Bulatovich´s Appendices: Economic Profit as Reason of Support of Fake Ethiopia by England, France

Continuing the series of articles on the insightful documentation provided by the Russian Military Officer, Explorer, and Orthodox Monk in his books about his deeds and excursions, observations and explorations in Abyssinia (undertaken over three years 1896 – 1899), I herewith republish most of the Appendices, thus completing the republication of Bulatovich´s first book on Abyssinia (Fake Ethiopia).

In many forthcoming articles, I will extensively comment on parts of this book (notably History, religion, Conclusion), and in addition, I will republish Bulatovich's second book in its entirety (in several parts). Herewith, I make first available a recapitulation of the earlier sixteen (16) articles of this series.

All the Oromos, Ogadenis, Afars, Sidamas and others, who fight for their independence, and all the neighboring countries, not only Egypt and Sudan but also Somalia and Eritrea, which are threatened because of the evil, eschatological dreams of Greater Ethiopia, must study, understand and diffuse the insightful documentation available in this book, which was published by the Russian explorer before 110 years; in and by itself it constitutes good reason for the world to be preoccupied with the source of every regional trouble and instability: the Amhara and Tigray (Tewahedo) Monophysitic Abyssinians who rule tyrannically over the lands they invaded and the nations they subjugated.

Recapitulation

Earlier articles of the present series can be found here:

1st Article

The Oromo Genocide Solemnly Confessed by Official Russian Explorer in Abyssinia (Fake Ethiopia)

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/the-oromo-genocide-solemnly-confessed-by-official-russian-explorer-in-abyssinia-fake-ethiopia.html

Selected and highlighted excerpts from a book – report published by a Russian explorer, military officer and monk, Alexander Bulatovich, who spent three years in Abyssinia, during the last decade of the 19th century. These excerpts undeniably testify to the Oromo genocide perpetrated by the invading Amhara and Tigray Abyssinian armies, and have therefore to be brought to the surface of political debate by the Oromo political and intellectual leaders at the local, regional and international levels.

2nd Article

Russia, the Oromos, Egypt, Sudan, Abyssinia (Fake Ethiopia), Somalia, Islam & Orthodox Christianity

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/russia-the-oromos-egypt-sudan-abyssinia-fake-ethiopia-somalia-islam-orthodox-christianity.html

Republishing further excerpts from Bulatovich´s book, I focused on the possible reasons for Russia´s failure as colonial power in the region. As reasons I identified an inherent Russian quantitative approach to the colonial process and an overall misperception of the past and the present of Asia and Africa, which is due to the Russian academic, intellectual and ideological acceptance of the Anglo-French Orientalism, a bunch of disciplines elaborated by the French and the English academia in order to mainly promote and diffuse an interpretation of data that would suit the interests of the Anglo-French Freemasonry, namely the driving force of the Paris and London regimes.

3rd Article

Abyssinian Colonization of Oromia, Sidama and Kaffa in Bogus Ethiopia. An Early Witness from Russia

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/abyssinian-colonization-of-oromia-sidama-and-kaffa-in-bogus-ethiopia-an-early-witness-from-russia.html

Another, longer, excerpt from Bulatovich´s ´From Entotto to the River Baro´ which bears witness to the evil Amhara and Tigray plans of illegal occupation of the annexed lands and of tyrannical consolidation of the Abyssinian colonialism by means of settlements peremptorily implemented among the subjugated nations.

4th Article

Ethiopia (Oromo) vs. Abyssinia (Amhara). Unbridgeable Ethnic, Cultural Gap Revealed by Bulatovich

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ethiopia-oromo-vs-abyssinia-amhara-unbridgeable-ethnic-cultural-gap-revealed-by-bulatovich.html

Two more excerpts that focus on the Oromo society, namely ´Galla Clothing´ and ´Galla Family Life´.

5th Article

Oromo National Identity Diametrically Opposed to Amhara Manner, Russian Officer Bulatovich Reveals

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/oromo-national-identity-diametrically-opposed-to-amhara-manner-russian-officer-bulatovich-reveals.html

Three chapters dealing with Oromo national identity, religion and language; all the preconceived concepts of the colonial era are herewith present, thus leading Bulatovich to erroneous interpretations. Certainly, the Russian explorer was not a linguist, historian or historian of religions; more importantly, academic exploration was not the primary interest of his travel which was kind of diplomatic reconnaissance.

However, the chapter on the Oromo national character is greatly interesting because it demolishes the Ethiopianist myth of a supposed Ethiopian nation. There isn´t and there can´t be any Ethiopian nation other the one identified by the Ancient Greeks and Romans as located south of Egypt, which means the Ancient Kushites and Meroites of Sudan, who are the ancestors of today´s brotherly nations, the Oromos, the Sidamas and the Arabic-speaking Sudanese.

6th Article

Revelation of the Amhara Fornication: Light on the Anti-Christian Blasphemy of Fake Ethiopia

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/revelation-of-the-amhara-fornication-light-on-the-anti-christian-blasphemy-of-fake-ethiopia.html

Further excerpts from the same volume of Bulatovich, providing with his description of the Abyssinians. Reporting accurately and truthfully, Bulatovich offered the Orthodox tsarist Russia´s top authorities a trustful portrait of the unclean and incestuous character of the pseudo-Christian Abyssinian society.

In just few paragraphs, he revealed a well hidden reality about the abysmal reality of the Abyssinian society, namely that, despite apparent faith similarities, the Amhara Tewahedo (Monophysitic) Abyssinians are not Christians; in fact, they constitute a desecrated society rejected by all Christian believers, because they practice a generalized fornication which is incompatible with the Christian creed, faith and principles.

