BRITISH OFFICIAL METHODS.

Evening Post, Volume LX, Issue 114, 10 November 1900, Page 3 (Supplement)

BRITISH OFFICIAL METHODS.

An incident which, .happened in the Niger district prior to the trouble with the Brass mien i 5 (says London Truth of the 30th August) worth recalling at the present time, when universal astonishment has been caused by the failure of the British and other Ministers in China to foresee the outbreak which so nearly proved fatal to the whole of them, About the end of 1891 an English, merchant in the Brass River district became aware that arms and ammunition were being extensively imported and sold to the neighbouring natiyes, in direct contravention of a t Foreign Office order, which had been for some time in force. As a matter ofc duty he wrote to the Commissioner and Consul-General acquainting that functionary with the facts that he know. His communication did not cyen receive the . courtesy of an. acknowledgment ; but he learned subsequently that it had been shown to a leading trader in the district — one of the very parties incriminated — and, apparently on this individual's advice, had been consigned to the waste-paper basket as an officious impertinence. About three years later occurred the attack of the Brass natives on Akassa, resulting in many casualties and much destruction of property. To the great astonishment of the British , authorities, the Brass men were found to be equipped with European weapons of precision of the latest make. The next step was the despatch of the usual punitive expedition to the Brass capital. It was then discovered, again much to the surprise of the British, authorities, that a formidable cannon had been placed in position at a bend of the river near the capital, and this surprising discovery involved the loss of a brave and experienced officer, as well as many other casualties. In view 'of the fact that the same gentleman who was Commissioner and Consul-Gene-ral in the Niger Territory in 1891 is now the British Minister at Pekin, this piece of history is peculiarly « interesting. It is also worth remembering that for at least two years past The T,imes correspondent at Pekin has always been better and earlier informed than the British Government in regard to all that was going on behind the scenes in Chinese political circles.