The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-08-18
HAIRS Mylncf MlFslci.
Great Increase in Population in
Various Towns
Es. Aius.- the GreAs Ahyssisias,
Alive and Likeiy 60 he
Come kssg.
xsw y.k TxssaEs.

yxw Yssk TxssszEs.
Tie latest ezksegrans frosa Mas
soxaa relative tc the capture OF he
heb tv Pas AEula and the march on
AsnaAra. require few worsis Of ex-
PLANTATION. While il i. unsioabsed that
The Italians are making great progress
in their double task Of eorqaering a
foo;hoid in the Red sea and eiyIIiz1ng
the districts they occupy, certain
mysterious ohscuriEy has often sur
rounded the details Of that second
European Ahyssinian war FOR IN
staflce. i, had been stated as a tact
that gas Alula. the right-band man OF
Segus Johannes, had been killed IN
the same battle at which the Madhisss
81 the Soudan defeated and killed the
Nsgus himself. Now Ras AIula is re-
ported n being alive and az WHY a.
he ever was; he invited 10
A conference the famous De-
beh. and had him captured on
the wsy. Treason and bad faith have
ever been favortie Weapons Tor Aoys-
sinian chiefiains, and Debeb has been
paid in his ONE coin. If treason has
really brought bin into the clutches
OF the valiant Ras, Or viceroy. lie
BETRAYED his country soon al er the
landing Of the Italians at Massowah
ard then ne turned against the latter,
being thus the main cause 1T their
slaughter at Saati. At that time ns
sent his father a. hostage 10 the
CAMP of the Negus. 10 whom the Old
man Mas 30 faithful that be was kiiies
while protecting the coffin in which
Johannes body WAS carried by his
retreaiing army. The victorious Mad
hists captured the body and cut of
the head. which is nailed on the gate
OF the khaiifa's palace at OndurnIan.
opposite khartoum.
Immediately after the defeat OF the
Negus. Debeb again went over To the
Italians, and helped them in winning
one OF their most important successes
by the taking OF the city of keren.
Ii is hard 10 understand how he could
have agreed to Join in a conference
his deadiiest enemy, Ras Alula. Ii
may have been that he hoped TO gain
the Ras TO the Italians by promising
that they would assist him. rather
than Menelek to the throne of Abys-
ckitId, III NniLh AasC AGiCt hftA7ta
would have been considerably pro-
NOTED from his present rank OF a
third-rate but independent chieftain.
1t Is more likely, however, that Debeb
was preparing TO betray the ltaiians
for the second time and 10 join again
the army OF the patriots, thus expect
ing that be would be allowed TO run
for the suceessorship of Johannes
with chances equal 10 those OF Man.
gaseia and other feudal lords. LIZ ap-
pears that Ras Aiuia was unwilling to
consider the great advantages 10 be
derived from another betrayal of the
Italians by Debeb, and that he has
merely thought of the still greater
evils brought on his country by the
traitors alliance with the invaders.
At any rate, General Baldlssera and
the italians are not To be held respon-
sible for the morality of the ambitious
Debeb, whom they have used to the
hest of their interest. And, even now
il they have suddenly determined TO
send battalion 10 occupy rAsmara.
il is probable that their preteyt is the
necessity of rescuing their friend De-
bed from the prison OF Ras Alula.
whose headquarters are at fAsmara
The occupation of that point. when
ever accomplished, will made the Ital-
ans masters of the Abyssinian north
ern province OF Tigre, which is COM
nanded by keren and PAsmara,
called 1.-THE two interior gates" of
Abyssinia. Massowah is 1.-The ex-
terror gate" The coneuerers will pos
sess between rAsmara and Keren a
healthy district. which is so greatly
needed as sanitarium for the soldiers
and inhabitants of Massowah, the
hottest spot on the globe, a. stated
by many travellers.
Notwithstanding this terrible draw
back, the city and the country around
have enormously increased in popula-
ton since the day when the ltaiiankx-
petition. instead OF steaming as far a.
Assah bay. its officially objective
point, stopped at MasSowah. where
the Egyptian governor had been in
strueled. upon the advice OF England,
To allow the flag of Italy tn replace
the khediye's standard. According
10 the latest figures published by the
bureau OF indigenous foreign affairs, :"
at Rome, the city of Massowah mum
bers At present 100 Europeans, that
il, a white population equal To the
whole population in 1881. The indi-
genoas natives number more than
rs go al Massowah, 10 600 at Otumlo,
and as many at Monkulle and Zaga.
The last two villages which were in ISL
small and rude hamlets. have assumed
the proportion of real towns. An
other village has grown up at Saati
under the guns of the fort. The popu-
lation is of 500 inhabitants, and
around the wells of Arkiko, cluster
the cabins OF loco other natives.
( The total population of the Italian
possessions between the sea and the
mountains of Ahyssinia, including
Xulu. Assab and the Dhaiab archi.
pelago, numbers no less than 5000
people. ~ 0eo of whom are sedentary
and oo,sa nomads, who came down
from the highlands To place them
selves under the protection of the
Italian flag.
IL can be said that Italy, up tn the
present time, has ably fulfilled her
civilizing mission In Africa. and the
I chambers at Monte citorio will not
have Ia regret their recent vote oi
I money for the MaSsosah expedition
/ keren has been promptly captured
T / ASmsrs will follow suit, thus giving
+ Ia the Italians the only inland posses
sion they wished, besides MasSowah
I via salubrious district for the reliei
of their troops and officials, so terrib!s
deeimated by the sitting climate O
I the coast.
! 1irFoo tbs.