New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-04

Els.
compelled tc order his army to retreat from the
positions held by It he was forced to abandon
many of his guns The nature of the country
prevented the guns from being used against the
| enemy and later prevented the Italians from
| taking them with them IN their retreat. These'
of course, have fallen into the hands of the Aoys-
sinians. who will now undoubtedly use them
against their former owners. The captured guns
will enormously aid the artillery forces OF the
Abyssinians. already factor that mas 10 De
taken into account BY the Italians.
The situation is reported as being so serious
! that the Government has called OUT all tne re- e
serves OF 1872 Every effort will be mace 10
hasten the dispatch of reinforcements TO ApyS-
sinia. Orders have been issued for all the aVali-
able transport steamers to assemble at Naples
Saturday next for the purpose or taxing on
board troops for immediate dispatch 10 fias
sowah.
General Baldlssera who was recently appoint
ed to succeed General Baratsr In the chief com
man Of the Italian forces in Abyss!nia, has ar,
rived at Massowah 1t is reported that Generai
Barateris attack upon the Abysenians SUNDAY
was the result OF his desire to make a. grana
military coup and rehabtate his reputation pe-
fore he super seded by General Baldissera-
Among the many reports current to-day was
one to the effect that General Barateri had COM
nitted suicide. being unable to endure the hu-
initiation OF his defeat.
The Government still lacks or Is withnoiui,is
full details or the disastrous battle with the
Abyssinians Orders were given some tHe dso
for the exclusion Of newspaper correspondents
from the Italian lines and strict censorship
has since been maintained over press dispatches,
which makes it difficult for the full story OF the
Italian defeat to be mad known. AS result
the comparative scantiness OF news causes the
widest sort of speculation. and all kinds OF un-
doubtedly exaggerated reports are In circuia'i9n'
The newspapers here TEEN with reports, oe
ductions estimates and comments. All or theiii'
with the exception OF the "Esercito, ihili,
tary journal ascribe the disaster to General
Baratieris supposed raahness, and MS desire
to achieve victory that would offset MS peins
superseded in his command. 1t Is the OPINION
here that General Barateris force nunoereu
$4,000 men. opposed to whom were Soooo Aoys-
sinians.
The Abyssnians seem to have followed their
usual strategy. which was referred 10 III re-
cent number OF The Tribune in which were quoted
the words OF Ras Makonnen when seeing re'ie"
OF Italian troops In Rome in 1880; we lah upo"
tire enemy the unexpected moment; We choose
our tine and ground on which to hght. lhls
Ia easily done by the natives in a country the
African Switzerland. which Is situated upon d
rocky tableland OF average OF 2eO metres eie-
walton. about li0O feet above the level OF the
sea, and which can only be reached through
chaos OF mountains and labyrinth OF canyons
European tactics and artillery are OF 10 great
usefulness in such country. which was never
conquered even by the British troops OF LORD
Napier. who leg, Abyssina as soon as ne had had
beaten Tteodor0s and released the sixty EnSlsh
.aptiycs imprisoned the fortress OF Mdgdala.
It's was the only foreign army which mas ever
retired safe end sOund from the Aoys5nian trap,
whence Cambyses himself compelled to flee.
Inundated and defeated though he did not XII
himself. Ike the Negus or Emperor Theodoros. who
committed suicide when he saw the British regu-
lars and the Hindoo sepoys climbing vctor.ousl.
upon the rock OF Magdala.
Twenty years ago Two Egyptian armies were an,
ideas OF lsmsil iacha an nXious 10 add Ethiopia and
Egypt where the great stream empties into the
Mediterranean. The Egpytisn soldiers suffered
a.,,c a, similar to the slaughter Of Major Toses
column at Aniba Aaghi las; December
was as the the Egyptian Governor at Massowah He re-
ceyed orders to go up to Adra TOOK wiih MN dn1 ,
Zchy. Hungaran ara pan. G9unt ,a Arendrup' pdp
Ras Kassa comnahdeT 0t tns ,b ss Mareb River
then he drew the Esypats into the passes Of Quad, IL
my THSsT we're 'aT a Ta"d IN twenty minutes
BY The numerous h9rdes OF the Abyssn,ahs Ara. q.
rs, ,ndet and 10 traers placed the heights
we're the only ores who returned alive 10 Massowah
Another army OF 22o Egyptians. COMMANDED b.. BY
Abyssina in order to ayenge the defeat ., sne nst I
vancod with grca prudence and rerenchea ni'mseia @
-Four or Ave times more numerous than the ESyp-
tinns gave assault to the fortress mprovised by
Iassan They filed the bitches with the cattle ana
Win slaves pushed forward by their advancing
battalions. the Egyptian corps was emu eh,reSt t ,hs,
sacred or nniiy escaped from Abysslnian bond
age had suffered the horrible Illumination no 10 -
Mussulman OF having cross tattooed up0" o"' -
The next attack upon Abyssna S Was made soon
~ uafsowah upon the Red Sea. whch belonged 10
Egypt which Ensand asreed to ceaf 10 ea
lew miles inland. toward the coveted Apyssihaai
territory. But their movement was o stoIp taIpaus a.,
Dosaii The Government in Rome sent reifiorSe iS,
H,a sq an d the n. Tyre % province Vas occupied by It's
troops. The conquest OF Aoyssnia was n the
ouarrcls which broke out between the several Has
or feuia chiefs Of tho country II was he,pea a'so 80
a battle against the Mahdrs Derv!shes' against Isl
whom he Mad dseared war hsd waS aS
formally recognized by the Governors OF the prov
dependent were the feuda lords of the Middle
ns Of Of cns s s0uaFq n ks
ana the Queen OF sheba secured the lIs srp
de Neghesti. King OF Kings. or Emperor OK Ap!s-
He signed. In 1889, the treaty OF Ucclali with
Italy. and contracted large loan Of money, al al
the tranSia,ion Of Xrtce il oF that treaty Meme
III, pretended that he had never intended to sgn
nations and no, at all to accept an Italian pro-
., s n ana to TGGndef OF a !h' M
the payment Of the !o9n Obtained oy b hm ita an an
rs prsStca exisca between lay ana Abyssna,
been rated and fxRaGgd l az cb snsth tro in M Gne
sowah during the last three or four years. The
Italians made tive big mistakes In their apprec.a-
ton and Views OF the situation In the first place. ,h
northwest by occupying Koren. and especially Kas-
sa,a They had send garrisons especially to the
latter plase which belonged to ths Dervishes; who
became the allies OF tho Abyssinans; and threat
ened constantly right flank OF the Italian forces.
| Ir the second place the Italians imagined that The
Abyss!nlan chiefs Mangascia, Makonnen and Others
| would never consent TO unite their forces under
the banner OF Emperor Meneek. But when those
| chiefs had beer successvey defeated by General
and when they saw the Italians occupying the
| country almost Antalo. southwark they
| derstood that the union of all the only hope
to save the iatherland and their feudal terri
tories from foreign subsection. Tney rallied to
| The army which Meneek was bringing from his
province OF Choa and the Italians confront d
| nv force 10000 Ably ssnians. OF them pro-
| yided with modern weapons The result was the
| slaughter OF Major TosseilIs column at Amba