NOT GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 104, 29 October 1935, Page 11

NOT GENERAL

ITALIAN ATTACK

CAUTIOUS ADVANCE

DOUBTS ABOUT MAKALE

MAY NOT BE A WALK-OVER

United Tress Association— By Electric Telo-

craph—Copyright.

(Received October 29, noon.)

LONDON, October 28.

It is repsrted from Asmara llial, as was expected, the Italian general offensive on all three fronts did not materialise, communiques merely confirming the separate pushes announced on October 27. Italian headquarters consider that Ras Seyoum's resistance in accordance with the Emperor Haile Selassie's advice will not be formidable until the invaders approach Amba Alagi. The Italians welcome this as an opportunity for avenging the crushing defeat inflicted there on Major Toselli's troops in 1895. Nevertheless, they are exercising every caution because they are chary of courting even a minor reverse in view of the possibility of large Abyssinian concentrations west and south of the Italian left wing and the persistent feeling that after all the entry into Makale may not be a walk-over. CONSOLIDATION OF GAINS. When General de Bono, who hitherto has employed almost exclusively native troops for actual fighting, attains this ' objective he must accumulate vast quantities of stores for the. next ad- : vance, besides making 60 miles of road ; and devoting a proportion of .his troops to guarding the lines of communication i with the base. Meanwhile the native army corps of the Italian centre is pushing on south of the Mai Warre, a tributary of the Takazze Hiver. The Massawa correspondent of the "News-Chronicle" states that an aerial railway similar to those used for mountain fighting on the Isonzo front in northern Italy during the Great War is being constructed between Massawa and Asmara. A cable will be used to swing supplies, including fairly heavy guns, across the valleys, thus following the . most direct route a distance of about 40 miles, compared with 60 !• miles in the existing steam railway. ; A communique issued in Rome says [ that the advance in the Farasmai Val- ' t ley region continues almost without resistance and without casualty and has now penetrated 20 miles. The Ital- [ ian flag flying over Adowa, it is stgt- , ed, is the one that was hauled down . when the Italians were defeated in i 1896. An Abyssinian handed it to , General Maravigna when -he took . possession of the town, stating that ! he was a telegraph clerk and had always loved Italy: When the Italians had retreated he secured and jealously preserved the flag. An Addis Ababa communique states that the Government has reason to believe that chiefs whom the Italians reported had surrendered are nonexistent and that their states are entirely unknown. GKEAT TEST IN OGADEN. ■ The British United Press agency's correspondent at Harrar says that the town is deserted and that every ablebodied person has gone to the front. Ras Nasibu says he is ready for a great test of Italian armaments and : Abyssinian fortitude. "My generals reP.ort," he said, "that they are convinced that the foe's advance in Ogaden will fail, and predict that the world will get a great surprise." Ras Nasibu has taken over command of the left wing of the Jijiga army, while Tessama Batna from Diredawa succeeds him at Harrar. Has Desta wiH command the right wing. The Addis Ababa correspondent of "The Times" says that the Abyssinian Crown Council and foreign advisers discussed the northern strategical position and advised Ras Seyoum to fight strongly before Makale but apt to defend it to the last man, for the reason that if the attack is pressed Makale will certainly fall without Ras Gassa's j troops being thrown into the defensive j operations from the rear of Ras Seyoum's Jine. It is doubtful whether the Tigreans will submit to this strategy. They may get out of hand. The "News-Chronicle" asserts that while the Pope was broadcasting his peace appeal Signor Mussolini wirelessed orders to Abyssinia for an offensive to begin on October 28. DIFFICULTIES BEFORE MAKALE. The Addis Ababa correspondent of "The Times" says that an aeroplane reconnaissance and intelligence reports regarding Makale indicate that little opposition can be expected there. The battalions are almost within striking distance, but preparations for a I general advance of the whole line are not yet complete. Much of the coun-' try south of Aksum and Adowa has not been exploi-ed. Maps record heights only by trigonometry. In view of the necessity for road construction progress in this area will be slow and laborious. The Exchange Telegraph agency's Harrar correspondent reported that Dedjazmatch Afework, commander of the southern fortress of Gorahai, warned the Abyssinian General Staff at Addis Ababa on October 25 that an Italian attack was believed to be imminent, but that there had been no further news. The field wireless station had been silent for 24 hours, greatly to Haile Selassie's anxiety. The station "was probably destroyed by bombs during Italian reconnaissance work which, extendedjto Sasa Baneh, midway between Walwal.and Jijiga. It is now reported, however, that much to the relief of Abyssinian headquarters, Harrar has re-established wireless contact with Gorahai. The recent silence was not due to the Italians bombing the wireless station but to a temporary defect in the apparatus. The Italian Ambassador at Addis Ababa, Count Vinci, has arrived at Jibuti.