The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-02-01
U. s. MISSION TO MENELIK.
CONSUL SKINNER BACK AFTER
 SUCCESSFUL TRIP.

anese" of Africa-country Being Rnp-
 Idly SIodernized-Trade Probabilities
 Good-A Large Field for American
 Activity-The King a Broad-nIinded
 Statesman.
 Marseilles, Jan. s1.-The following de- tails of the governmental mission to King Menelik of Abyssinia, which was led by United States Consul Robert P. Skinner, have been obtained. Mir. Skin- ner's party arrived here yesterday on board the steamer Victoria.
 The American marines and bluejack- cts who accompanied the expedition were left at Alden, and went on to join the American gunboat Machias.
 Consul Skinner and the other mem bers of the party are in good health and they speak enthusiastically of the reception accorded them by King Mem elk. On the way to the coast the party saw one elephant and heard a number of lions, but experienced no exciting adventures. In the course of an inter- view MT. Skinner said:
 President Roosevelt selected a most opportune time for establishing rela- tions with Ethiopia, as Americans here tofore have been too indifferent to the remarkable development which is now going on in Abyssinia. Our cotton cloths pass through many hands before being sold at high prices in Abyssinia, but now Americans have opportunities to conduct their own trade. King Menelik will send some of the pro- ducts of his country to the St. Louis ex- position as well as commission com posed Of able men to show Americans the commercial opportunities in Abys- sinia. The king is a broad-minded statesman who will welcome Ameri- cans"
 During the visit of the Skinner party at the capital, King Menelik received them surrounded by an imposing as- semblage of 1000 functionaries. The es- cort of American marines established Ia camp, called Camp Roosevelt" which attracted great deal of inter- est. The king made personal inspec- ton of the camp, which lasted for three hours, and after having witnessed the maneuvres of the marine guard, asked one of the men for his gun and loaded and fired it. This act on the part of the king aroused much enthu- siasm.
 dition were impressed with the assirni- Ilativ ability of the Abyssinians. Consul Skinner says further that the country Is being rapidly modernized and that new roads. bridges, water sup plies, telephones and telegraph lines are being constructed He considers the Abyssinians to be the "Japanese" of Africa. He points out, however, that the postal and banking systems are defective and unsatisfactory. The
 money Is on silver basis. MT. Skin- large field for activity in the gold, coal, petroleum and asphalt resources of | Abyssinia.
 | An official report of the result of the mission has been forwarded to Wash inston.
 I Ilg, the confidential adviser of King
 Menelik, will return to Abyssinia to- morrow. In an interview he said Abys- sinia would continue to do her utmost l to favor French interests but that she was having serious struggle against
 foreign influences. He said also that ] King Menelik intended to prove his good feeling for Frnace by visiting that
 country during the present year.
 Rome, Jan. 31.-According to news re-
 ceived by the foreign office here, King
 Menelik is not likely to leave Abyssinia
 because of the political situation. There
 is already candidate for succession to
 the throne and he fears that his de-
 parture would be signal for civil war
 fare among the different chiefs. It is
 therefore considered impossible for the
 king to visit the St. Louis exposition.