The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-22
ABYOSINIA AGAIN.
France, En- tland and Germany in tho Land
Of tho Nc .us Ne ,usti.


France, En- Tlsnd and Germany In tho Land
Of tho Ne .us Nc .usti.
To THE EDITOR OF The SuN-!Sir: In con-
Guiding my previous letter l left OF at the
point where the French railway company
had begun to feel the efYec Of Nj. Delcasse's
new policy toward Abyssinia. now pro-
coed with the details that led up to the Ger
man mission and the present situation.
In 1901, when 1873 kilometers of the railway
had been completed and opened to traffic,
the construction company which had been
contracted with to carry out the work called
FOR the cancellng Of its contract and the
settlement Of Its accounts. Not having the
funds necessary to complete the line to the
point which was to be the junction with the
future Harrar-Addis-Ab eba line. the Ethiopian
Imperial Railway Company had to look
about for fresh capital Discredited by Its
own Government. 1t found French capital
shy, and was finally forced TO have recourse
to London, where a group OF English finan-
ciers made an advance OF 100000 From
that time on English capitalists took an active
interest In Abyssinian aft airs. and the British
Government, having got over the initial
difficulties with Menelik arising out of its
numerous defeats In South Africa. set to
work through its able representative at
Addis-Abeba, Col Harrington, to invest
the positions that had been held by France
and England respectively UP to then and
with considerable SUCCESS.
Aided by their diplomatic agent. English
fnanciers kept closely pressing the French
Ethiopian company. always short OF funds.
Three English societies were formed, the
Oceana Consolidated Company, the New
African Company and tho New Egyptian
Company, the last named under official
auspices. These formed the Ethiopian Rail-
way Trust and Construction Company and
offered the French company all the money
1t needed under the following conditions:
l. The Imperial company to cede to the
trust certain amount Of its shares.
2 The bonds held by the trust to be turned
3. The sums advanced to be repaid at a
OF the work to be handed over to the trust.
4. The international Railway Trust to
take over control of the whole enterprise.
bluffs II received from ". Delcasse. was on
the point Of aoe9epting these terms when the
5enSa seSn ta Z. 'D1a ss hs that
the affair should receive rational solution"
But days and months went by and nothing
port In British Somaliland to the .Abyssinian
capital and at the first meeting OF the share;
Chesterfield, the president, announced that
the trust had been formed 70 carry out the
The. French press then began campaign,
and the colonial groups in the Senate and
Chamber made collective representations that
having been done. NJ. Etienne, on behalf OF
Who Teped in an eSssse and
SO vigorously that on f. Feb. N. Deicass5
BY which the colony Of Jibutil engaged itself
to pay for period of fits. years. beginning
x z and hf una s e Ssb sn OF lily
tho State. the bonds were put on the market
on the same terms as the ordinary Govern
The result was that on Pee 2s lao2 the
the projected line to the, capital and the Nile.
Arrived, at this point, the French company
ton Of the line to Addis..Ab A. but was
met with a refusal from Meneik, not only
to grant the decree but even to be present
unexpected action Of the Negus completely
stupehed the colonial !SI party in France until
'n MAKE % nr hs sA ih 0 Of
fourt eenth clause Of which provided for the
ment of the whole line UP to the river Hawash.
thus annexing large piece Of Abyssinan
fgTHsr ea we're out ra that s tie
known to Menelik by the British diplomatic
agent.
4 MS was tHe Hnul dow 70 french lnIueHCe
and interests in Abyssina and brought Meme
Xix round to the policy openly advocated
bv the British and italian agents at his capt.
tal-the Observation-Disclosures Of the line and
placing 1t under the trust already spoken
Of: In other words. handing it over to British
control. with the certainty that the line frem
British Somaliland would eventually be
built and the ruin OF the French Jibut-
Tarrar line and the COLONY, of French soma
| lland completed, or that they would eventu-
| ally be taken over by Great Britain, which
would seem, from his actions, to have been
| the secret intention If ~. Delcass9 for COM
pensations in other directions.
Then came the Anglo French convention
| OF last year, with sore vet Unpublished con-
dtions that led to the German mission un-
der Baron Rosen to Abvssinia. which fornd
Menelik embarrassed and hesitatinp, fnll Of
resentment toward France and doubtful Of
| the policy OF Observation-Disclosures pressed
| on him by Great Brta in and Italy. BY the
| commercial treaty entered into with Ger
| many, this Power has accured the rrht to
take part in future deliberations affecting
Abvssnian affairs. and there, is, irst s'rs-
nIcion in Paris that In such deliberations
Germany will he. found supporting French
interests effectively.
IT may be satd in conclusion that tire French
colonial marty 10 not ert'-olv rnfavor BILE
In this solution ~ dlear,ltv for which they
bold ". nelcass6 altogether and scle'r re-
epnnsiblo. PERA.
NEW YORK. Julv ~.