ABYSSINIA, an empire in eastern Africa. The reigning emperor, called the Negus Negusti, is Menelek II., King of Shoa, who established himself on the throne in 1889, with Italian aid, as successor to Johannes II. By a treaty made by him on May 2, 1889, and confirmed in the following October, Italy acquired a nominal protectorate over Abyssinia, and this country is recognized as within the Italian sphere of influence in conventions made with Great Britain, and has been acknowledged to be so by Germany; but the Negus has since repudiated or denied the agreement, and both Russia-which, as protector of the Alexandrian Church, claims to have especial interest in this country-and France have refused to recognize the Italian protectorate..

The people cultivate a degenerate form of Christianity. The head of the Church, called the abuna, is chosen from among the Coptic clergy of Egypt by the Patriarch of Alexandria. Education is conducted by the monks and priests, who instruct a small proportion of the youth in religious music, grammar, poetry, and the Scriptures. The people raise cattle, goats, and sheep, but do not till the soil much. Indigo, cotton, and coffee grow wild, and timber and forest products are abundant. The chief exports are skins, ivory, butter, and gums. What foreign commerce there is passes through the Italian port of MasSowah.

The territories administered by the Italian authorities are: The seaport of Massowah and the surrounding district, with Keren and Asmara, elevated districts where the troops are quartered, having together an area of 3,100 square miles; the Dahlak peninsula, 420 square miles, where pearls and pearl shells are gathered for export; and Assab, with an area of 580 square miles. The protectorate includes the empire of Abyssinia proper, consisting of the kingdoms of Tigre, Lasta, Amhara, Gojam, Shoa, with Kaffa, Harrar, and other territories, having a total area of about 190,000 square miles and 5,000,000 inhabitants; the territories of Habab, Bogos, BeniAmer, Danakil, and the sultanate of Aussa; and Gallaland and the part of Somaliland conceded to Italy in the Anglo-Italian agreement of March 24, 1894. The total area recognized as under Italian influence is about 546,100 square miles, with 6,258,800 inhabitants.

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The territories that have been brought under Italian jurisdiction are organized as the colony of Erythria or Eritria, which has for its seat of government the town of Massowah, containing 7,775 civil inhabitants, of whom 600 are Europeans and 480 are Asiatics. The area subject to Italian administration is 96,200 square miles, having a population of 3,452 Europeans and 191,127 natives, mostly nomads, who raise cattle, camels, sheep, and goats. There is a civil governor, appointed by the Italian Government. The military and naval commanders are independent of him, receiving their instructions from the Italian Ministry of War. The revenue and expenditure of the colony for 1894'95 were estimated each at 9.212,117 lire, of which 1,448,000 lire were raised by local taxes and dues, and 7,764,117 lire were contributed by the Italian Government, which had expended 125,327,315 lire upon its African possessions from 1888 up to the end of 1892. Much of the trade of the country is carried on by Banians, who are British Indians. The imports of Massowah by land and sea in 1893 were 9,863,829 lire. A military railroad, 17 miles long, connects Massowah and Saati, and a telegraph line of 319 miles communicates with Assab, where it connects with one of 62 miles running to Perim. Massowah is also connected by wire with the military stations on the plateau of Keren, and a telegraph has been erected from Agordat to Kassala.

Fighting in the Soudan.-The walled city of Kassala in the Soudan was occupied by Gen. Baratieri, commander in chief of the Italian forces, in July, 1894, after he had administered a crushing defeat upon the dervishes and driven them across the Atbara. The place was fortified, and a garrison of 1,500 men was left there. In the winter a formidable body of dervishes laid siege to the town. Re-enforcements were sent from Agordat, and the friendly emirs of the district joined with the Italians in expelling the

invaders.

Italian Advance into Tigre.—At the time when the dervishes appeared before Kassala Ras Mangascia, the Governor of Tigre, with an army of 10,000 men, moved toward Coatit with the evident intention of occupying the mountainous country of Ocule Kusai and beginning operations against the Italians from that vantage ground. Menelek had for some time been