News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-07-25
ABYssINIA's NEW RULER.
The Powerful King Menelek Recog
nized as Successor to King John.

There is no longer any doubt that
King Mene,ek is negus of Abyssinia,
says London letter. The late King
John named his nephew, Mangascia, as
his successor, but Menelek has brushed
aside his pretentions as unworthy of
notice. Many of the most important
chiefs of Abyssinia, including Ras
Michael, have already recognized Meme
lex as negus. The king has dispatched
a mission of twenty persons, including
several important chiefs, to the king of
Italy. It is believed that the accession of
this powerful king to the throne of Abys
Sinia will tend rapidly to tranquilize
that country and will strengthen the po-
sition Of Italy on the Red Sea.
Menelek has long been famous as the
powerful king Of Shoa, large coun-
try Joining Abyssinia ON the south.
Within the last three years Menelek
has conquered all the small Gala states
around him, and has made it possible
for European travellers to reach his coun-
try in safety from the coast Shoa is n
region of lofty mountains and luxuriant
vegetation, and it has nominally been q
dependency of Abyssinia, though Meme
lex has been more nearly rival than a
vassal of King John.
King Menelek's people are half-civil,
lied. When he gave n great banquet to
the Aubry scientific expedition of Shoa
everything was done in European style,
knives, forks, decanters, and even table
cloth being among the accessories of the
feast. The kings face shows the ravages
of smallpox, but it also indicates great
intelligence and energy. In ShOa alone
he can place $4,000 soldiers in the field,
and his army is composed of both cavalry
and infantry, armed with guns and Ian
ces. A few years ago Meme elk imported a
Frenchman to superintend the manufac-
ture of gunpowder, and the king is not
now dependent upon foreign nations
for the explosive. The spear is the ma
tional weapon, in the use of which the
soldiers are very expert. The italian
explorer Cccchi says he saw a hippopot
anus hide shield pierced at over sixty
yards as if it had been paper. DR.
Travers, who returned from Shoa in
April last, says Menelek also possesses
10000 good rifles.
The king has appeared to be anxious
to introduce the arts of civilization into
his country, though many of his chiefs
have looked with suspicion upon all Eu-
ropeans. Awhile ago he issued an edict
against the slave trade, but it is nOtOri.
Gus that he has himself been one of the
most active slave dealers in Africa.
Thousands of his slaves have been ship
ped across the Red Sea to Arabia. The
ShOans are connected with the Abyssi-
mans by the closest ties of kindred, and
Menelek's blood claims to be negus OF
Abyssinia were greatly superior to those
of King John. He was wholly indepen.
dent of the negus until King John de-
feated him in great battle twelve years
ago. The coveted negusship has at last
fallen to him, and, with Abyssinia broken
by the defeats the dervishes from Khar-
toum have inflicted there is every reason
to believe that he will have no trouble in
completely establishing his rule over all
parts of the, country. IL is not expected
that he will tnterpose any obstacle to italy
--.--5, ~ ->e,'-ti i,err lrrovincs OF A6yts
African professions vatuaAle
Immediafely after the dt,,tth of Kins
John, Menele1a, 1T the head of 1arg.
army, marched into Abyssinia, proclaim
ed hiInself-king of kings, and declared
his intention to be crowned in one Of
the holy cities of the country. The sub.
mission of the most powerful chiefs now
indicates that King Menelek has come
peacefully into the succession, some
thing very unusual in Abyssinian poll,
ties