With no family, there is no Christian society. As a matter of fact, Abyssinian eschatology is a corrupt system at the very antipodes of Christianity.

7th Article

Outrageous Falsehood on Abyssinia (Fake Ethiopia) Rejected: Solomonic Dynasty, Kingdom Do Not Exist

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/outrageous-falsehood-on-abyssinia-fake-ethiopia-rejected-solomonic-dynasty-kingdom-do-not-exist.html

Further excerpts from the same volume of Bulatovich, providing with his description of the Abyssinians. Reporting accurately and truthfully, Bulatovich offered the Orthodox tsarist Russia´s top authorities a convincing presentation and analysis of how and why Abyssinian nobility does not exist – which consists in a formidable blow against the falsehood of the so-called Solomonic dynasty of Abyssinia, and their connection to the Ancient Hebrews. In fact, there has never been any post-Agaw Abyssinian ´Kingdom´. The entire history of post-Agaw Abyssinia is a succession of uncivilized gangsters of incestuous origin, who were peremptorily called ´noble men´, ´kings´ or ´emperors´; they were imposed as such to all the peoples and nations that, with Anglo-French permission and support, the Abyssinians invaded and subjugated.

Any incestuous ruler does not make a noble man, let alone king and emperor. In Ancient Assyria and Babylonia, these people were called "son of nobody", and this exactly what all the anti-Christian, incestuous Abyssinian pseudo-kings have been. And wherever there is no noblesse, there cannot be any kingdom.

8th Article

Russian Officer Bulatovich Relates on Colonial Raids of Abyssinia (Fake Ethiopia) in Kaffa Land I

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/invasion-of-kaffa-by-armies-of-abyssinia-fake-ethiopia-narrated-by-bulatovich-envoy-of-russia-i.html

The entire text of Bulatovich´s first excursion from Entotto to the River Baro,

9th Article

Russian Officer Bulatovich Relates on Colonial Raids of Abyssinia (Fake Ethiopia) in Kaffa Land II

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/invasion-of-kaffa-by-armies-of-abyssinia-fake-ethiopia-narrated-by-bulatovich-envoy-of-russia-ii.html

The entire text of Bulatovich´s second excursion from Entotto to the River Baro,

10th Article

The Evil, Colonial State of Abyssinia (fake Ethiopia) Exposed by Bulatovich, the Envoy of Russia

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/the-criminal-state-of-abyssinia-fake-ethiopia-exposed-by-bulatovich-the-envoy-of-russia.html

Chapters on the Ethiopian System of Government, the State Government and the Distribution of Land, the Police, the Judicial System and Procedure, the Law and Custom, the Crimes and Punishments, and the Economic Condition of the State – the Treasury.

11th Article

War Criminals of Abyssinia (fake Ethiopia), Their Atrocities Exposed by Bulatovich, Envoy of Russia

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/war-criminals-of-abyssinia-fake-ethiopia-their-atrocities-exposed-by-bulatovich-envoy-of-russia.html

Chapter on the Abyssinian army; this part of Bulatovich´s text is also very critical because it highlights (see the section: ´Conduct of War´) the inhuman practices of environmental disaster spread by the criminal robbers and inhuman soldiers of the Abyssinian state, which supported by England and France, perpetrated the worst atrocities ever attested on African soil and the world´s most appalling and multifaceted genocide.

12th article

The Nile, Egypt, Sudan Menaced by Evil Prophecy, Secret Expansion Plan of Abyssinia (Fake Ethiopia)

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/the-nile-egypt-sudan-menaced-by-evil-prophecy-secret-expansion-plan-of-abyssinia-fake-ethiopia.html

Chapter on Menelik´s family, the ´family of the emperor´. This chapter is of great importance for the diplomatic and national security services of Egypt and the Sudan, because it reveals what the heinous and rancorous Amhara and Tigray Monophysitic (Tewahedo) Abyssinians try to hide; namely that the regime, the elites and the upper classes of these incestuous and barbarous tribes act based on a secret program (that they call "prophecy" because of their sick, abnormal and perverse minds) to destroy Egypt and Sudan, and expand their cannibalistic tyranny throughout East Africa.

13th article

Amhara Pseudo-History of Abyssinia (fake Ethiopia), False Assumptions of Bulatovich, Envoy of Russia

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/amhara-pseudo-history-of-abyssinia-fake-ethiopia-false-assumptions-of-bulatovich-envoy-of-russia.html

Chapter on the Sidamas and the African peoples. This part is full of inaccuracies, inconsistencies and wrong terms; it is clearly the topic Bulatovich explored less and had a most vague idea about. The reason is simple; he did not have the time for direct contact with any of them, being thus the victim of the customary and idiotic Amhara lies.

14th article

Heretic Christianity in Abyssinia (Fake Ethiopia): Russian Errors, Benefits for England and France

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/heretic-christianity-in-abyssinia-fake-ethiopia-russian-errors-benefits-for-england-and-france.html

Chapter on the Abyssinian church and faith that Bulatovich erroneously names ´Ethiopian´; the attribution of the national name of Ancient Kush (Sudan) to Abyssinia relates to the Axumite King Ezana´s partly invasion of Ethiopia and destruction of its capital, Meroe, ca. 360 – 365 CE. That event had however a partly and momentary character that does not justify any further use from any Abyssinian ruler because that country was always located out of the historical borders of real Ethiopia. This is the reason the modern state is called Fake Ethiopia; its right name is just Abyssinia.

