200
Page
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1935.
ABYSSINIA
AND HER
“WAQY, HALFA
· Dongola
El Obeid..
The Figures indicate the 400 Heights of Mountains inFeet
NOTE. This pictorial MAP is divided into 200 MILE SQUARES shown asifseen in perspective.
́600!
Wal
800.
Viddan
FRONTIERS: Pictorial
Map
KISA
COPIES OF THIS MAP ON GOOD QUALITY PAPER MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE "HONG KONG DAILY PRESS AT 25 CENTS EACH.
Abyssinia's first line of defence a climate admirably suited to
is her mountains, the strength of Europeans.
which may be estimated from a
This was once described to the
glance at this pictorial rendering Royal Geographical Society by which, drawn to a horizontal scale į Mr. C. F. Rey, who had a long re-
of 200 mille squares shown in pers-sidence there, as.
"A garden surrounded by desert,
...
a garden of varying levels and
pective, reveals Italy's' task in at- tempting to subject it.
climates where it is possible to
at from 10 to 15 million head;. Well wooded in many
THE APPROACHES TO ABYSSINIA
"
CENTRAL PLATEAU SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAINS AND DESERT
arrows 1, 2, and 3. One is via the the ancient capital of Abyssinia, fateful Adowa, where in 1896 the and thence through the valley of Italians suffered defeat and lost the Takkaze. In either case the 13,000 troops. Another route might valley of the Blue Nile would have be made further west from Agor to be the objective owing to the dat, the terminus of the Italian impassable mountains between railway from Maasawa. There is Magdala and Addis Ababa, while also the probability of an offensive the mountainous valley of the grow almost everything that grows up against lofty mountain ridges worst in Africa,
being made from the south via the Muger provides a perilous route It is rarely areas. The surface consisted here Juba river. anywhere, which affords.pastur3 and a terrible terrain of approach. crossed; but the late L. M. Nesbitt of "wastes of black lava, the knife-
up to Addis Ababa. TO ADOWA to vast herds of cattle estimated
Though about 400 miles as the The only route offering a fairly and two Italians succeeded in 1928. like edges of which cut the feet of If the great offensive is made crow flies from the Italian fron- .open approach to the central Then, in 1929, an elaborate the camels, many of which were from Asmara, the capital and tler, such a journey would be ac- districts plateau is that from the south via Italian expedition set out, organis- lost during the journey. With headquarters, across the moun- tually nearer 600 miles for an in- and well watered for a large part Gardula and the stretch of beauted by Baron Franchetti (killed the great difficultý Makale was reach-tains to Adows (and sentimental vading force, as may be interred. and capable of irrigation; 'rrigat-ful lakes, Abaya, Shaka, and Zwal; other day with L M. Nesbitt while ec, on the edge of the great reasons, to avenge their defeat, re- Passes of over 9,000 feet would ing terraces indead are said to but this can be reached only from flying in Egypt). Every modern Abyssinian plateau.
commend this) it provides the have to be crossed ere the valley have been made there so long ago the British Colony of Kenya The contrivance to secure success was
Obviously the defenders will most direct route with plenty of of the Blue Nile with its gorges as the flourishing perlod of remaining approach, made practic-adopted. The utter hopelessness have little to fear from invasion water, the possibility of raiding for was attained, while the entire Neolithic cly'disation."
able through very difficult country of such a country was proved and, along this 500-mile front, apart supplies, and the least fever-ridden rate would, be flanked with these by the callway from Jibuti, is from quoting from a report, "the bar from air-raide, which, by the way localities to Addis Ababa. This dark, rugged highlands and moun- It so happeris that Italy is very French Somaliland.
renness is frightful and its beat are a problem in themselves for would be via Bokotra and Magdala, tains ranging from 12,000 to 15,000 unfavourably pinced, strategically, To reach this, the only railway that of a furnace" (with shade the Italians across such a county along which there is an establish feet Let us take a passing survey of for invading this much desired. ir Abbyssinia is very difficult for temperatures of 131 to 166 Fahren- and with a colossal wall of moun- ed highway of a sort. Magdala is the approaches to Addis Ababa, the region, notwithstanding the many the Italian army. It would entail helt, according to Nesbitt)
tains 10,000 to 14,000 feet high, famous for being taken by the little capital of normally about poluits of attack at her disposal crossing the waterless Danakil De«. Vivid accounts were given of the with their enveloping mists and British under Sir Robert Napier in 40,000 inhabittants.. This little, and the wide front of close upon sert and then facing of the Aussa" sufferings of the party from thirst clouds as a possible goal town, in its primitive beauty 8,000 a thousand miles. The fact is that Sultanate. Approaching 10,000 or from the unwholesome saline The Italians would therefore ap dissension on
3868, when the country was torn by feet above sea level, amiduria matter from whence she may square miles in extent, the waters which, are usually all that pear to have to choose between the rounding tiers of mountains and in launch her offensive, her army is Danakil region is one of the can be obtained in these desert routes Indicated by the black
Equal to the Alps in altitude with height reaching to 15.000. feet, the basaltic bulwarks of the mássive central plateau cover an area of some 250,000 square miles, that is, three-fifths of the country and a region, four times greater than the whole of the Alpine ranges of Italy. Switzerland, France and Austria put together. But unlike the Alps this vast area is almost devoid of communica- tions suited to European transport, so herein Bes' an' invader's most desperate problem.
Terrible Terrain
An alternative or supporting ad- la vance might be made via Aksum,
Gondar via: Nagadas would follow The approach from Agordat on
an established route which would provide access to Lake Tank and the valley of the Blue Nile perhaps.
(Continned on Page 4).