The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-26

the great seapoSis OF Syria or Egypt. The
nineteenth century lies along the waters
edge, with its stsambo boats and newspapers
and machines, its letters and kilograms, its
bottles OF brandy and soda water, its buzz
OF chat about the state OF the crown
princes health and the latest development
OF the BulgarianqnestiOn. The ninth CEN
fury looks down upon it from the frowning
nights overhead, one stride OF which car
rics you at oncgl among lion skin tuncs
and OK horn helmets, Scared sayages and
severed heads kings attended by tame
panthers, warriors who ride to battle with
their bare feet thrust into silver rings
instead OF stirrups, aud Christian
priests who, clothed in q long white
stole, ominously streakcd with broad
bands OF crimson, recitc 10 listening ranks
OF swarthy AbyBlnlan spearmen those
quaint old HISTORIAN prayers which tell OF
Christianity more ancient by many ages
than that OF England itself. For when
two different periods Of history meet, the
clash ut the point OF intersection is apt to
be hard one and Italy will long remem-
Der, with proud sorrow that has no alloy
OF shame, how the past and the present
met, and grappled together on her first
@,bgonihi Dutil'll'l'ls 'NHNhll'o
the peasants Of Calabria will still be tell
ing their children how handful OF worn
out and and starving Italian soldiers, far
away from all help, on the burning up
lands OF Abyssinia, with their last cart
ridges expended and hardly one UNI
wounded man left among them, closed up
Their Trimmed ranks sternly against the
overwhelming numbers that compassed
ta Il
fought II out to the last and died rs be-
llttod the countrymcn OF Garbaldi and
Casabianca.
But after war comes traffic, and the an
ticipated commerce with Abyssnia is by
no means the whole Of that which Masso-
wah may reasonably expect when fully
established upon lis new basis Business
viii come 10 II from the sea M well Us
from the land. The latest statistics OF the
mother OF pearl fishery in the Red sea
snow that its profits are gradually trans
ierring themselves from the eastern to the
western shore. 'Judah. the por. OF Nee
ca, says recent report on the subject,
''was formerly the sole market for the
produce of the local mother Of pearl fish
cries, but the rapacious dishonesty OF the
Custom-houso officers ut that place has lit
Wv ny llNNl' hIlNfn Aili Iulh VI
across 10 the opposite shore, and Jeddah
now receives only about quarter Of the
annual catch, the rest being sent TO Sua-
kin aud blassowah'
This is an advantage not 10 be despised,
| Tor although IL is estimated that in the last
ten years the actual amount Of the yearly
catch has decreased moro than IL per
cent, yet tho increase OF the price paid for
| lao ii.
the total product ut a very respectable fig
ure. The annual value Of the fisheries IL
still rated rs high rs from Sl20, 900 to Sl70, %
600, the largest and finest shells being
usually purchased by traders from Jcrusl-
lem. Bethlehem, aud other places in the
Holy Land, who carry them home and
then cut them aud sell them to pilgrims.
One of the best lshng grounds lies in tho
neighborhood " Masowah ITSELF the
shells found There being considered SUI
| pcrior To those which come from the
| Arabian side Of the Red sea
Further down the same coast, ut a spot
which We shall bass the day after tomor-
row, lies another Italian station-thc earl.
est acquisition of Italy in these parls-tO
which history may one day look back rs
the first small germ Of mighty results.
/ 'hHN NilHth hlo hA HAn VI iln-fl- Nlullhti,
where the bay OF Asslb indcnts the Airi-
can shore with ia deep triangular notch
fifteen miles by five, shut in Ia the sca-
ward bya struggling chain Of low wooded
islots, the Italian alag waves over ten
| square miles Of iqiH bcnch and mnttcd UNI
dcrgrowth, relieved by an occasional patch
OF swamp. In lSll. when her great rival,
France. was at death grips with Germany
ON her own soil. Italy purchased this bay
and the adjacent shores, almost unnoticed,
from tho chiefs OF the Danakel tribe, in
tending Ia establish there a naval and
commercial station.
just ut the first, however, this new
scheme appeared tO he absolutely barren
Of results. The unwhOlcs0me swamp.
along the southern shore Of Assab bay aud
| the evil reputation OF the Arab tribes
around Il east blight upon the early de-
yclopmcnt oi the station which could only
be- removed by the counicacting impctn.
| of national jealousy. When the unrestinp
French established themselves lust on the
other side OF the Babel Mandeb strait aud
took possession Of the long struggling Gull
Of Tcjurrch and the village OF Ohokh ut its
mouth Italy, ncollccting tho ncarnes- OF
the ASsab bay 10 this settlement, caught
the alarm at once. 4 great Italian ship
ping firm undertook the change of the
works necessary 10 complete the port, and
a development whrl. Is still going ON wa,
commenced Ia earnest.