15th article

England, France, Italy, Russia, Bulatovich and the Bogus Historical Dogma of Fake Ethiopia

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/england-france-italy-russia-bulatovich-and-the-bogus-historical-dogma-of-fake-ethiopia.html

Chapter on the History of Abyssinia that Bulatovich knowingly calls ´Ethiopia´ erroneously. The lengthy text (5133 words) is a complete collection of Western academic mistakes and misperceptions based mainly, and very often exclusively, on Abyssinian unsubstantiated claims, racist fallacies, and paranoid lies.

The only possible use of this chapter is to help highlight the traps existing in every academic approach to the subject of the totally reconstructed, absolutely discontinuous and utterly delusional Abyssinian History the main purpose of which has always been to serve as pretext, support and justification of racist, expansionist, colonial and tyrannical claims expressed by the world´s most heinous and vitriolic state: fake ´Ethiopia´. For this reason, to this text I will dedicate a separate article – refutation of the fallacies indiscriminately accepted by Bulatovich because of the diplomatic targets he pursued during his travel and exploration.

16th article

Bulatovich´s Conclusions Support Egypt and Sudan: the Blue Nile Does Not Belong to Fake Ethiopia

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/174479

Conclusion of Bulatovich´s first book; this is a text of the utmost importance for today´s diplomatic services of Sudan and Egypt, as well for the liberation fronts of the subjugated nations of Abyssinia, and more importantly the Oromos, the Bertas, and the Agaws who are the only inhabitants of the areas crossed by the Blue Nile in the monstrous tyranny of Abyssinia (fake Ethiopia) that must cease to exist.

The excerpt below clearly demonstrates that the criminal, racist Amhara and Tigray Tewahedo (Monophysitic) Abyssinians never had any right to the Blue Nile waters prior to their illegal, criminal, colonial expansion and invasion of the annexed lands of the Oromos, the Bertas and Gumuz (Benishangul), and the Agaws.

This reality, reconfirmed by Bulatovich before 110 years, and evidenced today by the demographic data of the colonial tyranny ´Ethiopia´, must become the pillar of the foreign policy of Sudan and Egypt.

This fact must drive the two countries to concerted alliance with the liberation fronts of the Oromos, the Bertas, and the Agaws, and to systematic demolition, dismantlement and extermination of the evil tyranny of Abyssinia (fake Ethiopia).

Every Egyptian and Sudanese must read the following:

"Having cast a glance at the map of Central Africa and on the borders of the Ethiopian Empire, you can easily see that being located in the vicinity of the Middle Nile, halfway between Egypt and the great lakes, which belong to England, Abyssinia, which is expanding each year more and more and taking large tracts of land which had been free -- rich and densely populated territory -- must become the natural and main enemy of England in Central Africa. England is also our main enemy".

"Located in the vicinity of the Middle Nile" means precisely that, although Abyssinia´s borders may be near, the Nile remains out of Abyssinian territory. And so it will be soon in the future, ensuring normal water flow for Sudan and Egypt, and more importantly, freedom and liberation for the Oromos, the Bertas, the Gumuz, and the Agaws.

Ethiopia through Russian Eyes

An eye-witness account of the end of an era, 1896-98 consisting of two books by Alexander Bulatovich

From Entotto to the River Baro (1897)

With the Armies of Menelik II (1900)

Translated by Richard Seltzer (seltzer@samizdat.com, www.samizdat.com)

From Entotto to the River Baro

http://www.samizdat.com/entotto.html

An account of a trip to the southwestern regions of the Ethiopian Empire 1896-97 by Lieutenant of His Majesty's Life-Guard Hussar Regiment Alexander Bulatovich

Originally published in St. Petersburg, 1897, Printed by V. Kirshbaum, 204 pages

Reissued in 1971 as part of the volume With the Armies of Menelik II, edited by I. S. Katsnelson of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R."Science" Publishing House Chief Editorial Staff of Oriental Literature Moscow 1971, entire book 352 pages, Entotto pp. 32-156

Translated by Richard Seltzer (from the 1971 edition)

Appendix No. 1

Equipment

My equipment consisted of:

One round tent of the Abyssinian style, six arshins (14 feet) in diameter.

One small tent of the Abyssinian style for each servant.

One caldron (25 pounds) for the servants.

Two field mess-tins.

One Abyssinian frying pan (one and a half pounds) for cooking flat cakes.

One copper coffeepot.

One enameled teapot.

One large enameled mug.

500 Abyssinian biscuits, weighing about six poods [216 pounds], (a gift from Emperor Menelik)

One sack of rye flour, two poods and 5 pounds [77 pounds] of millet grain.

One 30-pound wineskin of ground pepper and tef meal.

Five pounds of oatmeal.

Two jars of concentrated milk.

One jar of cocoa.

Five pounds of tea and two pounds of sugar.

Five bottles of vodka.

Ten bottles of cranberry essence.

Twenty-five pieces of salt (money and food), one pood and 10 pounds [46 pounds).

400 Maria Theresa talers.

12 pounds of candles, at eight to the pound (96 candles).

300 packets of matches.

One Red Cross lantern.

One Red Cross field bed.

One tarpaulin.

Field First-Aid Kit.

Two packets of wadding and 12 gauze bandages in a holster. One two-pound packet of quinine and 35 powders. Forty laxative powders. Seventy powders for rheumatism. Twenty mustard plasters. Two bottles of castor oil. One bottle of opium. One battle of sublimate in tablets (50 tablets). One bottle of iodoform. One bottle of Dzhevinskiy eye drops, unknown in medicine. One bottle of strychnine. Sticking and mercurial plaster. One spool of American antiseptic plasters.

