New-York tribune., 1899-12-31

Tho ,ev,s that Menelik OF Abysslnia Is sehuIns
force 10 re-estabsh his authority III '"e
Province revives the rumor, freqnehty " a.
,,o that he is preparing to annoy and trouble 'ie
- Co,.orrrent IN another quarter when all
g. army is needed In South Africa. By the terms
NJ treatv agreed upon by representatives OF "i'"
britain and Italy the latter Is SAID 10 nave %
tanned the control Of her Province OF Ely ~ =,
England must render her military esS's.a ~,
case OF attack from any quarter Inc i'a"" =.
claim part OF Tigre over which Mehehn - a.
he resolved 10 assert his authority. Ihs lho'e
,rant on the part OF Menek may be regarded as
roupdabout method OF opening hostilues agains'
Great Britain - - .n,
In view OF these reports the personality oi tn'
Negus and the possible extent OF Ms
IS OF Interest Menek II. Emperor Oh H''
sinia was born IN lH3 and claims ues'e"'
from Maqueda. Queen OF sheoa' anu v,na
the wise powerful and much marrieu ~ -,
n. the Jews Menelik succeeded 10 the throne ~
1889 on the death Of John II. with whom he n"u ~
been constantly at war. In the hra' year o
reign he concluded treaty with King hufhoe'' ~
Italy. when he practically placed Abyssinia unuer
the protection of the Italians VINO al tue S'"''
time agreed to lend him 100000 france
But as the result OF constant disputes over tne
treaty OF 1889 and of encroachments on the pa''
Of the Italians war broke out In 1893 Two ln-
portant engagements were fought. resulting III the
defeat Of the italians. The second was the patue
OF Adowa fought on February @ 1896 III "hlen
the Italians lost In killed and wounded more than
seven thousand officers and men, THIS reverse
caused the fall Of the Crspi Ministry and resulted
in the signing OF a treaty by Italy recognizing 'h'
absolute independence Of Abyssinia
This victory over a European Power greatly IN
creased the prestige Of the Negus lie was aD'e
TO conclude a commercial treaty with france !"
1897 and one with Great Britain In BsS Inc ,s isr-
ter proved Of great importance 10 Bfilish m n.ei !,
ess in the Soudan as It included me @ oen ~,
the British Somah Protectorate, the keeping open
TO British commerce OF the caravan route between
ZeiIa and Harrar and the prevention Of the transit
through Abyssinia Of arms and ammunition IN 10 Lns
Mahdists, whom Menslik declared to be enemies
The organization of the military forces OF Abys,
sna is feudal in character. and the constitution Is
by provinces each governor, or Ras, having 2
standing force as garrison and at cail In case M OF
war. and considerable number OF retalners "no
may be lkened TO militia. The garrison forces;
when united. constitute the army OF Meneik' ana
are estimated at seventy thousand men The cen ii
trail control Is weak, but the forces are readily
grouped, the mounted men forming en- irregular
cavalry and having great mobility; Marksmanship
is a weak point In the Abyssinian army Ihe
militia, according to "Hazells Annual number
about one hundred and forty thousand men. ,
But the foregoing figures may be supplemented
by Information which furnished by General
Albertone, an Italian general who, took part In
the Italo-Abyssinian war and was kept for many
months prisoner in Abyssnia In an interview
Albertone said: I'm the last campaign Menelik had
in the Tigre from 10000 TO lDO breech loading
scisa and Hsrrar some 5000 or IS 900 ready
march called up upon him bsGes f1dm
manufacturers. and 1t is safe to state that he has
now 10000 breech loading guns al his disposal II
in IH line a6out 10000 or 5oOo@ men whose lances
spears and other primitive weapons proved to be
Element of great importance in the Abyssinian war
is the cavalry and from the Gaass country alone
the Negus could draw easily from 25 900 to 5000
good cavalrymen. mounted on small but agile
horses who are skilful in the use OF their spears
and in making raids over the most difficult coun-