Massowah

Massowah, or MASSAUA, a town built on a coral island off the west coast of the Red Sea, in 15° 36' N. lat., 39° 28' E. long. It was seized by Turkey in 1557, but in 1866 given by her to Egypt; and in 1885 it was occupied by Italy. The island is only about 1½ mile in circumference, and is connected with the mainland by a causeway, 1610 yards in length, resting on an intervening island. The pop. number 16,350, of whom 15,000 are natives, 500 Italians, 700 Greeks, and 100 Banyans. Fishing for pearls and mother-of-pearl is the principal industry, but there is also a little fishing and weaving of palm-fibres. Next after Suakin, Massowah is the most important harbour and trading-port on the African coast of the Red Sea. Its imports (cottons, chemical products, animals, grain and flour, groceries, spirits, hides, and timber) are valued at £412,000 annually, and its exports (pearls and mother-of-pearl) at £32,000. Skins, guns, ivory, wax, and gold are also exported, but their annual value cannot be stated. Massowah is very hot (mean of the year, 85.8° F.) and very unhealthy; nevertheless the advantages of its site have led the Italians to make it their headquarters in this part of Africa. Pop. of the district of Massowah, 65,500.