Tools.

Two axes. Six sickles. A screwdriver, tongs, and cleaning rods for cleaning guns. Two awls. Two stakes for horse lines, a brush, and a horse comb. One pair of scissors. Needles and thread. Forty arshins [about 31 yards] of towing rope.

Clothing.

Felt cloak, overcoat, greatcoat, raincoat, full hussar uniform, Swedish jacket, Austrian jacket, and four pair of blue trousers.

Two white canvas suits. Five changes of flannel underwear. Twelve pairs of woolen socks. Twelve handkerchiefs. Six towels.

Five pairs of boots (one hussar, one personal, one hunting, and two half-boots.).

Gifts.

Six Abyssinian shammas. Forty arshins [about 31 yards] of silk cloth. Forty arshins of red calico. Ten arshins [about eight yards] of muslin. Four nickel-plated watches with chains. Five Swedish knives. Sixty silver crosses and little icons. Six silk shawls. Six bottles of perfume. Books, writing materials, andwashing set.

All of these amounted to a weight of 45 poods [1620 pounds], including 20 poods [720 pounds] of powder, three poods [108 pounds] of shot, and 800 cartridges. It was carried by eight mules, which amounted to about six poods [216 pounds] per mule.

Packing.

The packing was done as follows:

The large tent with appurtenances was wrapped in the large tarpaulin. The field bed was packed in the trunk that goes with it. Writing and washing materials, blanket, felt cloak, twochanges of underwear, Swedish jacket, quarter pound of tea, one candle, two boxes of matches, sack of coffee, sack of salt, spoon, knife, fork, and one bottle of vodka were all packed in a hold-all. Clothes, gifts, and money were packed tight in two field pack-loads, ordered by me in Petersburg. Wine was carefully packed and taken in a sack. A tin box with alcohol and a tin box with water were each taken in a skin. Axes and sickles were in a separate sack. Powder, shot, and hunting gear were intwo boxes. Biscuits were in a pack trunk of the Zvyagin system.

(On the third march, I had to throw this trunk away and repack the biscuit in a wineskin). Rye flour was in a sack. Victuals of the servants were in a wineskin. Five pounds of millet, five pounds of oatmeal, dried vegetables, two jars of milk, one jar of cocoa, candles, matches, and tea were all in two wineskins. Salt was tied up in ropes and taken in a skin. The caldron, mess-tins, teapot, coffeepot, frying pan, and tin box for water were strapped to packs. The first-aid kit was packed in a holster and carried by one of the servants; likewise the photographic apparatus.

Distribution in packs.

All this was divided among seven mules as follows:

Mule Number 1: The large tent in a tarpaulin with the tools.

Mule Number 2: Sack of meal on one side; hold-all with every day necessities and bed on the other.

Mule Number 3: A pack with dried crust, strapped teapot, coffeepot, and tin for water; and on top a box with 400 Gra cartridges.

Mule Number 4: A small tent and on it two boxes with powder and shot; on top a caldron, strapped mess-tins and frying pan.

Mule Number 5: Two pack trunks with clothing, gifts, and money; on top, wine.

Mule Number 6: Two wine skins with supplies; on top, a tin with alcohol and salt.

Mule Number 7: One wineskin with victuals, little wineskins and individual knapsacks; on top, a tin with water and a box with 400 Gra cartridges.

For packing, the tent was put together in such a way as to make a bale two and a half arshins [about two yards] long and one arshin [28 inches] wide. It was put on the back of the mule in the middle.

A sack of meal on one side and the bed with the hold-all on the other, each package strongly tied with ropes, thoroughly tightened and placed on the saddle so that the pressure fell onthe base of the ribs.

The biscuits were first put in the trunk of the Zvyagin system. Each of the biscuits were 14 vershoks [24-1/2 inches]long, 10 vershoks [17-1/2 inches] thick, and 6 vershoks [10-1/2 inches] wide. The first day we tried to pack them ingeniously but this turned out to be too uncomfortable. The middle bank connecting both trunks was too long and the trunks hung on thesides, weighing heavy on the spine and squeezing the sides. In addition, this position was very unsteady and required constant adjusting. Thanks to that position of the trunks, the straps for packing touched the mule at only two points: the middle of the back and under the belly. On the following day, the servants packed it in their own way, and in this new way the mule was more comfortable. But nevertheless on the third day it succeeded in throwing and shifting off two wineskins of biscuits.

Two boxes with powder and shot were tightly connected to one another, making two sides of a pack. For softness, a small tent was placed under them. Four hundred Gra cartridges were placed in the gun box and packed lengthwise on top of a mule.

Two pack trunks were tightly connected with rope. Two wineskins with supplies were tightly connected as the previous packs, and on top was packed a large tin with vodka.

Thus, for the anticipated six-month journey my goods were distributed by sections in the following way:

Articles of comfort: tent, bed -- five poods [180 pounds].

Clothing and footwear -- one pood [36 pounds].

Gifts -- 3 poods [108 pounds].

Food stuffs -- meal victuals, biscuits -- seven poods [252 pounds].

Alcohol, vodka, and wine -- two poods [72 pounds].

Salt and money -- two poods.

Lighting -- 12 pounds.

Powder, shot, and cartridges -- eight poods [288 pounds].

First-aid kit -- 7 pounds.

The most meager section was food stuffs. But, according to the information I had, a large part of the journey passed through thickly settled places, and the food stuffs were taken as an inviolable reserve to make sure. With my 17 servants, we could be satisfied for 15 days with the biscuits and meal we had taken.

