Evening star., 1941-02-06

Africans, plu SMaI u. Fielding Eliot
native units of the Kings African
rifles and Royal West African
frontier force
The principal objective of the
main attack-which is now we'll be-
yond the Italian railhead at Agordat
is probably Asmara, capital of
Eritrea. This place is Of Importance
not only as an administrative CEN
ter, but because it is the point
where the main roads into Ethiopia
leave the railway-one running due
south all the way to Adds Ababa,
one southwest to Axum and the
cities of Tigre Province, and one
west to Tessenei, thence south to
Gondar.
The capture of Asmara would
give control of all Eritrea to the
British forces, and would also pre-
sent them with a central position
from which a further thrust SOUTH
ward into Ethiopia could be devel-
oped. Moreover, Asmara Is connected
by rail with the port of Massawa on
the Red Sea. Massawa, on the low
Littoral, could not defend itself
against the master of Asmara; the
main base of the British expedition
might then be shifted from Port
Sudan to Massawa, and once more
the advantages Of command of the
sea would have been demonstrated
to the italian military mind, which
has seemed so sadly to disregard
these ancient preceptS.
Truck and Animal Transport.
At present the British communi-
cations in this area run from Port
Sudan to Kassala, where truck and
animal-transport columns take UP
the task of supplying the fighting
forces. Kassala is also connected by
rail and road with Khartum, and
by road with Atbara on the Nile.
The column operating from Gala
bat toward Gondar has a good road
which connects with the Khartum-
Kassala-Fort Sudan Railway at
Gebaret. But the good communica-
tons for the most part end at the
frontier between the Anglo-E Egyptian
Sudan and Italian East Africa. On
the Italian side of the line, little
has been done to improve any roads
save very few trunk highways.
z The advance from Agordat to
Asmara is likely to prove difficult
as the'country is mountainous and
Asmara lies some 1000 feet higher
than Agordat, from which it is
about 100 miles distant by rail, or
by the highway which parallels the
railroad. While strong Italian de-
tense Of ASnara is to be expected,
it may be pointed out that an attack
from the rear, by means of a land
ing at or near Massawa, should
prove Of effective assistance to the
main overland attack.
1t Is not yet clear what the pur-
pose of the force which has taken
Barentu may be. Barentu lies some
what to the south Of Agordat, and
it seems likely that the British pur-
pose here was simply to mop up
the italian garrison occupying the
place. The terrain east Of Barentu
is 50 rough and trackless that it
offers little opportunity for a paral-
lei advance toward Asmara. 1t is,
however. possible that having taken
Barentu, this column may attempt
to reach the main Asmara Adds
Ababa road south Of Asmara. thus
cutting OF Asmara from any hope
Of reinforcement.
The attack on Gondar is perhaps
for the moment the most interest
ing Of the several thrusts into
italian territory. The ancient and
almost inaccessible city of Condor
is one Of the historic cities of
Ethiopia, and is . former capital
of the country. It has great signiti-
canoe in the African mind, and it
seems very probable that its capture
Is being attempted, not for stra-
tegical reasons, for 1t has little
strategic importance in campaign
directed toward the breaking Of
Italy's military power in East Africa,