The New York herald., 1868-03-26

who had just sent them on under strong escort to
fron three distinct sources Of information Menelek
King Of Shoa who was said TO have been worsted by
Theodore and driven away, seems TO have taken
heart OF grace and 10 be again returning 10 the
charge.
Sir Robert Napier's despatch to the government
tells us it was reported at Magdala that Meneek had
left Shoa for that city, for the purpose OF acting
against our enemy Theodore Another % telegram Us %
coming through the London correspondent of New
York paper also states that Menelek and some other
chief called Waeheite, whoever he may be- were sur
ont date the latter bears date nom Antalo on the
18th OF last month Besides these we have Reuters
telegram OF the 2sth uitimo from suez which states
1t was "rumored" there that Menelek was again ad-
vancing on Magdala with an army Of no less than
10000 men. -
one-Theodore himself was advancing with an
arm Of thirty thousand it is TO be inferred against
our own troops, but that he could not march Tower
we learn that fSsodore's progress @ S towards @ Mag Mag
das w was Slow
reach Magdala at any time There is, indeed,
some apparent discrepancy between the two state.
Theodore was marching from, and according to
the other upon Magdala The head OF the British ad-
vance woald appeal least 50 we gather from the
American telegram, which Is somewhat oracular in
its brevity and obscurity-to be Fifteen days short
marches, from Magdala. But here another dificulty
Antalo''-the place whence the missive Is Dated
Again, as Theodore cannot march over three miles
could not with all our difculties and snpetne,,ta
80 that II we take three miles for days march this
would give us forty miles. But the fact Is these
incohorent unintelligibe, are in some respects
almost beyond the reach OF Interpretation, or even
The American telegram, however, is In some
things by far the most interesting and communi-
atiye Of the batch. An extract will at once illus
intelligence, and afrording specimen Of the style
IN which 1t is Conveyed" Arrived with the
fen nas sSe Ssst ns Rssss nsF' q @
on the 10th tFebl to propose peace. Grand
review Of native chiefs then. Envoy from Kassai
We are in the enemy's country now Stragglers
shot. Six Arabs shot Enemy mutilated them hor-
1t would seem that the work was getting hot.
Sir Robert Napiers telegram states that the infor-
nation that had been received afforded clue to
but II, as the American telegram declares he is
advancing with thirty thousand men, there
noi % mmc1 & room ns for dons on the subject we
will make fight of It; not, however pitched battle
IN which he will let the issue rest on the point Of the
able to carry out taking every advantage the diff
ncnties Of the country and his knowledge Of it give
This WILL no doubt be his system Of tactics unless
indeed, he could make rush with overwhelming
numbers. But II his enemy, and an ally, Menelek,
VIII have plenty OF work on his hands, and embar-
easements enough to tax his cunning and his cour-
The shooting of straggers, the shorrible, mutila-
ton OF the dead and the disappearance OF three
English oficers-1 the account be true-may serve
TO give US some idea of what we have to expect
In the war that Is just beginning to open in
good earnest. Nominally we may be at war with
death struggle with horde Of savages, headed by
2 man who. in point OF humanity and go cd faith,
IS about On par with the , chief 1 Of tribe Of wild
his European captiyeS 1t Is because 10 would not
have been polite to do SO. While he holds them safe
he knows 1t is not too late for negotiation. The
question is, whether, in case he suffers a serious
defeat and finds his power utterly broken and gone,
he will not sacrifice them to his spirit of African
What this war will cost, how long 1t will last
whether we shall be able toget anything in the shape
Whether we shall eet what was nrimariiy the sole
object Of the expedition namely the restoration OF
the captives, safe and sound, 1t Is diicut nay i'm
are sure to get II we like, and II 1t should be
thought worth having, and that is, as much
%e H this choose Sa Of to the wsy sS% Suny S1a sU
such an acquisition would be something like the &C
QUESTION Of the "white elephant" 1t would be no
o With
might ind their jealousy turned into ridicule. They
though u
vious, and charge perdious Albion with all sorts Of
And herein lies our difnculty. II the country we
would be az fair as justihable and as desirable as
any acquisition OF an enemys country ever yet.
There Is hardly foreign colony or possession
belonging to England France or any other
legitimate way than q part Of AbyssInia would
be II we chose to hold the territories we have
s
this war by the worst and provocaton, and
who will no more be able to pay us the costs, what
dozen millions, than we ourselves are to pay on the
national debt in gold tomorrow. There never
wss l. stronger ws oe o. " insist
manent occupation. The only question, therefore,
s would :, i Pay Mould II BE- the least 1a or the ne
geria the PrussanH, who have Just seized Hanover
and Hesse and Nassau and Frankfort, would not be
entitled to throw the first stone at us II we found it
in our possession, instead of money which our
enemy, Theodore does not possess to pay us with.
tell at present what the actual OF events will
be except that according to all appearances the war
formerly that was IN
much greater difficulties than he really seems to be-
II he could obtain, or even only fancy he had OBJ
the prol0ngation Of the contest II would make our
foe arrogant and presumptuous, and render such
terms a. alone We could accede to quite impracti-
II we could innict upon him speedy and crushing
defeat his ruin would be hastened because his
native friends, with characteristic fidelity would
be sure to desert him. and his enemies with charac-
teristic generosity, would be sure to fail upon
MIN. InB WOuu NO OOuDL pave the way
for us to march whithersoever we listed: but il
might still 60 hard with the prisoners, who might be
sacrificed TO the wounded pride and furious revenge
of this African king. r
But until ne has been made to feel our power more
than he has done as yet, there s not much hope OF
Theodore listening to reason and coming to terms.
Every possible forbearAnce has been shown him,
with other effect than increasing his arrogance
and making him set rs at defiance.
He is quite shrewd enough To know the advantages
which his knowledge Of the country and our igno-
rance OF it gives him over us, and he seems deter
mined to make the most OF our ditficuties On the
other side, we ought to make the most OF whatever
advantage our power may give MS. We have been
dragged into the entirely through the fault and
fury Of this savage potentate, and It would not be
just the people Of this country let the burden OF
expense fall upon them instead Of exacting 1t, by
one mode Of payment or another, from our enemy,
tFrom the London Telegraph, March IL
Authentic news was received yesterday, showing
that, three weeks since, Antal0 was the most ad.
vanced post Of the British army In Abyssina- The
leading brigade which left Senate at the end OF
January, had marched above q hundred and
twenty miles through an uncxplored country In
about q fortnight, rest days included. Some de-
ducton must also be made for hours lost in
accommodating, and In overcoming the obstacles