I threw away the meal on the sixth march since one of my mules

opened the old packing, and meal was always easy to obtain on the way.

Loading on Mules.

The main principle of loading is that one must arrange the pack in such a way that it lies on the base of the ribs evenly, not touching the spine. Tightly connected, both sides of the pack are lifted by two servants who going behind the mule place the pack on its back. A third servant holds the mule by the reins.

The pack is attached with long straps -- one inch wide and 10 to 12 arshins [about 8 yards] long. In the middle a noose is tied, and the strap is placed in such a way that it lies in the middle of the load along the back of the mule, with the noose behind.

Then the strap from both sides is placed under the front part of the pack, and the ends are pushed through the noose and thrown over to the opposite side, forming in this way in its turn a one and a half to two arshin [42 to 56 inch] noose. [The original showed this in a drawing.] These nooses are stretched to the opposite side under the stomach and are drawn by the ends of the straps. This method of packing is very simple and in case of unhurried travel is completely satisfactory. But for quick marches is it insufficient since it requires constant pulling of the straps, and especially if the mules will trot. The limit of speed of movement with light and balanced packs is eight versts[a little over five miles] an hour.

Appendix No. 2

Composition of the detachment:

14 servants, two pack mules, and one saddled mule.

Equipment:

One small tent. Two pack-loads including: two changes of underclothing, two pairs of boots (the usual hussar kind), gifts, two watches, 20 arshins [about 16 yards] of silk cloth, and three bottles of perfume.

Mule Number 1:

Rolled up thick felt for bedding at night and in it a blanket. Abyssinian shamma. Twelve candles. Twelve boxes of matches. Wadding and bandages for dressings. One bottle of cognac. One pound of coffee. And 300 talers.

Mule Number 2:

Two wineskins with peas, field mess-tin, frying pan, teapot, five pieces of salt, bag with tools, two axes and three sickles, and 400 spare cartridges.

A field first-aid kid and photographic apparatus were carried separately.

Appendix No. 5 – Commerce in Abyssinia

Constant wars, poor means of communication, the poverty of the populace and the absence in it of capital mean that the trade and industry of Abyssinia are insignificant in comparison with what they could be under other circumstances.

As a matter of fact, Abyssinia itself is a poor country. Not for nothing, the English, having taken Magdala in 1867 and, evidently, having had, in that troubled time, the possibility of securing a firm footing here, did not take advantage of this and completely repudiated any pretension to it. Evidently, the game was not worth the candle.

But at that time, Abyssinia did not yet own the marvelous lands of the Galla -- the homeland of coffee, gold deposits, and lowlands teeming with elephants. The present-day capital, Entotto, was still inaccessible for Abyssinians and in the hands of Galla.

Since then, the times have changed and the commercial revenue of Abyssinia grows from year to year. But, of course, there still remains much to desire. The poverty of the inhabitants makes for very limited demand. Guns, cheap cotton and silk cloth, some cheap household articles such as, for instance, tin cups and glass decanters -- such are the main imported articles.

Exports consist of gold, ivory, musk and primarily coffee. The export of exclusively expensive and difficult to obtain articles is caused by the poor means of transportation. Were that not the case, the country could quickly develop agriculture, cotton-growing, tobacco-growing, and others. Constant wars also, evidently have a great influence on commerce.

The absence of a convenient monetary unit and the constantly changing rate of exchange also have bad effects. The existing monetary unit is the Maria Theresa taler, and recently the talers of Emperor Menelik, minted in France. The value of both is the same, but inside Abyssinia they accept the taler of Emperor Menelik at a lower price than the old one. The rate of exchange in Aden fluctuates from 2 francs 50 to 3 francs 10. Each taler weighs 27 grams, and consequently, you need to have a separate mule for loading 3,000 talers. In Central and Southern Abyssinia, bars of salt six vershoks [10-1/2 inches] long and one vershok [1-3/4 inches] thick and weighing from 3 to 4 pounds serves as small change.

Articles for export usually pass several times from hand to hand before reaching the sea. For instance, coffee is bought in the west and southwest from local landowners. It is carried by Galla merchants to some central point, as for instance, Bilo, Supe, or Lekamte, where it is resold to other merchants who takeit to Shoa or even to Harar. There it falls either into the hands of Europeans (mainly the trading house "Tian and Company")or of Arabs and Indians. They take it to Aden. Such resale within the country is made necessary by the fact that usually after a 300-400 verst [210-280 mile] trip, the mules, which carry very important cargo, which weighs up to eight poods [288 pounds], by bad roads and eating exclusively scanty pasturage, find themselves completely emaciated and beaten and demand rest.

Gold comes from Wollaga and from the basin of the Tumat River, which belongs to Abdurakhman, until this time an independent ruler. The Galla gather the gold beyond a waterfall in a hole at the bottom of the river. They thoroughly wash the gold sand in the most primitive way and then they melt the gold they obtain into ringlets. It differs greatly in purity: from 1000 to 810 parts of pure gold. It is of a light yellow color, very soft and easily squeezed. Twenty-seven grams (the weight of a taler is called an uket) is worth 28-30 talers locally, and in Aden is worth 34 talers. Apparently, trade is not very profitable, but taking into account the rate of exchange of talers and the fact that for gold they are paid in merchandise and make a profit on that, all this turns out to be not as unprofitable as it seems at first glance. Considering the taler at 2 francs 60, a pound of 19-carat gold costs 444 rubles locally. But 30 talers for anuket is a price which French traders consider little profitable for themselves. In Aden a kilogram sells for 3025 francs, that is one pound -- 467 to 468 rubles, which amounts to 24 rubles per pound of gross profit, i.e., 5%. But in essence, as I mentioned above, in view of the fact that for this traders are paid in merchandise, gold brings much greater profit, all the more in view of the fact that its small volume means transport costs very little. As far as I know, among us at the present time one pound of gold costs about 400 rubles, but this is the cost of 14-caratgold; pure gold costs about 500 rules.

