British Expedition to Abyssinia to Ethiopia. In 1999, several prominent figures in England and Ethiopia created the Association For the Return of the Magdala Ethiopian Treasures (AFROMET) which has pursued an information and lobbying campaign to see all treasure repatriated back to Ethiopia. Tewodros had asked his wife, the Empress Tiruwork Wube, in the event of his death, to put his son, Prince Alemayehu, under the protection of the English. This decision was apparently made in fear that his life would be taken by any aspirant for the empire of Abyssinia. In accordance with these wishes, Alemayehu was taken to London where he was
HMS Abyssinia (1870) Constructor to order two ships of the "Cerberus" class. After the placing of the order for "Magdala", budgetary limitations meant that a smaller, cheaper vessel had to be acquired. "Abyssinia", while being similar in layout to "Magdala", was smaller and cost £20,000 less. She had slightly less freeboard, a shorter breastwork, could carry less coal and had about one knot less speed. The ferry trip out to her base in Bombay was made under her own power, without the use of any sail whatsoever. Unlike her half-sisters, the hull was not built up for the trip, which she made in