The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-26
THE MASS0WAH COLONY.
THE SMALL BEGINNING OF A GREAT
NATIONAL ENTERPRISE.
Tho Ninth and Nineteenth Centuries
Face to Face-The Probable Outcome
OF Italy's Venture In the Red
Soa

Face to Face-The Probable Outcome
OF Itaiy's Venture In the Red
Soa.
David Ker, in letter TO the New York
Times some months ago, writing OF ltaly's
new colony in the Red sen, said:
At Massowah, as at Suakn, 80 many Of
the larger houses are built of white coral
that, when seen from the sea beneath the
full blaze Of a tropical sun, 1t gltters with
a fairy like splendor as dazzling as that Of
Algics itself. Not until You fairly enter
the town-which should not advise any
one TO do who can possibly keep out OF il
do you begin TO notice tho crumbling
walls, the heaps OF uncleared rubbish, the
iilthy mud burrows Of tho Arabs, the
squalid beggars lying asleep i'll the dirt,
the general decay and ruin, the all per-
yading air OF neglect, disorder, and slug
gish indifference, which are the invariable
and disastrous characteristics OF every
Oriental town in its natural condition.
But in spite of all its slovenly insight
meas, Massowah has already attained a GER
tain importance which bids lair 10 be vastly
augmented hereafter. When the present
scramble for colonial trade and colonial
empire shall have studded the eastern sea-
board Of Africa with settlements as numer-
Gus M those which already line its western
shores, this little maritime pig sty will
have great future before il. Apart from
tho splendid possibilities offered TO il by
the progressive influx OF European con-
quest AMI European traffic, II is by nature
tho sole available outlet Of the most pro-
ductivc M well M most stragetically inn
portant region on the whole western coast
of the Red sea. Abyssinia, like its Eu-
ropean prototype, Montenegro, is sepa-
rated from the sea by narrow strip
OF coast which does not belong 10
its own territory, aud for genera
tons past the bold mountaincers of Tigro
have looked down from their native preci-
piccs upon the unattainablc port Of Mas.
sownh on the level beach below them IN
lungingly ~ the children OF the Black
mountain" used 10 look down upon that
Of Cattaro before they were consolcd by
the acquisition Of Antvari in It's stead.
And well they may. On coast pro-
verbally destitute Of good harbors, such u
seaport IN Mnssowah is not to be dcspised,
in spite OF iis many drawbacks Situated
upon a small, low isct (about n mile in
length by 400 Yards in brcadth) nj the
northern extremity Of Arkiko bay, the
| little town and lis roadslead are COM
| plctcly sheltered from storms 10y the long
struggling Isle Of Dunlak aud two or three
smaller islands beyond IL. The number
Of stone and coral houses that rise above
| the mass Ol gray Arab mud novels, ~ you
survey II from the rOadstcad. show how
large u proportion Of It's 1000 Inhabitants
are men Of European blood, tho majority
being traders from Italy or Greece Like
Venice, II il connected with the mainland
10y n solid cnusowny Of stone fully n mile
Ia length, which runs through shallow
lagoon lying between Il and the shore.
Tho ccSSion of the place by Turkey 10
Egypt In 1868 has ~ yet produced no par
ticular effect upon IL except 90 make IL
lii pos,iblol little dirticr and moro use
lcss than ever, Tor II IL still burdcncd with
the heavy duties whcrwith the Sultan's
enlightened ministers have done their
best To cripple what little traffic the place
formerly possessed. In TACT, the motto
Of the Egyptian administration, as II now
| exists, appears a. bc kind oi parody ol
Nelson's famous signal Egypt expect,
every man 10 pay his duty Hut Il Il
should happen that Mlassowah should
change masters once more, and pass Der.
manenlly las seems not improbablcl from
the power Of Egypt into that OF Italy. II
| will at last get chance Of having III natural
| advantages turned Ia account, aud bccom.
ing what Il was intended lay naturb 10 be-
the recognized outlet Of the entire trade oil
Abyssinia.
To the average European Of century
ago the mcru mention III "AbyAsinian
trade would have appeared an exlrava.
| CANT joke. In the stories told by the few
travellers who hal dafcd 10 penetrate the
mysterious region walled In by the grim
/ prccipiccs Of rierc, the Abyssinian noun.
lancer figured ~ gigantic and terrible
ognc, drinking warm blood. cutting steaks
from living oxen. aud occasionally vary.
ing this primitive bill of fare with a
iricHsccd enemy or dcvilrd captive ON
toast. Whom Il was subsequently, dis
covered that thc-c man-cnting savarcs
wcrc Christians Ut the most lanntical type,
| and wore q white tunic embroidered with
crimson stripes omblcmalC of the five
wounds oi our Saviour. tho market value
/ Of the Aby~inian n q hero Of romance
went up loo per cent NJ ono bound. aud
anybody Who hal ycnturcd to mention
such paladin in connection with buving
or selling anything whatever would have
/ been laughed Ia scorn.
Then came the Maplnla expedition o.
| lS'i7-Gs which dothroncd and slew the self,
/ STYLED Emperor Theodore, oi Ahy~sinia. "
/ II dispersed this cloud oi mystery and
showed the Abysinian in his true colors
neither giant nor ogre, but n man with
the virtues AMI vices Ut the average bar
harlan q brave, cruel, hospiiablc, thicy-
| ish, simple dirty savage, ~ different from
the learned and philusophic Abyssinian
/ oi Dr. Juhns0n'a "Rassrlns" as the "no.
| blc rrd man. Of fiction u from the sneak
ing drunken, pilicring Indian of fact. Bat
~ the picturesque inferred Of tho mount.
ainocr faded his practical interest increased
trnipld. 4 Succession OF bold cnynys
| conspicuous among whom was "Chincso
Gordon made their way 10 the harharic
court ot King John aud brought hack
startling tales Of him aud his people, Tho
very discrepancy oi thrso accounts (which
represented the great AhyUinian ruler. ON
the ono hand, ~ savage tyrant, tortur-
ing aud mutilating his subjects from more
caprice, aud on the other hand m dash
ing cavalier blazing with crimson aud
gold, aud rising from his morning prayer
60 attack the elephant OF the lion) whcticd
the curiosity " Europe and people began
to ask themselves whether this splendid
country, tcrming with rich pastures and
Astounding In ivory, hides, butter aud
bccswaX, could not be turned 10 some
practical use.
Foremost In the list oi those who
thought thus stood Italy, already conncct-
cd with East Africa hy the brief though