The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-05
ITALY AROUSED.
Al the Crushing Defeat Sustained
In Abyssinia.
MEAeER REPORTS OF BATTLES
Place BaratIerl In the Light
Of a Coward.


been received concerning the defeat of
Italians at the battle of Adowa. and they
tend to confirm the most alarming reports
circulated. although the exact number OF
men killed Is not yet announced
General Baratieri's force consisted of 10
battalions Of white troops Utalians), o bat
talions OF native troops and ~ batteries
OF artillery. Since the defeat no news has
been received from General Dabormida's
brigade. which was composed of seven
white battalions and four batteries OF ar
tillery. Generals Alberton and Arimondi
and their brigades are also missing, and
Ii Is believed they have been annihilated.
1t Is almost impossible to describe the
state OF excitement In Rome, and no such
scenes have been witnessed since the oc-
cupation of this city by the Italian troops.
The whole population seem To be In the
streets. and the entire police force, as we'll
all the troops OF the garrison, on duty.
The cabinet ministers held meetings
throughout yesterday; but, 20 far as
known, the king has not yet accepted
Premier Crispi's resignation.
The whole country appears to be rs ex-
cited as the inhabitants of the capital, and
rioting occurred during the day In several
ing back all dispatches liable to increase
the state of alarm prevailing and some
time must elapsc before the real truth Is
known.
The war office has been bcsieged during
the day by crowds of people. and is sur
rounded by troops. The offices and resi-
dences of all the ministers are guarded.
and the guards at the palace have been
doubled
In the main thoroughfares, shouting
crowds assemble every now and then,
calling for the downfall of the ministry,
only to be dispersed by the police. Nu-
merous arrests have been made, and the
police escortiag the prisoners to the differ
ent depots have, in several cases, been
roughly handled by the mob.
1t Is reported that private dispatches
have been received announcing serious
rioting at Naples, Florence and at Venice.
The government officers are maintaining
the most strict censorship over all press
dispatches between Italian points, and IL
is with difficulty that the news can be sent
from here except under strong pressure
from influential quarters.
Late last night there was q serious con-
fict between the police and a mob which
seemed bent upon making demonstra.
ton before the palace. The national flag
was carried, draped with Grape, and there
were cries of down with the ministersl"
down with Crispir Death to Barati.
erii"
Truth Not Revealed.
The government Is being urged by some
OF the most prominent men In the coun-
try TO give TO the press oil the news In its
possession, as IL Is still believed that the
worst has not been told and that the war
office is In possession Of facts still more
startling than those which have already
leaked out. One rumor has it that the
entire Italian army was practically wiped
out, and that only battalion or two sue
ceeded in reaching Asmara. At the war
Office however, IL was stated that this Is
an exaggeration.
The truth of the matter seems to be that
the ministers are anxiously awaiting the
report of General Baldissera, and that, in
the meanwhile, they are suppressing the
facts which reached them previous to his
arrival at Massowah. This, at any rate,
Is the most charitable construction to place
upon the apparently cruel silence Of the
government.
To those having relatives serving with
the Italian army in Africa the failure OF
the war Office to issue an official report Is
little less than torture But no amount
OF pressure seems strong enough to obtain
the anxously awaited news from the
minister of war.
Further details are being received of
violent scenes enacted yesterday at differ
ent points all over Italy, which the gov
ernment has sought In vain TO prevent the
publication OF. The alarmist rumors
which were circulated are confirmed by
the later reports, and the whole of Italy
seems to be in the hands Of the aroused
populace, indignant at the government,
which Is apparently powerless to quell the
outbreaks of wrath.
Popular demonstrations Of the most
violent character have occurred through.
out the Italian peninsula. The most seri-
Gus of these occurred at Milan, where 3d.
600 persons took part in the disorders,
amounting to a popular uprising The
police of that city had their hands full to
bring the crowds under control, and were
forced to charge through the streets with
fixed bayonets before they succeeded In
dispensing the mob. No statement is
made of the amount of harm done to tho
Inhabitants by this rough usuage, but 1t is
known that large number of persons
were injured more or less seriously.
The public gatherings were addressed by
orators who made violent speeches against
the constitution and against the minis
terial policy In Abyssinia, and were greeted
with wild acclamatlons.
In Rome there was less violence, but
the public indignation was almost equally
high. The students OF the city led the
demonstrations, which were directed
against the cabinet. Papers containing
pictures of Sig Crispl were burned In the.
public Streets with every accompaniment
of contumely and wrath expressed against
the premier Crowds were parading the
streets everywhere, shouting down with
the povernmcntiv "Down with tho muir
dercrs"
The police and carbinecrs were finally
obliged to take n hand, as the volume OF
the public wrath was fast assuming dan
gerous proportions, and the raraders were
OF last dispersed.
At Pavh, the population turned out EN-
masse TO protest against the dispatch OF