The Saint Paul globe., 1904-02-22
CONSUL DESCRIBES
VISIT TO ADYSS|N|A
Americas Representative Is
Cordially Received by En-.
peror of Ethiopia.


relations with new region contain
ing ten millions of people is briefly
/ and modestly told in the report to
Mr.. Loomis, the assistant secretary of
| state, of Robert P. Skinner, the Amer
| lean consul at Marseilles, France on
his highly successful special mission
| to Abyssinia last November for the
purpose of negotiating with King Men,
| elk trade treaty and to collect in
| formation about the commercial re-
| sources of that country.
AS result of this mission, Mr.. Skin
ner negotiated a treaty which, If ac-
ceptable, will secure for the United
| States the most favored nation privi-
| leges in Ethiopia, and will guarantee
to American citizens and merchandise
| immunity from discrimination in rates
on all public roads und lines of COM
munication.
In addition, Mr.. Skinner prevailed
| upon King Menelik to accept an invi-
tation for his country to participate
in the st. Louis exposition and pre-
liminary arrangements for a compre-
hensive exhibit at st. Louis have been
| made. The king will send during the
coming summer commission of dis
tinguished and representative men, who
| will have charge of the exhibit.
Mr.. Skinner, after narrating these
facts, says:
Acting on behalf of the agricultural de-
partment, / have secured a collection Of
the seeds Of the more important crops. Pc
culiar to Ethiopia, a number Of which
Of the uncultivated Western lands of the
United States now being made available
by the extension of our irrigation sys-
| report on the agricultural resources Of
Abyssinia. The agricultural department
particularly desired to secure a collection
Of wild coffee seeds for experimental pur-
poses. These could not be obtained dur
ing my visit but have been ordered and
ultimately will be forwarded. Such a
collection could be found only In Kaffa,
a remote province, access to which in
wolves long and expensive Journey.
Failed to Secure Zebras.
My endeavor to obtain a pair of large
zebras for croSs-breeding purposes was
In vain. These animals are exceedingly
rare and difficult to capture alive. l have
left instructions, however, In regard to
this matter and trust to be able to supply
two of these animals some time in the
future.
The presence of the mission in Ethiopia
has had the effect of turning her atten-
tion toward the United States as a prob
able source of supply for many manufac-
tured articles for which an expanding
market Is certain to result upon the COM
pletion of the railway, and as probable
consuming market for such products as
may be available for export
Mr. Skinner records in detail his ex-
pedition to Abyssinia from the time he
left New York on Oct. up to the day on
which he set sail Jan. Is. He calls at
tention to the prompt facilities which the
French government offered for the prog
ress of the expedition across French ter
ritory
Mr.. Skinner gives this picturesque de-
scription Of his reception by the en-
peror:,
Two hours after camping, accompanied
by Chefneux (councelor of state), the
of government, accompanied by an Ethi-
opian escort Of 5000 men under the COM
mand of a distinguished general. AL
though our reception at Harrar had not
been devoid of military pomp, we were
astonished, and our appreciation Of the
picturesque was gratified by this first
glimpse of Ethiopian troops upon cere-
silks and satins, with lion and leopard
skin mantles, gold and silver-plated
bucklers, carrying lances from which
ffoated the national colors, mounted upon
spirited horses. they galloped into forma-
ton, the order of which was an apparent
disorder, scene as indeScribable as 1t
heralded our coming with weird music
which has not changed since the fall of
Jericho.
Meets the Emperor.
At the palace. or guehi, our escort fell
back, and the mission, always accom-
panied by the marines and bluejacketS
proceeded through series of court yards,
and after receiving a salute from COM
pany Of two hundred native artillery
men under command of a European Off
Ger, and further salute of twenty
guns in honor Of the United States, we
entered the aderach, an audience chamber
of cathedral-like proportions and FORM
The emperor sat upon his throne, sur
rounded nv his innnrfaOf advisors
representing the adminiStra tive depart
ments, the judiciary, the army and the
church. Back of the two rows of pillars
supporting the roof were massed several
thousands of the leading people of the
Addis-Ababa, all in holiday regalia. Our
reception was cordial but formal.
For nine days Mr.. Skinner was in con-
ference with the emperor and his chiefs
Of state. AT the farewell audience the
emperor received the entire expedition and
bestowed decorations upon all the officers
of the mission and presented medals to
the marines. To Mr.. Skinner the emperor
gave two young lions and pair of ele-
phant tusks together with a personal let
ter Of friendship and good will addressed
to the president, which he gave as testi-
monials of his friendship and good will
to the United States.
OF the nations resources Mr.. Skinner
has this to say:
the commercial adventurer with limited
means. Too many Europeans now in the
field are of that class, and the emperor,
with just reason, is weary Of the constant
clamor for concessions from all sorts and
conditions of persons whose only object is
to find purchaser at an exorbitant fig
ure.
viii Respect Property Interest.
On the other hand, enterprises planned
with skill and backed with sufficient capt.
tai may be undertaken and carried out
with every assurance that property in
terests will be respected by the govern
ment
Whatever may be the results Of this
mission, he concluded, it is certain that if
the treaty be ratified 1t will have regular
ized an uncertain condition where we
had an existing trade interest of value,
and have placed us in position to profit
| by eventualities. In view Of the fact that
we have sustained diplomatic relations
with every power Of Importance on the
| face of the earth for many years, and in
many cases where our material interests
were very much inferior to those which
we have in Ethiopia, the surprising fact
| is not that we have sent mission into
| Africa at this time, but that we did not
| do it many years before.