Krindach, F.: Essay on the Industry and Trade of Abyssinia

Title

Ocherk promyshlennosti i torgovli Abissinii, Sankt-Peterburg 1899

Essay on the Industry and Trade of Abyssinia

Keywords

Summary

In the opening section of the essay, the author argues that there has been a call in Russia for the establishment of trade relations with Ethiopia. A consortium of Moscow manufacturers has been created with the aim of sending a shipment of goods to Ethiopia. The author wonders about what challenges the Russian merchants could face there. To address this question, he provides an overview of the industrial and commercial landscape of the country. The subsequent sections explore various aspects of Ethiopia, such as its boundaries, surface, and geography, with a focus on its natural resources. The local economic and industrial activities include cattle breeding, beekeeping, forestry, goldsmithing, and mineral mining. Plantations feature a variety of crops including coffee, lemon, pomegranate, peach, almond trees, and bananas. However, numerous challenges are present too, including the absence of a currency and standardised measurements, although Arab standards are said to be in use. The lack of well-developed roads, often narrow and traversing deserts or mountains, poses significant difficulties for both people and animals. The practice of barter is highlighted. The main trades with Ethiopians include ivory, leather, coffee, ostrich feathers, incense, and gold. While there is a gradual increase in the import of European products to Ethiopia, the author concludes with a sobering assessment of the internal conditions deeming them unfavourable for Russian merchants. Expressing scepticism about those who encourage Russian merchants to venture into Ethiopia, the author advises exercising caution, due to the challenging conditions they are likely to face.

Bio

In the summer of 1896, Lieutenant Fedor Krindach joined a military-medical mission to Ethiopia, headed by Major-General N. Shvedov. He is also the author of Russkii kavalerist v Abissinii. Iz Dzhibuti v Kharar (1897).

Sources

M. Rait, Russkie ekspeditsii v Efiopii v seredine XIX-nachale XX vv. i ikh etnograficheskie materialy, “Afrikanskii etnograficheskii sbornik”, 1956, 1, p. 242;

G. Tsypkin, Russkie mediki v Efiopii. U istokov otnoshenii dvukh stran, “Novaia i noveishaia istoriia”, 2017, 4, p. 109-116.

M.E.