The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-01-13
Some Facts About Abyssinia.

Some Facts About AbyssInia.
Now that r. P. Skinner, United
States consul at Marseilles, has been
sent by our government on mission
to the King of Abyssinia for the pur-
pose of extending American trade in
that country the following, prepared
by the Bureau of Commerce, becomes
of interest; Abyssinia, an African
empire known to the ancients as
Ethiopia, is rapidly rising in import
ance industrially and commercially.
It is situated in the eastern part Of
Africa and is presided over by an en-
peror with the title "Negus Negusti, "
which signifies "king of kings" The
present ruler is Menelik II, born in
1912, man of rather remarkable
character and singular clear-headedess
for one so far separated from the out
side influences of the civilized world.
After long and eventful career,
Menelik succeeded in securing inde-
pendence for his country by treaty
signed at Ads Abeba, August 26,
1896. Up to the present time the
different states or provinces of Abys-
sinia are ruled over in a manner almost
feudal by governors, called rases.
Each ras has his own militay forces
The total army of the empire amounts
to $50, 600 men, all of whom are sup
posed to be mounted and armed with
rifles obtained from the Italians or
imported in recent years from other
countries.
The area is about 15O, 600 square
miles and the population is little
less than 4, 000, ,OO0 The last census
estimate it to be s. 500, 900. The chief
industries of the empire are the rear
ing Of cattle, sheep and goats, and the
cultivation OF, barley, dhurra, wheat,
hops and tobacco for home consump-
tion.
The chief interests connecting Abys-
sinia with the outside world are the
powerful influence OF the Negns and
the possible later connections with the
interior of Africa through instrumen-
talities in his possession. The French.
English and Italians have for long
time been carrying on correspondence
with the Negus with the view Of de-
veloping the industries of these coun-
tries.
Export. German trade paper. in its
issue of November 5, 1908, says:
Through the completion of the
Diibuti Adds Harrar Railway, ETH
opia (Abyssinia) was opened to the
trade of the world. This is the first
railway from the French port of Dill
butt. on Tadschura bay, to Adds
Abeba, the capital of Abyssinia, and
of Kaffa and the upper Nile. Exports
to Abyssinia last year were as follows ::
Coffee. $3.50, ,374; gold. $3.50, 054; ivory,
s404, S38; civet, $50, 920: rubber, sl2,-
1873.
"The well-developed political sys-
tenn under which Ethiopia has been
progressing during the last dozen
years, it's success in foreign wars, and
its firm position in the face of the
outside world permit the long conceal
ed riches of this, beautiful and
singular country at last to be exploit
ed The Hamites and Semites who
formerly wandered into the lands from
Asia. as we'll as the mixed elements
of it's existing population, far surpass
in intellectual powers the negro races.
They possess an old, although back
ward, culture, but they are not op-
posed to European civilization. They
have adopted the telegraph, telephone
and quick-6ring weapons, and they
are well equipped to become buyers Of
imports. The imports of Abyssinia
have increased from S83. 300 in 1880
to S3, $50, O00 in 1S99-190o October.
1899, to April, 1900. During the
entire fiscal year 1899-1900 the total
imports must have reached 81, 522, COO.
Imports were divided as follows:
Great Britain and British India, ST.
1912, including cotton goods. ST.
C51, $50: woolen goods, sS9, 4SS; silk
goods, So, 568. United States, $3.50, 374,
including cotton goods, S847, ,280.
France, s271,9 including weapons,
sfS3, 26O: silk goods, s74,2 Ger
many, s236,8l. including silk goods,
Sl63, Sc. Austria, sol, 154. including
glassware, s14,2So. Arabia, Belgium,
China. japan, Russia and Turkey,
S755, 412.
@'Tbe goods imported into Ethiopia
are as follows: American, Eugisn
GUQ 4AC1ou COeGOh SVOCS AAOA SOOOS3.
including enameled wares, cooking
utensils and hardware OF all kinds:
wines and liquors; glassware. especially
for arm bands, ETC.: drinking glasses:
hats; candles; church ornaments, as
crosses, etc. copper utensils, lamps,
groceries, preserves, olive oil, medi
cines, writing paper, cigarette paper,
perfumery, petroleum, jewelry,
leather, arms and ammunition, shoes,
silk goods. looking glasses, chairs,
tobacco, carpets, watches, soap, sugar,
wood: woolen goods, including cloths;
thread and yarn: razors, cutlery,
Italian and Swedish matches, and
Turkey red.
Trade is carried On almost exclu-
sively in the dry season-Sepember to
June"
Nashville. Tenn, Jan. 7.-George j.
Fuller is dead at the Hermitage, at
the age of 50 years. lie was cne Of
the greatest drivers of trotting horses
in the country and at one time had
ob.rra cf tho Sta hlac of tho (,zar Of