The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-01

about $50. 900 square miles, or about the
same as that of Great Britain and Ire
land. 1t consists Of a high plateau, ever
aging 1000 feet above the sea, practically
surrounded by the low-lying provinces of
the Soudan. The port of Massowah, to-
gether with the fiat strip of fiat desert
land which cuts off Abyssinia from the
sea. and through which much of its trade
mus necessarily pass, has long been a
bone of contention between the AbysSiu-
ians and their Mohammedan ~neighbors,
especially since the former are Christians,
their abuna, or archbishop, being ordained
by the Coptic patriarch in Alexandria.
Massowah, the only place for many miles
around worthy of the name OF a town. is
built on a coral island in the bay of Arki-
ko. 1t originally belonged to Turkey. and
was annexed TO Egypt in 1866, part OF An
neSley bay being annexed the following
year. 1t was occupied by the Italians.
with the consent of England in 1885. 1t is
about 1000 yards in length and 400 in
breadth.
Closely adjoining 1t is another island OF
about the same dimensions, but of more
irregular outline, called Taulud, to which
it Is Joined by a stone caCseway. An
other causeway, about two-thirds OF a
mile in length, constructed by Munzinger
Pasha during his governership, connects
Taulud in turn with the mainland. North
of the two Islands a couple of peninsulas
project almost parallel with one another
from the coast. The southernmost of these
is called Gherar, and the space between
il and the island of Massowah forms the
port. 1t is On Gherar that at the outset
the government stores, etc, required by
the Italian troops were landed at peirs
and wharves constructed with this object;
and here, too, are the arsenal. storehouses.
magazine. coal depot and commissariat,
together with a fort for their protection.
The northernmoSt peninsula takes the
name of Abdel-Kader. from the tomb Of a
Mussulman worthy, so-called, erected
upon it. and contains the naval arsenal
and the railway terminus. a capital pier
has been constructed here for the trans
shipment OF stores or merchandise, and 4
fort has also been reared at the shore
ward end of the peninsula.
Tauiud and tn MaS@owah.
Taulud contains little beyond some ma
tive huts. n few houses, mainly Of Euro
pean construction. built since the occupa-
ton, a fort covering the causeway leading
10 the mainland. the military prison, the
officers club and the governors residence.
This is n fairly imposing-looking struc-
ture. built under the Egyptian regime.
with a two-storied arcade running round
II without and a lofty domed roof. The
town Of Massowah itself is massed, as IL
were. at the end OF the island OF the same
name. II is most wretchedly built and ir-
regularly laid out. There are not more
than a dozen buildings with the slightest
architectural pretensions. the remainder
being meA stone boxes put together in
the toughest fashion. sometimes without
mortar. Mixed up with these are numer-
Gus huts, formed of sticks planted up
right in the ground and covered with rush
mats. AS these mats are never removed.
the plan being simply TO clap on an extra
one from time 70 time as needed. the dirt
and vermin they help to generate are APP
Railing. The solitary bazaar is a narrow
winding gully. evil smelling to the last
degree and lined with dirty little holes do
ing duty as shops. tn other streets are
from eight feet To ten feet wide, though
there Is one irregular open space in the
center OF the town known, since the
Italian occupation. as the Piazza Carl
baldi. and surrounded by A couple Of cafes.
the same number Of liquor shops, a to-
bacconist's, a butchers and n few general
stores. 4 couple Of small mosques with
dumpv minarets. an irregular range OF
buildings used as the custom house. the
c~arabineers' barracks and the military
hospital are the chief public buildings.
France wanted Massowah badly. and
was on the point Of seiZIng IL when Italy
got in ahead OF her. The European popU-
iation OF the place is largely Greek. The
bulk OF the wholesale import trade. and
~ HaaAE 81 HEE"h1 HA"aH= 49, +1F
ton by the -uropean colony. IS al present
carried on by Italians. The Greeks, how
ever. not only keep most Of the hquor
shops and cantee2S. together with several
large retail stores. but with the banians,
OF whom more anon, have most Of the d.
rect dealings with the natives in their
hands. Before the advent Of the Italians,
indeed. they certainly held an important
position. \ number Of them traded "A per
son into Abyssinia and the Soudan. and
had even formed a settlement as far In
70 grow tobacco. As soon as they were
established al Nassowah the Italians set
out 10 secure FOR themselves the whois
trade Of Abyssin.a and the Soudan.
The year l~S sax the Italian troops
firmly established in a literally impregna-
BE post at SahatL. a pot in the bogos
country twenty miles Inland from Masso-
wah. with which Ia IS directly connected
by 4 line OF railway and a weil-ruaGe road
3 Here they constructed TWO forts. mounted
with heavy guns. and capable Of shelter
ing 4 large garrison. These forts are
amoly stored with provisions. munitions
and water. From SahaU two important
trade routes diverge. The soGtheramost
runs 10 S~aharguua. ard thence through
{ Goinda and Asnara into the heart Of
1 Abysslnia The other route runs due west
20 Aiiet. and thence in a -n0rthwesterly dt-
recuOn 20 kcren and Kaszala. merely
/ skirttng the territory OF me negus. Il was
! 10 this latter route taat the Italian au-