New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-10

ITALY TO-DAY,
Rome Dec. 9-The Government made the an
nouncement In the Chamber Of Deputies to-day
that the five companies Of Italian soldiers COM
prisng the column under the command or MAJOR
Toselli, operating in Abyssinia, had been sur
prised and surrounded by force Of $4,000 ma
tjyes. and that only a small portion Of the COM
mand had succeeded in breaking through the
beleaguering lines and making their retreat to
Makalle.
The fate OF Major Tosel and that part OF the
command remaining with him Is as yet unknown.
General Baratier!, commanding the italian forces
in Abyssinia, is concentrating his troops Il
Makalle which is well fortified and amply sup
piled with provisions. and is prepared to repcl
the forces Of the enemy, which are moving In
that direction.
The announcement had a deeply emotional ef-
feet upon the Chamber.
General Mocenni, Minister of War. has re-
ceived information that General Arimondi af-
ter being joined by the survivors of Major
Tosellis command, was obliged TO retreat, the
enemy having begun a flank movement that
threatened to cut off his communication with
Makalle The Abyssinians are advancing on
Adigrat
The Cabinet to-day discussed the situation Of
the italian troops and decided to send reinforce
ments ammunition and artillery TO them by the
first transport which will probably start to-mor-
row.
The public Is much excited over the news or the
defeat. 1t is supposed that Ras MakonnNns re-
cent overtures for peace We're ruse, OF when
Major Toselli was the victim
Major ToSelliS force consisted or LOU native
troops, twenty commissioned Italian ofncers ana
forty non commissioned officers. He also had a
mountain battery.
London Dec ga dispatch from Rome TO the
Central News says that the force that went to
the relief of Major Toselli repulsed successive
bodies OF Abyssnans. but could not reach Major
Tosen The latter's troops had exhausted their
ammunition AS soon as the enemy learned this
they charged upon the Italians, nearly all OF
whom We're massacred Ii is known that four
teen Italian officers and 700 men We're killed.
while 800 are missing General Baratier il has'eH-
ing TO engage the enemy.
''The Daily News" has a dispatch from Rome
that virtually confirms the report that fourteen
Italian officers and 200 were killed by the
Abyssinians. The dispatch adds That The r.
Inducements that will be sent TO the Italian
troops will comprise six battalions, numbering
1000 men.
The Italians seem 10 have made an imprudent
move. similar TO that which led 10 the exterminaton
of some Of their troops at Dogah in the beginning
OF their campaign in 1885. They had hardly landed
a, Massowah when they sent inland small force
which encountered larger number Of Abyssn!ans
than was expected. Quite recently General Bara-
teri after having defeated the Dervishes and cap
tured Kassala marched southwark against the
Abyssinians. led by Rss or Governor Mangascla
and defeated him at Debra A!lat after a brilliant
combat He then returned to Massowah. relying On
mendacOus reports which represented Ras Makon-
men and Mangasca ready to sue for peace, and
Menelik their Emperor, engaged in South 4Abys
sna IN fighting reyo.ted governors Of the provinces
General Barateri had left what he considered suf-
fcent forces 10 protect the southern frontier OF the
italian possessions n Abysslnia But be could dis
pose Of more than l0.O'D soldiers; and he had a
large OF ground to for the portion of the
country conquered by Italian had constantly
become larger since 1885,. 1t would seem that there
truth in the rGmors which represented re-
Gently Meneik. the Ncgus Emperor OF Abyssina,
as being at the head of 700 men in the camp OF
Boron Media. which had been in,renched and forti-
fed by Mr.. llg a Swiss military engineer. The
5000 Abyssinians who have surprised and defeated
the five companies OF Major Toseii. composed prob
ably the advance Of Meneliks army.