks covered with sandstone, which rise -in elevated

peaks, and they are frequently intersected by ve:ns of
quartz. The whole country bears indication of having
been subjected to volcanic action, and one volcano was
mentioned as being in a state of activity. So far a.c; Mr.
Markham's communications bore on the probable success
of the expedition, in regard to. overcoming natural ob-
stacles, it was very favourable. The communications were
illustrated by numerous photogray hs.
Sir STAFFORD NORTIICOTE spoke of the great services
Mr. Markham had rendered to the Council for India,
and the inconvenience the office had experienced
from his absence, which he considered a sacrifice to
science. Alluding to the progress of the expeditiOn,
Sir Stafford said that this had been an exceptional
season, the drought having been greater than usual, and
the locusts more numerous, so that the difficulties to be
contended against had been greater than expected, but
evelything was now in a fair way for a successful advance
into the interior. He said that the prompt payment for all
the articles supplied by the natives had agreeably sur-
prised them, and it bad stimulated the supply of provisions
to the camp throughout the country ; therefore, instead of
the temporary occupation of the troops occasioning any
dearth, it had added to the quantity of provisions and

forage, which was accumulated there from great distances.
Ti:ven milk and butter were now brought in daily to the
camp. Though the unforeseen obstacles he had alluded to

had occasioned unexpected delay, he had no doubt whatever
that the object for which the expedition was undertaken
would be completed within as short a time as could have
been reasonably anticipated. One of the effects of inter-
course with the natives had been to impress them with a
high sense of the power of Great Britain ; and Sir Stafford
North-cote mentioned, as an instance of this, the great
astonishment which one of the chiefs had expressed when
shewn by Sir Robert Napier that they could convert the
sea into drinking water.

Sir SAMUEL BAKER described graphically the western
ridges of the chain of mountains from which flow the
sources of the Blue Nile. The ascent on that side from
the elevated plateau was, he said, almost perpendicular to
a height of 8,000 feet, and the watershed during the rainy
season must be almost impassable, as it was traversed by
mountain torrents which the expedition would have
to cross. Unless they took possession of Magdala before
the rains commenced, of which there was little chance, he
thought it would be impossible to approach it this year.
He looked forward, therefore, to great delay, and to the
expenditure of a larger sum of money than anticipated by
the Governmtnt before its object was accomplished. He
expressed doubt," indeed, whether the captives would be
ever released ; for King Theodore would retreat with them
into parts of the mountains where he could not be fol-
lowed, and hold them as hostages ; or, if he could not do
that, he would put them to death. He described the level
country on the western side of the mountains as the most
fertile region of the earth, the produce of which might•be
transmitted by the Nile ; and he thought it would be
throwing away great advantages, both commercially and
philanthropically, if, after gaining possession of Abyssinia,
England did not retain it, to compensate for the 10 or 20
millions which the expedition would cost. One bat effect
of abandoning the country would be the loss of prestige in
India, for when the army returned, though they might
march through the towns with music playing and flags
flying, it would be the impression of the natives that they
had been driven out of Abyssinia.
Sir HENRY RAWLINSON pointed on the map to a route
that might be taken by the expedition on the eastern ridge
of the mountains without crossing the streams which Sir
S. Baker considered would prove insurmountable obstacles
after the commencement of the rainy season. Along that
ridge the army might advance easily to Magdala, and, so
far as the difficulties of the route were concerned, he
thought they had now been nearly surmounted. He did
not go so far as Sir S. Baker in wishing that England
should retain possession of Abyssinia, as that would be
contrary to the acknowledged policy of this country, but
he thought it would be very desirable to retain a footing on
the sea-shore, as some port in that part of the Red Sea was
much wanted.

Sir STAFFORD NORTIICOTE rose to state, lest it should be
sapposed.that silence gave consent, that so long as the
present Government remained in power neither the whole.
sale scheme of occupation proposed by Sir S. Baker, nor
the minor proposition of Sir Henry Rawlinson, would be
adopted ; but as soon as the object for which the expedition
had been undertaken was accomplished the troops would
be entirely withdrawn from the country.
After a few words from Mr. Crawfurd, the meetm
-iiourned.

The fire in Portman-market was remotely due to
Saturday night's gale. Just at closing time the wind blew
a shop
Mind against a jet of gas ; the blind caught fire,
was hastily rolled up and put away under a counter, and
the shop was closed. An hour after the house was in a
blaze, it is thought, from a few sparks still left in the blind
when it was put away. Only one of the twenty-three
tradespeople burned out was insured, and these represent
a total of something like a hundred persons who are now
on the brink of destitution. A meeting on their behalf is
to be held on Friday night.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT A FIRE. —A great portion
of the woollen mills of Messrs. Jonathan Crawford and
Sons, East street, Leeds, was lately on fire from some
cause which as yet has not bem ascertained). The corpo-
ration fire brigade, with Mr. Wetherell, chief constable, at
their head, were soon in attendance, and the flames were
confined to that portion of the building in which they hail
broken nut. One of the outer walls fell, and a portion
which then remained in a dangerw:s state was pulled down
purposely. The workmen little thought that they were
adding to a pile of ruins that had already fallen upon and
killed one of their fellow-workmen. About eleven o'clock
it became known that a man named James Stockdale
was missing, and after a search his lifeless and mutilated
body was found among the ruins. He had been absent
from work a fortnight through illness. The damage done
at the mill is estimated at wore than £l,OOO, but Messrs.
Crawford arc insured.