Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-03-19
GENERALITIES.
GLIMPSES OF THE DOING OF
THE BUSY WORLD.
italy Is Suing for Peace with the Abys-
sinians-England Is Reopening the
soudan War TO Help Itaiy-Other Pow
ers Not Very Much Pleased.
The African situation.

The African situation.
Dispatches from Rome say that ne
gotiations are in progress for peace be-
tween Italy and the Abyssians and
that when it became generally known
in Italy produced "A feeling of surprise
amounting to stupor in most quarters.
The conditions, as reported thus far,
liking the frontier at the Mared river
line and the prohibition of Notifications
on the frontier are considered humil-
lating. The majority of the deput les
oppose the project and strong pressure
will be brought to bear to break off
The negotiations. Advices from Mas
sowah say: The negus king Menelik)
has received 100000 of his troops in
| the presence of Maj. Salsa, the Italian
officer who is treating for peace with
the Abyssinians. The troops marched
in good order and were well armed.
Later the negus showed Maj. Salsa his
quantities of provisions, the Italians
having, some time ago, been under the
belief that the Abyssinians were short
Of supplies. In fact, it is said, that
this was one of the reasons which
prompted Gen. Baratieri to make his
disastrous advance.
Dispatches from London state that
an advance of English Egyptian troops
has been ordered against the Mahdists
at Dongola, in the Soudan, undoubt-
edly for the purpose of preventing the
dervishes making a descent upon the
Italians at kassala. The Times has
an editorial discussing the Italian sit
uation and declares that the shock to
European prestige owing to the defeat
of Adowa cannot be neutralized by
Italy concluding peace with Meneli1.
The advance upon Dongola is urgent
in the interest of the British policy.
IL will prepare the way for the adj
vance on Omdurman when the time is
ripe and the SCATTERING of the Mahdist
power at its base. The ultimate OBJ
ject of the advance on Dongola is
doubtless the relief of Kassala, whose
capture by the dervishes would be-
come serious menace to Suakim and
Tokar The possession of the fertile
province of Dongola is essential for the
protection of Egypt from dervish raids
as besides being convenient to the base
of hostile operations, it furnishes large
food supplies to the Soudan countries
under the Khalifas rule.
The is much rejoicing in the British
army at the prospect of another cam
paign in the Soudan, in spite of past
experiences with the fierce, tireless
troops of the mahdi, and the recent de-
feat of the Italians by the A byssinians.
All the British officers of the Egyptian
army who have been absent on leave
have been ordered to return to their
posts Immediately and a dispatch from
Cairo announces that the Connaught
hax, ..l, 80,
Wady- Halfa.
The proposed Soudan expedition of
the British government eAcites a vast
deal of attention and comment in poll
teal circles and in the press in Berlin.
The German newspapers in comment
ing upon the proposal Egyptian adj
vance to Dongola still show an intense
hatred for England. The National
Ieitung, for instance, scorns the idea
that England will do anything 20 help
Italy in the straits into which that
unfortunate power has come in Africa,
and hints that England will acquire
kassala as a result of the campaign.
Most of the newspapers regard the
Dongola movement as a clever move
on England's parts to silence clamor
on the Egyptian question, and to offer
an answer to France and all those who
press her for the evacuation of Egypt
for years TO come.
France opposes the movement I'M
doubtedly and confederation of this is
found in the dispatch from Cairo.
naming as the explicit grounds of her
opposition that no movement in the
Soudan exists warranting such a cam
paign, and that the Khalifa Abdullah,
successor of the late mahdi, Moham-
med Ahmed, and military chief under
him in the former war, has lost all his
authority and has withdrawn his loyal
adherents from the Kassala district.
A dispatch from st. Petersburg SAYS
that King Menelik has asked Russia to
mediate between Abyssinia and Italy
and that Russia has dispatched Baron
Meyendorff, councillor of the Russian
EN- bassy at Rome, to King Menelik
with Russia's reply consenting to do
So 1t is added that the baron also
takes to the negus an order of st.
George, a high Russian military dec
grafton.
II is now little over 10 years since the Brit
ish abandoned Bongola. after the disastrous
campaign OF Lord Wolseley for the relief OF
Gordon at Khartoum. With that abandonment
the pretense OF Egyptian control of the Soudan
ended. Egypt proper was delimited from Nu-
bla near Assouan. where a strong British gar
rison was stationed with an outpost at Wady
Halfa. in Nubia, about 20 miles further south
on the Nile. and near the second or greater
cataract. About 80 miles still further up the
Nile is Dongola, just above the third cataract.
In the campaign OF 1888 Dongola was the base
OF the British operations against khartoum.
IL has citadel and a population or about 900
The advance To reoccupy Dongola Is distinct
renewal OF the war against the Soudanese.
Whether the step has been taken for the sole
purpose OF assisting the Italians by calling OF
the beSiegers OF haSsala. or ia u measure OF
"A AL nnN gfFsR1 -
dervishes into lower Egypt is not disclosed.
The result will be the same in either case.
Great Britain Will have another Soudanese
war on its hands. IL suggestive that the
British demonstration up the Nile followed
Immediately the Italian reverse In Abyssinia
as the Italian occupation of Massowah followed
the British reverses on the Nile in 1883.