Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-08

utility or Italy'S colonies on the hed sea-
the Indian ocean and the
Italy's Juba river. The question
grows out of the disaster
ooeAy' that occurred on the Juba
in December last and the proposition OF
NJ. Tittoni, minister Of foreign affairs, to
increase the credits, to which there Is op-
position. A party in the chamber would
abandon colonies altogether upon the
ground that the end does not justify the
means. Another party would go on with
the work undertaken and. making haste
slowly, gather inspiration from the ia
miliar locution: Italia fara da SCI" or
that Italy will go on alone.
Logh is a Somali town situated within
the sphere of Italian influence. on the left
bank Of the Juba river. 400 kilometers
north Of Kismayu, a port on the Indian
ocean in the section known as Benadir.
1t was at Logh that a strong Abyssinian
force attacked the Italian garrison with
the result that a number of Italians were
killed and among these two officers of dis
tinction, whose loss has created a wide
spread feeling throughout Italy against
the colonial regime.
On the other hand, Menelik. King OF
Abyssinia, declared to the Italian gov
ernOr OF the Benadir that while the raz-
zia or raid was certainly executed under
orders the officer had exceeded his au-
thority and would be punished.
The charge d'affaires at Addis-Ababa
was instructed by the Italian government
to negotiate with King Menelik on the fol
lowing basis. First, the establishment OF
a neutral zone north of Logh, which
should be exempt from razzas. Second,
the establishment Of neutral line rum
ming from Dolo on the fourth degree north
to the Webi-Sheben river and thence on a
parallel line to the coast.
NJ. Tittoni, minister of foreign affairs at
Rome. defends the governments policy OF
maintaining its possessions In Erythrea
including those Of the Benadr, and asks
for an increased appropriation for public
works and for "ascaris," or native SOL
diers, whose numbers he proposes to aug
ment from 1000 to $500.
**
The result of the discussion in the
Italian chamber is awaited with interest
in colonial and diplomatic
Doubtful circles. 1t is not clear
VIII what benefits may accrue
to Italy from the peculiar
character Of these possessions in Abys.
sinia or in the Somaliland. The heat Is
great, the soil ungrateful and the ma
tive hostile, warlike and nomadic. How
these obstacles are to be overcome we
have never been told. but of all coun.
tries under the sun the writer from per-
sonal knowledge may sincerity declare
that the Benadir. which includes the
Juba, Is the most unpromising. It Is
there, however. that Italy sees her Ell
dorado.
1t may be recalled that it was Great
Britain which first fired the Italian SOU
with the fever Of colonialism and planted
her at Massowah, an Egyptian depend
ency. Italy, Ill content with her con.
quest, undertook to assert her protectorats
over Abyssinia and denounced the treaty
of Ucchali. and then followed the Italo-
Abyssinian war and the disastrous defeat
of the Italians at Adowa in 1885,
In 1891 Italy, with the desire of ex
tending her colonial possessions from thu
Red sea coast to the African coast II
the Indian ocean, inspired by the Egyp
tan expedition of Gen. Gordon (com
marded by the writer in 1S75-lS76), de
cided to take possession of the port O.
Kismayu, situated fifteen miles south Of
the equator and Of the mouth Of tn,
Juba river. The writer was in Cairo a
the time. and as the former commander
oe the Egyptian expedition he was re
quested by the government at Rome t.
furnish 1t with survey of the port o.
Kismayu and a chart Of the Juba river
the Arab officers of his staff under his
direction. The writer complied with the
request, conditionally, namely, IF the
Egyptian government would not interpost
any objections" Assured that the Egyp
ton government would not object. thu
surveys We're given over to the Italian
minister plenipotentiary. and an italian
fleet sailed to take possession of the
port of Kismayu. But 10! when the
Italian fleet sighted the port what wa.
that British vessels of war had preceded
him.
X X
It is an interesting side of the taking
Of Kismayu by the Egyptian expedition
in 1S75-1876 to refer to the
Derby's quick protest of Lore
n.. Derby against the taking
1t was assumed in the frs
place that the inspiration came from the
Khedive Ismail, whose ambition to extend
the limits of his country to the Nile
suspicion at London. The inspiration
however. was not Ismail's. but Gordon's.
Gen. Gordon. then Egyptian governor
general at the Great Lakes, aware Of the
difficulties which confronted him in the
exploration of his government by the long
and tortuous Nile, proposed that the
khedive should find g. port on the Indian
ocean at Monday or at Kismaya, with a
line Of steamers connecting with Suez
Gen. Gordon urgently recommended this
object, and that his chief Of staff should
command the land forces of the expedi-
ton, and. marching westward through an
unexplored country open thus an equato-
rial road to the Great Lakes Gordon
urged that the expedition should not move
until after signal from him; he would
accomplished it's object and gained a port
at Kismayu. While waiting for the be-
lated signal from Gordon. Lord Derby
protested, urging the inviolability of the
territory Of the Sultan Of Zanzibar
Lord Derby, not content with a men,
ace to Ismail. also Informed Gordon that
any further manifestations on his part
in favor of Ismails ambitions would
result in his withdrawal from the Su-
dan and the forfeiture of his promotion
as brigadier general in the Royal En-
gineers, an ambition which Lord Derby
we'll knew was the most vulnerable
point, II not the only vulnerable point,
in GOrdon'S armor. This explains, in
deed. the meaning OF the following note
which appeared in Gordon's diary sub
sequently published: Nov. 1873. H. H.
CHS highness) has sent Off McKillop
and Chaille-L. to the Juba and told
them to wait for me. They will wait a
long time. I expect
In 1876 Great Britain was anxious to
defend and protect the fnviolability of
Zanzibar territory against Egypt. In
1901 she violates the same territory by
taking possession of Kismayu and SUBJ
sequently assumes the protectorate over
Zanzibar!