ABYSSINIA'S SIGNAL WHEN WAR STARTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 209, 4 September 1935, Page 7

ABYSSINIA'S SIGNAL WHEN WAR STARTS.

CHAIN OF BONFIRES.

thousands of Troops Leave For the Front.

{RIFLES, SHIELDS AND KNIVES

(CUnited P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

(Received 12 noon.)

LONDON, September 3

"The Times" Addis Ababa correspondent reports that without speeches or the beat of drum 5000 ■well-equipped regulars entrained for Diradawa, where they will detrain for Ualual to join the army corps of 10,000 men. Five thousand more Trill follow to-morrow.

The troops ploughed through mud to tho trains, their rifles slung on their shoulders, goatskins full of parched grain on their heads aud their water-gourds at their sides. Some were carrying blankets, some muslin tents and lion skin, some shields and knives. They climbed into the cars after a few words of encouragement from the War Minister, Mulai Geta.

The commander, Dedjasmatch Michael, •who, his followers declare, helped to smash the Italians at Adowa, does not fear to face them again though he does Dot expect to return.

A number of Ethiopian flying officers are leaving Addis Ababa for the Eritrean frontier.

Hundreds of bonfires have been laid on the hilltops in readiness to signalise the opening of hostilities.

Fifty thousand Italians are concentrating on the Eritrean frontier.

A Nairobi message says that four Air Force bombers and 200 troops from Egypt will be stationed there.

A startling report was spread in Paris yesterday to the effect that Signor Mussolini may declare war on Abyssinia without delay and confront the League Council with an accomplished fact.

There is not the slightest confirmation of the report, though the fear is known to be shared in official quarters.

ITALIAN WOMEN GO.

Departure from Abyssinia With

Children. COUNT ARRESTED AS SPY. . «.., • (Received , 1 p.m.) ADDIS ABABA, September 3. A dispatch from Jibouti, French Somaliland, states that all Italian women and children have left Abyssinia. The Count de Roquefeuille, French manager of the East African Company, has been arrested, at Jijiga on a charge of espionage upon the Abyssinians. BRITAIN PREFERRED.

RULERS IN ABYSSINIA. (Received 12 noon.) LONDON, September 3. At a meeting of the Nile Society, organised on behalf of Abyssinia, Dr. Martin, Abyssinian Minister in London, said that if the worst came to the worst Ethiopians would rather be under Britain's just and considerate administration than Italy's.

AT PORT SAID. BRITISH BATTLESHIP ARRIVES (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 3. The battleship Resolution, flying the flag of Admiral Sir John Fisher, Com-mander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet, has arrived at Port Said from Malta. She will remain there until September 20. MALTA PREPARES. PRAYERS AND PRECAUTIONS. (Received 1 p.m.) MALTA, September 3. Pilgrimages and prayers for peace are general. The crew of the survey vessel Ormonde has bee'n transferred to minesweepers. Police are collecting details of all motor cars in the event of commandeering them if necessary.

FOR WAR SERVICE

ITALIANS LEAVE ENGLAND.

LONDON, September 3.

Five hundred men and women at a meeting at the Italian Club, London, greeted with cheers the names of London Italians who have volunteered for service in East Africa who have left or are leaving this week. \ free flght broke out at a Fascist meeting held in Liverpool to protest against intervention in Abyssinia. Ihe majority of the audience of 1000 then left, after which there was another fight and four people- were injured, including William Spencer, a Fascist, who was knocked senseless.