Consequently, trade in gold with Abyssinia could be profitable.

Civet musk is obtained in the humid forested western regions from an animal which the Abyssinians call tryn. The method of obtaining the musk is described by me. The cost in Aden of one kilogram is 1,600 francs, which amounts to one pound or 246 rubles, i.e. almost 17 times more valuable than the same weight of silver. In Entotto, musk sells for eight times more than the same weight of silver, that is one uket for 8 talers, or one pound for 118 rubles. Consequently, for 246 rubles you can obtain 128 rubles of gross profit, i.e. 52%. But trade in thisarticle is very difficult and unreliable, since pure musk is hard to get usually pass several times from hand to hand. Here they dilute it with the feces of this animal and also cow butter, and these admixtures are very difficult to detect; so in Aden they are very suspicious of musk and knocking down the price for it even for good musk. Frequently, local French merchants do not send musk to Aden, since they conduct direct dealings with Paris.

Ivory is sold for the most part from the court of the emperor. Sometimes the emperor pays his debts to suppliers with tusks. The ivory is of very good quality. In Aden, one pound of ivory costs more than 4 rubles for tusks weighing not less than a pood [36 pounds] and less for other tusks. Locally, one uket of ivory, i.e. the weight of 840 talers or 1 pood 28-1/10 pounds [64-1/10 pounds], costs 77 talers, i.e. one pound costs a little more than a ruble. This is the price of large tusks. Thus, the gross profit amounts to 300 to 400%. But this trade, more than all others, varies in price. The fluctuation makes trade in it very difficult. Scarcely does someone announce a large quantity of ivory for sale, and the price immediately drops terribly, and many Frenchmen who are in Abyssinia suffer great losses. The largest trading house that buys ivory is "Tian and Company," which, however, holds in secret the quantity of goods it has for sale, and sometimes tusks lie in its storeroom for many years before they are sold. In Petersburg at the present time, one pound of ivory from large tusks costs six rubles, and this article could find a direct market in Russia.

Coffee is divided into two main kinds: wild coffee of Kaffa, Mocha, and western regions, and cultivated coffee of Harar and Chercher. Both of them are of excellent quality, comparable to the very best kind of Mocha coffee. Harar coffee costs more since it is harvested at the right time. Kaffa coffee is harvested after it falls from the tree; which means that from lying on the ground it blackens and loses part of its aroma and hence its value.

Buyers of coffee in Abyssinia itself are almost exclusively Abyssinians and Galla. Europeans in this trade do very little business inside the country since transport of coffee demands a great quantity of mules. The representatives of the large companies from Aden which buy coffee are found in Harar. In Aden, the price for one kilogram of the best coffee is 3 francs 50 centimes. In Harar, it costs half that; and inside Abyssinia the price is a quarter or a fifth what it is in Aden. In Harar a frazla (measure of weight) is equal to 37-1/2 pounds and sells for 6 to 8 talers, i.e. one kilogram for 1 franc 38 centimes, a Russian pound for 21 to 22 kopecks. In Petersburg, one pound of the best coffee costs 65 kopecks. Coffee could likewise become an article from import into Russia from Abyssinia; and, undoubtedly, quite a lot of coffee could be sold here since it is accepted practice mainly to call "Abyssinian" the Mocha coffee that reaches us far from the first hands.

Of the remaining articles exported from Abyssinia, we must mention wax, which is of very good quality but is exported in small quantities; and skins which are exported in very large quantities. A lot of incense is exported from the port of Zeila.

It is obtained in the coastal Somali steppes. Gum arabic is also from there. From Abyssinia, many mules were exported in the past, but in recent times that export has been stopped since in the recent war many mules were killed.

Agricultural produce is not exported from Abyssinia despite the great fertility of the region. Likewise they do not export cotton, which they get there in excellent quality, but all of which is consumed inside the country. This results from the low price of these articles compared with their volume and the difficulty of transporting them.

The main imported article is guns. Most of all they import guns of the Gra system, which the Emperor buys for 18 talers each. On the side, they are sold for 20 to 25 talers.

The revolvers they import are mostly second-hand and old and sell for 12 to 20 talers each.

Saber blades are very expensive, especially thin, long ones. They sell for 12 talers each.

Silver is imported annually in large quantities in the form of money -- Maria Theresa talers. Because the value of exports exceeds the value of imports, this money stays in the country.

These talers are made in Austria, and the silver is of very low purity. Other imported metals include: iron in the form of wires and small manufactured articles, copper and lead in ingots, steel and mercury for gilding. All of these are imported in very small quantities.

Cotton fabric is imported into Abyssinia in small quantities. Above all they import inexpensive, thin, white cotton fabric of Indian manufacture, which is used in Abyssinia in the sewing of trousers and tents. In Addis Ababa a piece of abujedi -- which is what the Abyssinians call this fabric -- sells for 4 talers.

One such piece measures 18 meters or 26 arshins, or 48 "elbows" (the local measure of length from the elbow to the end of the fingers). Aside from abujedi, they also import a better kind of cotton fabric, but in very small quantities. Usually all the caravans which carry coffee sell their coffee in Harar and buy abujedi there, and take them to Entotto where they buy salt and take it to the far western regions where they exchange it for coffee.

