File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎140r] (288/834)

a powerful force was sent northwards by the Central Government.
Orders were accordingly given for the army at Adis Abeba to
start immediately, and for fifteen thousand troops to come up by
train from Harrar, while Ras Taffari prepared to take command
in person. The chiefs and soldiers, however, according to a
letter from the capital dated March 16, openly refused to march,
and the impotence of the Government had never been more
clearly revealed. Whether its authority has since been
strengthened by the dismissal of the Ministers, reported on page
114, we have not yet heard. For some time past the soldiers
have been discontented, mainly owing to the greed of their
chiefs, who keep for themselves the lands and money which the
soldiers claim as their due. The Harrar troops, being better
treated, are more disposed to obey orders.
Dejazmach Baleha, one of the strongest men in Abyssinia,
recently sent a letter to the Government asking to be relieved of
his functions as Governor of Sidamo, and allowed to retire into
private life, as he could no longer serve a Government he so
utterly despised. Great commotion was caused in the Council of
Ministers, but no action appears to have been taken.
The Empress wishes the provinces of Waldi Giorgis to be
given to her husband, Ras Guksa, and while some support her,
others contend that they should be returned to their hereditary
chiefs. Meanwhile it is probable that the widow of the Negus,
an ambitious woman, is intriguing to keep them herself.
In the town of Adis Abeba disorder is again rampant, and
every night shots are fired and houses robbed. Ihe leading
merchants are proposing to close their shops, and in the surround
ing country caravans are pillaged and no satisfaction can oe
obtained.
Gold in Hejaz.
The following note l^as been written by Dr. John Ball of
the 'Egyptian Geological Department on one of the geological
specimens collected by Mr. Philby during his recent journey.
It was found in the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Fatima between Umm el-Khair and
Madhiq, Mr. Philby’s attention being arrested when examining
the specimen by a yellow speck which suggested the presence
of gold. ,
“ I think this is a highly crushed kornpls, perhaps an
intensely altered clay rock. ‘The fibrous structure suggests
that it is from a fault or other place of intense crushing. The
rock contains here and there tiny yellow specks and flakes One
of the yellow flakes tested in the Government laboratory by Mr.
Pollard gave a reaction for gold and hence either was gold or
contained gold. It would not be unusual to find specks of iron-
pyrites in the hornfels and it may be that the specks are pyntes,
containing a trace'of gold; on the other hand the specks are
rather a darker yellow than pyrites ordinarily appears and it may
be that they are pure gold. If there is a large quantity of the