CLIMAX OF ABYSSINIAN WAR

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 119, 4 May 1936, Page 7

CLIMAX OF ABYSSINIAN WAR

EMPEROR’S DEPARTURE FROMCAPITAL NOW WITH FAMILY AT JIBUTI Fierce Wrangling at Addis Ababa Over Loot MANY CORPSES LYING IN STREETS BRITISH SUBJECTS HAVE NARROW ESCAPES [By Telegraph—Per Press Association —Copyright] Received -1, 9.30 a.m. LONDON, May 3. It is reported that Haili Seilassie, with his family and suite, reached Jibuti and immediately boarded the destroyer Diana for London. The Ethiopian Legation has not received any news from Addis Ababa for 36 hours. Meantime Sir Sidney Barton, British Ambassador, cabled the Foregn Office that looting continued throughout the night, but the firing in the streets was slightly lessened. There was little sign of anti-foreign feeling. The Admiralty announces that the destroyer Diana arrived at Jibuti “as a means of communication if necessary.” English newspaper correspondents at Addis Ababa wirelessed stating that after a day of indecision the Emperor, strongly pressed by the Empress, decided late on Friday night to leave the country. Before leaving he ordered that the palace be thrown open so that the people could help themselves. Streams of men and women ran to the palace and returned laden with clothing, arms, beds and carpets. As ammuntion dumps were thrown open, thousands of men took cases and amused themselves trying the new ammunition, firing into the air. It sounded as if a terrific battle was proceeding. When the people realised that the Emperor and his Ministers had gone looting began. Laughing men and women were seen wearing tophats and European clothing over their ordinary clothes. Later, after much liquor had been consumed, fierce wrangling over the loot began. Swords were drawn and shots fired, and infuriated men besieged the Mohamed Alia store, which was defended by the Indian staff. After a stubborn defence a party from the British Legation rescued them. Towards the end of the afternoon many corpses were lying in the streets. Many British subjects had narrow escapes, frequently dashing out in large lorries to bring isolated Europeans into the safety of the British Legation. The French Minister at Addis Ababa has telegraphed M. TTandin asking for help. He says that the Legation is menaced. Its inhabitants number 1200, including Italian prisoners of war who were sent to the Legation for safety when the Emperor left. This enraged the Abyssinians, who fired thousands of shots at the compound walls, killing two Armenian refugees.