Salt is obtained from Lake Assal and Lake Massovy. The salt is set in the form of bars six vershoks [10-1/2 inches] long and 1 vershok [1-3/4 inches] thick, weighing from three to four pounds. Now in Addis Ababa for one taler you can get six new salt bars or seven old ones, which comes to about four kopecks a pound. They import silk fabric (in the form of part silk material for shirts), velvet, and velveteen. They import a lot of these fabrics because they go in shirts and in the battle dress of officers of the army.

Silk fabric is required in bright colors with narrow lines of mixed-colors (two colors) alternating among themselves. They prefer thick fabric, including cotton underwear. One kend of this fabric, i.e. an "elbow" ten vershoks [17-1/2 inches] long, sells in Abyssinia for one taler, i.e. an arshin [28 inches] for one rubles 60 kopecks.

Velvet in solid bright colors sells in Addis Ababa for the same price.

Silk thread of various colors, especially dark blue, almost black (the latter manufactured in Smyrna), which all Christians wear around their neck, is sold in Addis Ababa by weight. A bundle of silk that weighs as much as 12 talers sells for 6 talers, i.e. a pound goes for 7 rubles 40 kopecks.

Cognac and vodka of very poor quality are imported in large quantities.

The very cheapest cognac, of Greek manufacture, sells in Addis Ababa for one and a half talers per bottle. Vodka sells for one taler. They import red Greek wine and cheap champagne, but in very small quantities.

Sugar is imported in small quantities, in the form of small lumps or in grains. It is of French manufacture and very poor quality -- soft, with a small percentage of pure sugar. It is sold in Addis Ababa for 40 kopecks a pound.

Small glass decanters of Venetian manufacture are a necessary possession for each Abyssinian house that is in the slightest degree prosperous. In Addis Ababa two decanters cost one taler, or a decanter for 50 kopecks.

Enameled tin cups for drinking mead in Addis Ababa sell for two for a taler.

Cheap printed rugs likewise are imported.

They import many such objects as: cheap watches; perfume of the very worst quality, brightly painted cotton shawls, beads, felt hats with wide brims, parasols, and soap.

Aden is the main marketplace of Abyssinia and the place where its exports are concentrated and through which imports go.

Trade in the direction from the sea to the middle of the country goes by four routes: 1) Massawa to Gojjam, 2) Jibuti to Harar to Shoa, 3) Zeila to Harar to Shoa, and 4) Berber to Kofir to Jimma to Kaffa.

The first route lost its significance with the shift of the political and economic center of Abyssinia to the south, and likewise after the capture of the Sudan by the dervishes.

The second route is the most convenient since it has almost weekly steamship communication with Europe.

The third route is the richest in means of conveyance through desert. It is the favorite of local merchants.

The fourth route is unknown to Europeans, and about its existence one can rather conjecture.

Consequently, the two main points are through Jibuti and Zeila to Harar and Shoa.

The conditions of transport and the cost of transporting one pood of cargo by both routes is the same. They differ only in the internal order of each port and its transport connections with Europe. Jibuti belongs to France and was built recently.

Thanks to the regular and frequent transport of the General-Madagascar "messagerie maritime," which has two lines - - Indochinese and Madagascar -- the steamships of which visit Jibuti almost weekly, this port has very quickly gained great significance. One of the two steamships that come to Jibuti goes through Aden. The significance of Jibuti to Abyssinia is bound up with the fact that up until now this was the only port through which guns were allowed to pass into Abyssinia. Aside from the steamships, Arab sail-powered barges also carry on frequent commercial transport with Aden and other coastal ports.

These conveniences of Jibuti are paralyzed by:

1) The establishment of import and export duties. For example, import duties: for of one gun -- 2 francs 65 centimes; for a revolver the same; for 500 cartridges 2 francs 50 centimes; for one kilogram of powder 3 francs; for cognac and strong drinks 20 centimes per liter; for alcohol 80 centimes per liter. Export duties: for each animal -- horse, mule, cow, ox -- 4 talers 11 francs.

2) The punctiliousness of the French administration. The administration has established many rules, putting useless restraints on the inhabitants. For instance, it requires that camel-drivers remove from the streets the manure left by their camels (in case of refusal they are put into prison). I heard about this requirement in Leka, in the commercial town of Bilo, where merchants were indignant about this, saying that it would be necessary to tie a sack to the tail of the camel. And finally,

3) The comparative difficulty of transport connections with Aden. Zeila is 40 versts [28 miles] east of Jibuti. It belongs to the English. The port does not present conveniences like Jibuti, and large ships cannot put in there, having to drop anchor very far from shore. Transport with Aden is carried out by small steamboat, which completes a trip once every two weeks, and by Arab sail-powered barges. Nevertheless almost all the trade in coffee and a large part of the imports go through Zeila. For comparison, I will present the data on exports of coffee through Jibuti and Zeila for 1891. From Jibuti coffee valued at 250,000 franc was exported; from Zeila 1,380,310 francs -- i.e. almost six times as much.

The remaining articles of export are distributed more evenly between these two ports. French merchants in Abyssinia send their goods to Jibuti (Messieurs Savure, Monat, Trule, Stevena, Pineau and some others). And all the Armenians and Greeks together with Arabs and Abyssinians send their good to Zeila (the main Armenian merchant is Tigran).

