INDUSTRIES. Abyssinia is an agricultural country, and its soil is especially well adapted for the cultivation of cereals. The land is divided not among individuals Inn among families, and the only title to land is its occu pation. The agricultural methods employed are of the most primitive kind, a fact which, to gether with flue extorthmate practices of the civil and military officials. iS not very conducive to the agricultural development of the country. Wheat and barley are the chief grains raised. Different kinds of fruit, such as oranges. lemons. bananas, etc.. are found in abundance, but very little attention is paid to their cultivation. Cattle raising is a very important industry in Abyssinia, and wool is one of the chief articles of export. Of manufacturing industries Abys sinia has practically none. Ancient remains found in several parts of the country bear traces of skill which is hardly to be met with among the modern Abyssinians.
TaAnt:. Abyssinians do not, as a rule, engage in foreign trade, ‘vhieli is entirely in the hands of foreign merchants. The trade is not consid erable, as. until recently, the buying was done almost inclusively by the King and his court. The increased security of life and property. how ever, which the Abyssinians have been enjoying under King Alenelek has prompted an increasing number of them to part with their buried treas ures of gold and silver in exchange for all kinds of goods. The total imports in 1899-1900 into the two chief trailing centres of the country. Addis Abeba and Harrar, were estimated at about $3,500.000. Oreat Britain and the United States being the two leading sullre0S, and France 81111 Berman} coming next. The leading articles of import are cotton, silk, and arms, the Anwrivan cotton being preferred to all others. The chief articles of export are coffee, gold. ivory, and skins. corn, is exported chiefly to Arabia. gold to India. The chief obstacles to trade are the primitive means of eo lllll mnieation, resulting in slow and expensive transportation. The dis tance from Addis Abeha to Harrar. for example. about 250 miles, is traversed in from four to six weeks; the goods are carried on mules' and camels' backs. The railway line between Jibutil. in French Somaliland. and Harrar. which is to be eventually extended to Addis Abeba, will have a total length of alnnit 500 miles, of which about 00 miles were completed and opened for trallie in 1900. This line is constmeted en tirely by French with a political rather than a commercial aim, although it will cer tainly attract the trade between Abyssinia and the coast, which at present passes through in British Somaliland.
The chief mediums of exchange are the Maria Theresa dollar and a dollar issued by King Menelek. Salt bars of uniform size, and car tridges also circulate to some extent in certain parts of the country.
In its form of government Abyssinia may be eonsidered a sort of feudal monarchy. The pres ent King. or Negus, is undoubtedly the real ruler of Abyssinia: but this position be owes more to his personal qualities than to any traditional rights. Certain parts of the country are ruled by petty kings or ras, some of them appointed by the Negus, while others are sufficiently strong to defy his authority, and may throw the country into a state of disorder at his death. The petty chiefs have retinues of followers ready to support them in any undertaking so long as there is any prospect of plunder. This class of profes sional warriors, whose usefulness lasts as long as there ark any insubordinate tribes to pacify, is a great hindrance to the development of the country. The revenue is derived from tithes paid in kind, and taxes on commodities, espe cially gold and ivory sold in the market. The collection of taxes is intrusted to the governors Of the villages or shams, who are practically un restricted as to the methods used or amounts collected The laws of the country are supposed to be copied from the old Roman code, but they are almost disregarded by the native judges, who are guided in their decisions, as a rule, by their personal preferences or the social position of the defendant. The Abyssinian army, numbering about 150,000, is almost entirely composed of cavalry and is very well adapted for swift move ments, as it is not encumbered by any commis sariat, its maintenance being obtained from in habitants of regions through which it passes. This kind of commissariat naturally leaves ample room for abuse and falls most heavily on the ag ricultural population. The regular army may be supplemented by irregular and provincial troops in ease of need.
The political divisions of the country are sub ject to continual alteration; but the following are the most important: (1) The kingdom of Tigre, extending between the River Takazze or Bahr-el-Aswad (Black River), and the moun tains of Samen on one side, and the district of Samhara on the other. Its chief towns are Antalo and Adowa. (2) The kingdom of Amhara, extending on the west of the Takazze and the Samen Mountain, and including Gojam. The capital, Gondar, is situated in the northeast of the plain of Dembea or Gondar, at an elevation of about 7500 feet. (3) The kingdom of Shea (including Efat), lying southeast of Amhara and separated from the Galla tribes by the Eawash. This is. by all accounts, the best organized and most powerful state now existing in Abyssinia. The capital, Ankobar, at an elevation of about S000 feet, contains 7000 inhabitants, and enjoys a delightful climate.
The capital of Abyssinia. formerly at Adowa, was transferred after the Italian war to Addis Abeba, which has grown from a village to a city of about S0,000 inhabitants within two to three years.