Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-03-28
WAKEENEY. KANSAS, SATURDAY MARCH %, 1885,

DogaH, in January, 1887. Thereupon
Italy declared war against Abyssinia,
in spite of the protests of the govern
ments of France, Greece and Turkey
against the occupation of Massowah,
which, by the way, is the only availa-
BILE seaport in Abyssinia. In August,
1883, Italy annexed Zulla, and in June,
1889, took possession of Kereu. In the
meantime, however, King John, who
had been fighting the Dervishes, had
been mortally wounded, and Menelek
of Shoa had been crowned negus. On
September 29, 1889, the italian govern
ment made a treaty with Menelek by
which Abyssinia was placed under the
protection" of Italy.
But Notwithstanding this treaty, and
a still more binding one signed in 1890,
the Abyssinians kept up guerilla war
fare on the Italian army of occupation,
which then consisted of fully 10000
men. No one will ever know how many
lives Italy sacrificed between 1890 and
1895 to maintain it's precarious hold on
the coveted African colony, but since
the beginning of last years hostilities
between Menelek's forces and the Ital-
ian troops and the present time almost
10000 of the latter have been killed in
battles and sl1irmishes.
The Abyssinian army consists of 2OO,-
600 fighting men, one-fourth of whom
are equipped with modern rifles. It's
cavalry service is weak, but its artillery
is said to be superior to that of many
European powers. AS the country is
hjlly and sandy, and the temperature
extremely hot, the invaders are at dis
advantage from every point of view.
Add to this that the Mohammedan war
riors of Abyssinia, who have never be-
fore fought for the crown, have been
eXhorted by the kahlifa of Khartoum
to wage holy war against the Christian
invaders, and it will be seen that Italy's
chances for a successful campaign are
very small.
Gen. Baratieri, who commanded the
italian troops in Africa, and whose ter
rible defeat at Adowa has caused con-
sternation throughout the civilized
world, was considered one of the ablest
commanders in the United Kingdom.
Early in the Abyssinian war he won
decided victory near Antola, but later
lost 900 native troops and many Italian
officers. His reverses were due not so
much to a lack of generalship as to ina
bility of the home government to sup
ply the army of occupation with new
men, money and mules. In February
the Italian war Office concluded to recall
Gen. Baratieri and appointed Gen. Bal
lissera in his place. The latter sailed for
Abyssinia late in February, but did not
arrive at Massowah in time to prevent
the slaughter at Adowa, in the course
of which 5000 Italian soldiers and an
unknown number of friendly natives
were killed and most of the Italian ar
tillery, ammunition and transport
wagons captured by the victorious
Abyssinians. It is supposed that Bara-
teri was anxious to make grand stand
play before retiring from Africa, but his
plans were SO deficient that the enemy
had no difficulty in destroying the Ital-
ian forces, which were divided in three
parts in such way that they were
easily attacked from the rear as we'll as
the front. Gen. Baratieri himself left
the field while the troops under his
command were fighting, and for this
violation of the military code will. no
doubt, be court-,nartialed.
The impression prevailing in diplo-
matte circles that the Adowa disaster