THE 



ANNUAL CYCLOPEDIA. 



A 



ABYSSINIA, an empire in eastern Africa. 

 The Emperor, culled the Negus Negusti, is Mene- 

 lek II, who assumed the sovereignty when the Ne- 

 gus JohannisII was killed in a battle with the der- 

 vishes of the Soudan in 1889. The system of gov- 

 ernment is feudalistic. Justice is administered 

 by the governors of provinces and local chiefs. 

 The Abyssinians have been Christians since the 

 fourth century. They worship according to the 

 rites of the Alexandrian Church. The abuna, 

 or ecclesiastical head, is a Copt, who is nominated 

 and consecrated by the Patriarch of Alexandria. 

 The echeghegh. a native dignitary, shares his 

 power and influence. Education is mostly con- 

 fined to religious exercises, and is imparted gra- 

 tuitously by the clergy to a limited number of 

 persons, whose attainments secure them a con- 

 siderable degree of consequence. The monks, 

 who number about 12,000, are under the spiritual 

 rule of the echeghegh. Besides the feudal levies 

 the Emperor has an army of wottoader, or mer- 

 cenaries, who are armed with modern firearms. 

 The people raise large numbers of cattle, but 

 give little attention to agriculture. The empire 

 is made up of the kingdoms of Tigre, with Lasta ; 

 Amhara. which includes Gojatn ; Shoa; and the 

 territories of the Bogos, Shoho, Mensa, Berea. Ku- 

 nama, Habab, Beni Amer, Shankalla, Afar, and 

 Adal. The area of the empire proper is estimated 

 at 190,000 square miles, and the population at 

 5.000,000. The outlying tributary territories have 

 an area of about 120,000 square miles, and prob- 

 ably 600,000 inhabitants. The country produces 

 indigo, coffee, cotton, sugar, dates, and grapes. 

 and the forests abound in useful timber and 

 other products. Massowah is the only seaport. 

 Tin- chief exports are ivory, skins, ruins, butter, 

 and mules. The metallic currency consists of 

 .Maria Theresa dollars, besides which salt and 

 cloth are used as money. There are many towns, 

 though none have more than 5,000 inhabitants, 

 except Ankober, the ancient capital Aksum. anil 

 Gondar. 



The Italian Protectorate. By interna- 

 tional agreement, the Empire of Abyssinia or 

 Ethiopia and the outlying territories are con- 

 ceded to Italy, and form the Italian sphere of 

 influence in Africa. The Anglo-Italian arrange- 

 ment gives Italy a coast-lino on the Ked - 

 about 670 miles, extending from Cape Kasar, in 

 VOL. xxxn. 1 A 



18 2' of north latitude, to the southern limit of 

 the sultanate of Raheita, in 12 30' of north lati- 

 tude. In Somaliland and Gallaland, about 70.000 

 square miles, with an estimated population of 

 210,000, comprise the Italian sphere south and 

 southeast of Abyssinia propel*. On the flat sea- 

 board fronting the Abyssinian plateau the terri- 

 tory of Affar or Danakil, with the sultanate of 

 Aussa, embraces 34,000 square miles, with about 

 200,000 inhabitants. In the north the Italian 

 protectorate extends over 18.000 square miles, 

 peopled by 200,000 natives belonging to the 

 Beni Amer, Bogos. and Ilabab tribes. Menelek, 

 who accepted Italian aid when he was fight- 

 ing for the throne, and who signed a treaty ac- 

 knowledging Italian protection, has since repu- 

 diated this engagement.- In Somaliland and 

 Gallaland the Italians have done nothing to 

 make the protectorate effective, except in one or 

 two of the coast stations formerly administered 

 by the Sultan of Zanxibar and formally ceded 

 by him to the Italian Government. The posses- 

 sions actually held and garrisoned by Italy con- 

 sist of the port of Massowah. with 3.100 square 

 miles of country, including Keren and Asmara, 

 formerly claimed by the Emperor of Abvssinia. 

 having a population of 250,000 ; the l)ahhik 

 archipelago embracing 420 square miles, with 

 2,000 inhabitants; and the territory on Assab 

 bay, opposite the British colony of Aden, with 

 an area of 580 square miles and 6,800 inhabit- 

 ants. From Massowah, which is the only sea- 

 port accessible to Abyssinia, a certain degree of 

 influence is exercised not only over the Ilabab, 

 Beni Amer. and other neighboring independent 

 tribes, but. into the northern parts of Abyssinia. 

 The Italian possessions are organized into a 

 colony, to which the name of Evitrea has been 

 given, having an autonomous administration 

 and the management of its own revenues. The 

 town of Massowah contains 16,000 civil inhabit- 

 ants, of whom 500 are Italians. 50 other Euro- 

 peans, 700 Greeks, and 100 Indian Banian mer- 

 chants. The revenue of the colony was estimated 

 for 1890-'91 at 1,313.300 lire or francs, of which 

 1,056,000 was derived from customs and the re- 

 mainder from taxes. The expenditure was esti- 

 mated at 2.960,000 lire, the deficit falling as a 

 burden on the Italian treasury. Little land is 

 cultivated in the Italian colony. The people 