I do not have exact data on annual exports through Zeila and Jibuti. But there is data on exports and imports through Jibuti for three months (January, February, and March) from which I derive several characteristic numbers:

There was imported:

guns -- 394 boxes (4728 guns)

cartridges -- 592 boxes

cotton fabric -- 3450 items (valued at 604,000 francs)

silk fabric -- 14 items

strong drink -- 53 boxes (valued at 1,590 francs).

There was exported:

ox-hide and sheepskin -- 11,549 items (valued at 86,544 francs)

coffee -- 4,180 frazla -- 62,700 kilograms (valued at 53,440 francs)

musk 1,000 ukets -- 27 kilograms (valued at 43,200 francs)

gold worth 20,000 francs

ivory worth 18,000 francs

raw wax worth 2,000 francs.

The cost to transport a pound of cargo to Addis Ababa includes: 1) what you pay to hire camels from Jibuti or Zeila to Erer or to Harar, what you pay to hire camels from Erer to Balchaand then from Balcha to hire mules to Addis Ababa, or by the high road in Harar to buy mules and carry cargo to Addis Ababa; 2) the pay and cost of up-keep for servants and 3) customs duties at a rate of 1/10 the value of all products which they pay either in Harar or in Addis Ababa.

Transport by the road through Harar amounts to: the price of hiring a camel which can carry a load weighing 500 pounds or 12-1/2 poods, or for two camels each carrying half a load equals 14 talers or rubles.

From Geldessa (an Abyssinian border point and customs house) to Harar other camels are hired at a cost of 1-1/2 talers for a full load of 12-1/2 poods.

The composition and movement of caravans is very simple. From Jibuti or Zeila you announce the news to these people that you need so many camels, and they supply them to you quickly enough if camels are available at that time and not too weakened at the end of the hot season. If they are not available, you must wait or send the cargo in parts. The leader of a caravan, called the aban, selects the members of the caravan. He is the person responsible for all the belongings entrusted to him, and he carries out his responsibilities honestly enough, since from Jibuti or Zeila to Harar special care and protection are not required. You promise and give the aban several talers as a reward. You pay part of the money for the transport at the outset and part at the delivery of the cargo. For best protection of belongings, it is good if some of your own servants with guns go along with the caravan -- servants whom they usually pay 5 talers at Harar and give upkeep. The caravan workers and the abans are Somali, but for servants you must hire Abyssinians.

You buy mules in Harar. The average price of a pack mule is 32 to 34 talers. For slow going, for every five mules you must have three servants. The pay to them from Harar to Entotto is 5 talers plus upkeep. The upkeep for three servants costs about two talers for the whole trip. Consequently the transport of cargo by five mules, i.e. 30-35 poods [1,080 to 1,260 pounds], amounts to, including the purchase price of the mules, 187 talers; and not including the purchase price of the mules -- 17 talers. Consequently, transport of a pood [36 pounds] of cargo from Jibuti or Zeila through Harar to Addis Ababa costs, taking into account the cost of buying mules:

to Harar -- one pood for one ruble and 20 to 25 kopecks

from Harar to Addis Ababa -- one pood for 5 rubles 34 kopecks

total for one pood = 6 rubles and 54 to 60 kopecks.

The distance by this road is 850 to 900 versts [570 to 600 miles]; the total per verst per pound is .73 kopecks. If you do not take into account the cost of the mules, then the transport from Jibuti and Zeila to Addis Ababa costs for one pood one ruble 75 kopecks, i.e. .2 kopecks per verst.

By the second route the cost is as follows.

2) From Jibuti or Zeila to Erer with a fully loaded camel costs 16 talers and a reward to the aban. In Erer they change Somali camels for Danikil ones, with the help of their leader from the Tumbakho tribe. He designates one of them as the responsible aban, but this serves as a very bad guarantee of the safety of the belongings, which they deal with very carelessly.

The price of a camel for a full load from Erer to Balcha is 18 talers. For the safety of the cargo, it is necessary to send several armed servants with the caravan, and you pay these servants about 10 to 12 talers for the trek from Jibuti to Addis Ababa. In Balcha you hire mules, donkeys, and horses to Addis Ababa at four talers for the cargo of one mule. Thus, by this road the transport of a pood [36 pounds] of cargo costs about three rubles, which for a distance of 900 versts [600 miles] amounts to .33 kopecks per verst.

Delivery through Harar is faster, but does not allow for transport of bulky items and requires the availability of one's own mules. Therefore, Europeans prefer the second route for their caravans. All the local merchants use the first route as safer for passenger trips and because it passes through territory in which the climate is not as hot.

From this overview, it is evident that trade with Abyssinia does not involve insurmountable difficulties. It is completely possible and would be far from unprofitable for us Russians.

All the articles of export from Abyssinia which find a ready market in Russia, we obtain second hand and overpay considerably, (for instance, coffee or gold, which at the first-hand price would be profitable for our state treasury to obtain).

Some items of import to Abyssinia, as, for instance, silk, cotton, iron, steel, and glass manufactured articles, guns, sugar, alcohol and strong drinks, and kerosene, for which they need a seacoast, we make in Russia; and ours cost no more than the foreign ones.

The distance from Odessa to the Red Sea coast is equal to the distance from Marseilles. Consequently, the transport couldn't cost us more. There remains only to establish direct communication with some port of this coast. And one can not only express the hope, but truly say that profits of trade will become so evident that owners and capital will be found to put our commercial relations with Abyssinia on firm foundations.

Note

Picture: Captive African (´Negro´ according to the colonialist Bulatovich) with his family

From: http://www.samizdat.com/bulatovichphotos/plates/Captive%20nego%20with%20his%20family.jpg