The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-25

came devoted to their Italian officers. and soo.
grew skilful In constructing military vorL,
In July. 1894, B~aratieri attacked tho Dorr;,,
at kassala, surprising thor camp and disr,a,
ing 1000 men. TIL town was occunioJ ~,
foundations Of fort were laid and tho Fgy,.
unn prisoners were liberated. The western
frontier OF the italian COLONY WAC tbus o1,o.,
ed 200 miles inland from Massowah.
In the meantime King Mcnelek had b,,.
ertreated by his Ras. or foudal chiefs. -
take arms against the Italians, who Ind NJ,
they assorted. occupied Kassala in order thr,oa
to attack Abyssinia. When Ras Maneascis
prayed to be made King" Of Ti,sS
In the northeast Of the country bo
was told by Menelek to 60 first ana
drive out me Italians Baratieri. in the autumn
OF 1894, informed of the Abyssinian intrippos
took prompt measures against his adyerssrios
He sent out troops. who defeated assallnnts .,
the Italian coast, and. summoning the untivo
militia to his aid. concentrated his forces M
Adj UEri for the defence Of Massoyah. Mt Tho
same time occupying Adowa. Much marchirs
and countermarchinR then took place. but al
last. in January. 1895. Baratieri took up a mo-.
sition at Coatit. forestalling the purpose of In,
Mangascia- who was advancing thithor with
$4,000 men. In the ensuing engagements tho
Abyssinians suffered great losses. and on Jan.
% Baratierl was able to disband his troops.
having utterly beaten $4,000 picked warriors
with a force numbering less than 1000, all
natives except So italian officers and a
men. On returning from Rome 60 his com.
mand In September. 1895, Baratieri found
that Ras Mangascia had assembled n new
army. whereupon he at once attacked and de-
feated the Abyssinia rear. He proceeded to
annex the Tigre country. and constructed A
fort at Adigrat. placing Col. Arimondl In COM
mand OF 1t. Another fort. under Major Tosell.
was made at Makalla. and Toselli. with 2,4O0
native troops and eleven Italian officers, went
forth to reconnoitre. Presently he sent word
to Arimondi at AdiRrat that an attack was inn
pending. and urged him to send reinforce.
ments. but Baratieri ordered the recall Of To.
SELL AMI the concentration Of all troops at Adj.
graf. where they we're to await his arrival.
The orders for Toselli's retreat were never re-
ceived. and on Dec. z the force under that off,
Ger was almost annihilated by the Abyssiniana.
After this defeat the Italian Government de-
c'ded to attempt no further extension OF ter
ritorial influence In Africa. An Immense
Abyssinian army presently besiened Ma
kalla. which surrendered on an agreement
that Menelek and his force OF 10000
men were to be free to march unmolested
on Adowa, while Baratieri. now heading
10000 men, well equipped and provisioned in
strong positions. had to abandon Adigrat.
The negotiations for peace failed as the
italian Government refused to ahroRate tho
clause OF the Uchall treaty OF 1888, by which.
according to the italian Interpretation Mene-
lex was to recognize an Italian protectorato
and to treat with foreign powers only through
the medium OF Italy. Such Of tho Ras or feudal
chiefs as had hitherto supported the Italian
cause now went over to the winning side. Tho
conquered provinces revolted. and Baratieri
found himself surrounded by foes. In February.
1895. he decided to retreat on Ada Gala, nwt
Arimondi and most Of his superior officers,
several OF whom were new to Africa. induced
him to assail the enemy. Three columns Of at
tack advanced. One reached q wrong point,
and was utterly crushed. A second, marching
to the rescue. was overwhelmed, with the
Of Gen. Dabormida, all OF his officers
and most OF his men. Arimondi. arriving In
was also slain. and a general rout fol-
No fewer than sixty cannon were
taken two generals and over 200 officers were
killed and wounded. and nearly 10000 native
troops were slain. Afterthis disastrous battle
Of Adowa. fought on March 1. 1896 the reople
Of Italy resolved to make no further sacrifices
OF men and money in Africa. and the King was
forced to accent the resignation of the Crispi
which had aroused the utmost indig-
nation by expanding large sums. without the
sanction OF Parliament. In attempting to ex-
Tend Italian territory in Africa. The surrender
of Adigrat to King Menelek was followed by a
convention signed in October. 1895. fully recog-
the independence OF Abyssinia. His
success at Adowa had raised him to the highest
occupied by any native African SOW
ereign. with the exception OF the Khedive.
He has attained the distinction. rare for
IN African potentate. OF finding his
courted by great European
powers. France. Russia and Great Britain. In
he spring OF 1897 he showed his appreciation
If European esteem by receiving the British
ENJOYS with his person adorned by the orders
Catherine Of Russia and of the French Le-
zion of Honor. and by accepting with surprise
md delight the insignia OF a Knight Grand
ross of the British order OF st. Michael and st.
ieorge. What is OF much more Importance. he
las caused his former feudal force to be SUI
'erseded by a standing army of 10000 men.
'apable OF being raised to twice that number.
nd mostly armed with modern rifles.
v.
The total area OF Africa Is COMPUTED at H.
10000 square miles. or this France claims
Iearly 3,OOO.O0O: Great Britain. about 2,GuO.-
Almost half the continent Ia thus 40
ounted for. Germany. Portugal. Belgium,
pain. Italy. the Boer republics. Liberia. Turkey
In Egypt and Tripolil. Morocco and Abyssinia
AVE. between them. some 100000 square
niles. This estimate leaves about !. 100000
quare miles of area, of which the lakes repre-
ent about 100000; the rest must be assigned
o the Lihyan Desert, west OF Egypt. to a region