The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-22

Not Do the Negus Msnelek. but 10 his re-
marhable eonsort Empress Taoti. are the
.srllrns Indebted for the defeat OF all their
efforts 70 secure possession OF AbysslI
These EFFORTS have continued without inter-
ruption since 1885. entaii;ng the loss OF an
tncaleulAhee amount Of life. treasure and
prestige. No one will ever know exactly
how much this attempt 10 conquer tho
most nerce and warlike nation In the
world, and to secure those fertile valleys
ana table lands OF Abyssinia that are de-
fands6 ~ well-nigh impregnabie noun
taia ln1tnesses. has cost Italy. IL was an
enterprise that was doomed 10 failure from
che very outset. and can have been sux-
Geetad 70 the government Of King Hum
bert only by some one who had al heart.
not The welfare. but the misfortune OF
Italy. Yet It cannot be denied that the
latter had plenty Of warning OF the fate In
store for the undertaking. Cardinal Mas
pela, for instance. who spent nearly TWEEN
~ years Of his life engaged in missionary
work In AbyssInia. was never tired OF urg-
ing his countrymen to abandon SO hopeless
. project a. that Of reducing Abyssinia
lnto IN Italian colony. and the experience
Of many other dlsnterested travellers and
explorers. - well - the history OF the
E,hiopian empire. were there to show King
Humbert and his ministers tho insane folly
q thslr enterprise.
A City OF Disease md Death.
MAssowah. IKE Buakim. 10 a fortified
o0Wn Gltnatcd on coral Island and con-
uoote6 with The mainland by . long mole or
snhankmsnt. II IL without exception the
hottest DoAce on the whole Of that terrible
Rs1 ~ coast Even In midwinter tho
thsfmomatee h usually above 100 degrees
tAhrenheit N the shade. ana ague. fever
and dyoentery combine TO render the place
almost uninhAbitable TO Europeans. Yet
hefu NE unfortunate Italian troops. many
q them youths fresh from the Alps OF the
Piedmont. are kept for months together
after their arrival. under the pretext OF ac-
ohmAtiaine them. Then. thoroughly enV-
waited and demoraiised by prolonged stay
= this dreadful pestho,e. they are Gent out
- storm the mountain businesses which
guard the approach 10 the tablelands OF
Abyssinia. fastnesses that are defended by
haroy nsountaineers Of absolutely perfect
phyetQue. These natives are armed for
~ most part with those very same chasse-
pats which were nrst used by the French
troops forming the guard OF Plus TX. at
me battle OF Montana. against the Italians
under 0aribaidi. every one OF them bearing
engraved on the barrel the armorial bear
inos OF the papacy.
Massowah was presented by the English
70 the Italians. who certainly never re-
eeived more fatal gift. II IL scarcely
escesaary TO add that England had no legal
ught TO give u away, since 4 did not belong
70 her. She had Appropriated II. however.
eaong with number OF other cities aud
towns belonging 10 the sultan OF Turkey
ana 10 the khetive OF Egypt along the Red
eeacoast Finding u inconvsn.ent and awk-
H.
numbert on the condition that he should
IN return assist the British forces pro-
ccedine against the Mahdi, by creating a
oiversion against the latter In the direction
OF NASSAU. Hu;nhert accepted the gift.
hoping 10 be able to establish a great ltai.
ian colony In the fertile highlands of the
province OF Roghos. His government had
become alarmed by the enormous Increase
OF Italian emigration 20 North and South
america. thoroughly realizing that emil
grants to this continent are quickly ab-
sornea INTO the population of the New
world ana become totally lost TO Italy. II,
vas hoped that by directing the stream OF
emigration Into an italian colony II might
become an additional source Of strength
Instead % a loss of force TO the Italian ma
Ron.
Mnssowah In the rurlsa' Hands.
NT'""H Nafne INTO the possession Of
INC porte after the conquest OF Arabia
reilx' and used 10 he governed nv a pssha
from Constantinopic. AZ the chief nor,
on the African side OF tho Red sea. 1; was
me center or trade between Asa and the
psrk continent Slaves and every other
KIND OF African merchandise found en- out.
et at Nassoweh. whence native dhows
transported them TO Jeddah ana other por,a
on the opposite Arabian shore Turkey
made several fru'tless expeditions from,
Massoweh for the purpose OF carouer,nr
noyss'nis. In lss6. when. owing 10 Great
nr'tains Intervention In Cons,antinnn,,
me sultan ceded Messowah and the who,a
of ms dominions on the African ,aas,
ine 10 Egypt, the Ottoman rule was Ii,tle
hofe than nominal Khedivc Isneu ir,-
medistely took steps 60 close the mort a,
Msssowah TO Abysslnia. ac,ins in tins
matter In accordance with the views OF The
'uitsn' as there II an old MehSmm.isn
10 the effcc; that the holy cities
u Mecca and Medina viii one tisv he rare.
70 ,he ground by the AhysSlniask. an eyer :
which VIII be attended by the most ais
ssrons consequences for tho followers ~
me prophet throughput the world Turks
.na egyptians believe that rs long as tho
Ahyssinisns can he kept out OF Mas@owah
me Danger will be svertet. since they have
no other port from which they can Sc, sal,
IN 'heir MISSION Of destruction,
As Massowah IN the cnlv out,e, ,o, An,.s-