Evening star., 1935-10-13
1887 WARNING SERVES
ETHIOPIA'S INVADERS
Only White Man to Capture Territory
Forecasts Italian Defeat, and Same
Perils Exist Today.
BY CAPT. ERIC ACLAND.


" feet in the British House of
4 At once my lords lean for
ward that they may hear the better.
Napier Of Magdala speaks. Despite
his advanced age, the clear-cut voice
and the clipped words of the soldier
command immediate attention.
He addresses his remarks directly to
the secretary of state for foreign
affairs.
Il would like to know if her mai
esty's government will take any steps
toward mediating between the gov
ernment of Italy and the King of
Ethiopia in order to prevent, if pos
Slble, the loss of life and misery which
a war between Italy and Ethiopia
will entail"
In complete silence my lords listen
while the grand old soldier presents
his brief but pointed remarks. Not
one but knows he is fighting on
ground he knows by heart. His very
baronial nomenclature, Magdala, he
won by the sword in Ethiopia.
Satisfied by Occupation.
Il confess that have viewed with
satisfaction the occupation of the
African coast by highly honorable
and enlightened nation such as the
Italians, and I have always hoped
that close intercourse with Ethiopia
would lead to much social improve
ment in that country.
THE King of Ethiopia has done
much to create law and order in his
country. He rules over a wild and
unruly people, including many feudal
chiefs of much power, and therefore
has had to exercise some severity"
Here he pauses tactfuly to advise
my lords" that they must not forget
that it is not so very long since that
our own penal code was very severe"
But the King of Ethiopia has done
much for the improvement of Ethi-
opia and the promotion of commerce.
1t would be subject of great regret
If war should throw back all that
progress"
Touches on Military Factors.
Napier of Magdala hesitates before
continuing along more decidedly mill
tary lines.
THE Italians today are a military
nation with a highly disciplined army
and perfect weapons of offense, and
there could be no doubt that they
must ultimately prevail" My lords
incline their heads in approval with
a distinctly 81 told you so" manner.
Butt" Napier's voice rings across
the house like an executive word OF
command. "But-the Ethiopians are
also a brave race of hunters. They
are good marksmen. Their country
is most difficult. If the advance
through the long and dangerous
passes would be difficult with an
enemy thoroughly acquainted with
the country. able to travel long dis
tances rapidly and requiring little
commiSsariat, then retreat would be
disastrous.
II trust that her majestys govern
ment will endeavor to mediate be-
tween the two countries. 1t would be
great Denent 10 humanity.
Flash Back to 1887.
This was not July 90, 1885, this
was July 90. 1887, in the House of
Lords and the last words the upper
house was to hear from England S
hero of Ethiopia, Field Marshall Lord
Napier of Magdala. for he died a
short time afterward. OF course, his
suggestion that the Italian Army
might meet with disaster was scoffed
at. Wasn't the Ethiopian soldier an
unskilled savage, while Italy could
place an overpowering modern army
in the field!
But Napier was right. The man
who knew most about warfare in
Ethiopia and the only white man
ever to lead victorious army against
Ethiopia carried with him to his death
an undininished respect for the Ethi-
opian as a warrior and the terrible
hazards that his country had to offer
the foreign invader.
The principal difficulty was not to
beat the enemy but to reach him. "
That was the synopsis written by Sir
Robert Fortesque, Britain's greatest
student of military history, at the