Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-01
IMPORTANT TREATY
Negotiated by Consul Robert
P. Skinner
With the + amous Old King Mene|ik
Of Abyssinia.
Which Opens Up Trade With 10000.
900 People.

tainirg 100000 people is briefly and
nlodestly told in the report to Mr.
/ LOonlis, the assistant secretary Of
: state, of Robert +. Skinner. the AMI
I erican consul general at Marseiles
France, on his highly successful spe-
cial mission to Abyssinia last Novem-
Der for the purpose of negotiating with
! King Menelik a trade treaty and to
| collect information about the CONNER
| cal resources of that country. AS a
| result of this mission, Mr.. Skinner ne
| eotiated Il treaty, which. if acceptable
| will secure for the United States the
| most ia cred nation privileges in Eth
opia will guarantee to American citi-
Gems and merchandise immunity from
| determinations in rates on all public
roads and lines of communication.
| In addition, Mr. Skinner prevailed on
| King Menelik to accept an invitation
Cor his country to participate in the st.
Louis exposition. Mr.. Skinner, after
nalrating these facts, says.
Acting on behalf of the agricultural
department, 1 have secured a collection
of the seeds of the more important
crops peculiar to Etheiopia. &; number
of which may be found valuable in the
|
tern lands of the United States. now
being made available by the extension
of cur irrigation system.
| Il have also in hand material for a
report on the agricultural resources of
| .ibyssinia. The agricultural depart
ment particularly desired to secure a
collection of wild coffee seeds for eX-
/ porimcntal purposes. These could not
L - 49,: 1I -.s.t
been ordered, and ultimately will be
| forwarded. Such Il collection could be
found only i'll Kaffa. remote pro-
vince, access to which involves Il long
and expensive journey. The experts
of the agricultural department have Il
theory that the degeneration of the
modern coffee plantation is due to the
fact that coffee culture has been based
on seed originally imported from Ara
bia ana that by getting back to the
wild coffee plant. the habitat of which
is the privince of Kaffa, a new variety
may be created, the value of which will
be incalculable.
The presence of the mission in Eth
opia has had the effect of turning her
attention toward the United States as
q probable source of supply for many
|
: lexpanding market is certain to result
Upon the completion of the railway.
and as a probable consuming market
l for such products as may be available
for export"
| MIR. Skinner gives this picturesque
description of his reception by the en-
perur:
1.-TWO hours after camping, ac-
companied by NJ. Chefneux, counsellor
of state, the mission set out for the
| aderach. or seat of government. ac-
companied by an Ethiopian escort of
1900 men under the command of a dis
Itingushed general. Although our
reception at Harrar had not been
devoid of military pomp. we were as
| tonished and our appreciation of the
picturesque eratified by this first
glimpse of Ethiopian troops upon Il
ceremonial occasion. Arrayed in
gorgeous silks and satins. with lion and
leopard skin mantles, gold and silver
plated Ducillers, carrying lances from
which lloated the national cOlOrs,
mounted upon spirited horses. they
galloped into formation, the very order
of which was an apparent disorder,
shifting like Kaleidoscope and con-
stitutInG Il scene as indescribable as it
was memorable. A band of shawn
players heralded our coming with weird
music which has not changed since the
fan of Jericho.
AT the palace our escort fell back
ana the mission. always accompanied
by the marines and blue jackets, pro-
Ceeded through series of court yards
| Iud after receiving a salute from a
company of 200 native artillerymen we
! entered the Alderach, an audience
chamber of cdthedrallke proportions
and form. The emperor sat upon this
throne. surrounded by his more impor-
tlnt advisers. Our reception was
cordial but formal
For nine days Mr.. Skinner was in
conference with the emperor and his
chiefs of state. At the farewell audi
ence the emperor gave two young
lionesses and a pair of elephant tusks
to Mr.. skinner together with Il
! personal letter of friendship and good
will addressed to the president. which
/, he gave as testimonials of his friend
ship AMI good will to the United States
Mr.. Skinner Says:
Whatever may be the results of this
, mission. it is certain that if the treaty
! he ratified it will have regularized an
uncertain condition where we have an
existing trade interest of value and
have placed us in position to profit by
cvenualities.'
At present there is an annual i'm
portation of cotton sheetings from the
United States to Ethiopia to the value
OF S519.000 1t is pointed out that
Ethiopia can supply millions of raw
skins. for which there is an increasing
need in this country.