The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-02-01
PEACEFUL TREK
TO ABYSSINIA
Welcome Accorded Americans
by Eastern Africa King.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRADE
ABYSSINIANS REGARDED AS
JAPANESE OF AFRICA.
"a ARsEILLEs. Jan. s1.-Tbe follow

"a ARsETLLEs, Jan. s1.-Tbe follow
M ing details of the governmental
mission to King Meuelik OF
Abyssinia. which was led by United
states Consul Robert p. Skinner, have
been obtained:
ar. SINNERS party arrived here yes
terday on board the steamer Victoria
The American marines and blueiackets
who accompanied the expedition were
left at Alden and went on % 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
! aIenelik. on the way TO the coast the
party saw one elephant and heard 8
number Of lions. but experienced no eX-
citing adventures. In the course of an
interview Mr.. Skinne- 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
/ goods pass through many hands before
/ being sold at high prices in Abyssinia
but now Americans have an opportu-
nifty to conduct their own trade King
/ Meuelik viii send some of the products
/ of his country 10 the st. Louis expo
sition. as well az q commission com
I posed OF able men 10 show the Ameri-
cans commercial opportunities in
/ Abyssinia. The king Is broad minded
/ statesman who VIII welcome Ameri-
/ cans"
During the visit Of the Skinner party
I at the capital King Eeuefik received
I Sad
/ semblage Of Z,000 funotionaries. The
/ escort Of American marines established
/ a camp called Camp Roosevelt. which
/ attracted a great deal Of interest.
Favorable Impressions.
The king made a personal inspection
/ Of the camp, which lasted for three
/ hours, and after having witnessed tho
I Enaneuvers Of the marines ne asked
| one of the men for his gun and loaded
/ and fred ii. This act on the part Of
! the king pleased the visitors greatly
J The Americans were impressed with
/ the assimilative ability of the Abvssir-
/ ians, Consul skinner saying that the
| country is being rapidly modernized,
! and that new roads. bridges. water
! supplies telephones and telegraph
lines are being constructed. lie CON
sfders the Abyssinians the japanese
l OF Africa He points our however.
that the postal and banking systems
/ are defective and Unsat isfactory. The
/ money is on q silver basis. consul
skinner believes that Americans viii
I find "a large field for activity in the
/ gold. coal, petroleum and asphalt pos
/ sibilities Of Aby-ssinis.
An official report of The result of the
( mission has been forwarded TO WASH
! ington-
Zig. the confidential advise. of King
/ Menelik, viii return to Abyssinia to
/ morrow.
In an interview he said Abyssinia
would continue to do her utmost to-
I favor French interests. but that she
was having a serious struggle against
foreign influences. lie said also that
King MeneIik intended 10 prove his
good feeling for France by visiting
that country during the present year.
Rome. Jan. 31--According o news re-
ceived by the foreign Office here King
Menelik is not likely TO leave Abyssinia
because Of the political situation there
] There is already q candidate for sue
cession 10 the throne and he fears that
his departure would be q signal for
lcivil warfare among the different chiefs.
lit Is therefore considered impossible
FOR the king TO visit the st. Louis ex-
/ position.