765.84/5010: Telegram
The Minister Resident in Ethiopia (Engert) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:24 p.m.]
533. After a lull of several weeks Abyssinian armed forces have recently resumed activities in the neighborhood of the capital. During [Page 281] the night, August 26 to 27, the local flying field was attacked by a band belonging to Dejazmatch Baltcha’s troops. They were driven off but the Italians are said to have lost about 40 men in killed and an equal number wounded. Early yesterday morning a fresh attack was believed in preparation and from half past 5 until 7 a.m. Italian artillery shelled area south of airfield and vicinity of Sudan Interior Mission and [apparent omission].
It is rumored that Baltcha has a force of some 3,000 men and that he will soon attack the city from the south while Aberra and Imru will renew their attacks from the west and northeast.
Despite unstrung [unsatisfactory?] flying conditions Italians soaring planes from Diredawa continue to reconnoiter and bomb environs of Addis Ababa. Two of them recently were either brought down by rifle fire or crashed accidentally killing their 13 occupants.
The local situation is quiet and the Italians have erected numerous stone parapets with barbed wire throughout the city to guard against a possible native uprising. I have asked for and received 10 Italian rifles and ammunition but shall not request machine guns until I feel the situation warrants having an Italian guard quartered in our compound.