Description

ANON.

[Practical rules for the Italo-Abyssinian war accompanied by a topographical map of Massawa and neighbouring countries and six plans of the main forts].

Naples: Cap. Antonio Morano 1887.

Large 8°, title page, 70 pp., blank, 6 full-page black and white maps of ports with blank versos, folding map, printed in colours, contemporary red linen binding (binding with light dents, scratches and stains, first and last pages with minimal foxing, but overall good, last pages reinforced with old linen in hinges).

When the Italo-Ethiopian War began in January 1887, it was unclear that the conflict would last for decades. The initial phase officially ending in 1889, but it reached a second peak from 1895 to 1896, with the fighting extending into the early 20th century.

This is a rare privately published manual in Italian language for officers preparing to depart for war in Abyssinia, written in 1887, at the very beginning of the conflict. While some manuals have already been published, many of them translated from French and English, the author—who remains unnamed but mentions his “considerable stay in Massawa”—claims that this is the first manual to offer practical advice for warfare in Africa, particularly for officers who may need to act on their own initiative. Additionally, according to the introduction, this is the first book to include maps of forts and the distances between them.

The chapters cover practical topics such as the selection of soldiers who can withstand the demanding climate of Abyssinia, appropriate equipment, water and food supply considerations, and the carrying capacity of camels and horses. Additionally, they discuss how to establish an efficient communication system, primarily through signals, as well as strategies for traveling and fighting at night, and tactics used by the Abyssinians.

Although the author supports the Italian invasion of Abyssinia, he advises caution, suggesting that the initial focus should be on invading smaller areas due to the lack of sufficient Italian soldiers. He also highlights practical issues that are often overlooked by other texts and the government. For instance, he points out the inefficiency of the country, including the unfulfilled promises from local allies to provide camels. Additionally, he mentions the impending storms and torrential rains that would make combat impossible in the spring.

He predicts that, due to these difficult conditions that Italians are not accounting for, the war will last significantly longer than anticipated.

The maps on the last pages showcase detailed plans of various forts around Massaua, in what is today Eritrea:

– “Forte di Monkullo”, the fort at Moncullo, southwest of Massawa,
– “Forte di Arkico”, fort of Arkiko (please see the description below),
– “Forte di Otumlo”, a fort west of the peninsula Abdel K’adir
– “Forte di Abd-el-kader”, on the entrance of the peninsula Abdel K’adir,
– “Forte Taulud”, situated on the island of T’walet, connected to Masawwa,
– “Forte Gherar”, on the peninsula of Gherar.

The colour folding map highlights the Italian fort located in the bay of Arkiko, south of Massawa. This area was once an important port, but it declined by the late 19th century and was reduced to only a few houses and mosques. At the beginning of the Italo-Ethiopian War, prior to the construction of the railway, Arkiko was considered a key strategic base for the Italians near Massawa. Important on the map are the locations of routes, remnants of the settlement, and water sources.

We could only trace two institutional examples, listed in Worldcat (Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma and Tel Aviv University – Sourasky Central Library, OCLC 1517649695). The National Library of Rome mentions two plates, while the title of the book quotes only one; one map is also noted by Tel Aviv University. The present example also includes only one folding map.