THE NIGER EXPEDITION PARTY.

Evening Star, Issue 10212, 14 January 1897, Page 2

THE NIGER EXPEDITION PARTY.

AVENGING THEIR MASSACRE.

(Psr Press Association.]

LONDON, January ia Further particulars received from Bonny show that Consul Phillips's expedition was undertaken with the object of femoVtofi obstacles to trade. The party consisted of nine unarmed Britishers and 250 Native carriers. The members of the expedition were enticed into the forest Tor the purpose of holding a parley with the Natives, when an attack was made. St> far as is known only seven carriers escaped. The Eoyal Niger Company's expedition, comprising 500 Houssas from the Gold Coast, 30 officers, 6 Maxim guns, and 900 Native carriers, together with an effective fleet of light-draught steamers, which can readily be converted into gunboats, started from Akassa, the headquarters of the Niger Company, on the 6th inst. Owing to the extremely unhealthy nature of the climate a number of medical men accompany the expedition. The object is to punish Abubokari, the powerful King of Nupe State in the Central Soudan. The force is under the command of Major A. J. Arnold, and his officers have been selected from various British regiments.

Mi' R. D. Moore, Vice-Consul of Aho Niger Protectorate, at present on a visit to London, returns to the KTger district immediately. A number of officers sail on Saturday to replace those killed. A punitive expedition is being organised. Reports from Lagos state that a large proportion of the Houssas are stationed in the delta of. the ■•Niger Eiver owing to the danger of a renewal of invasion by the Brass "River .Natives. The Niger Company are unable to ccjntrol the tribes unless Great Britain sends a gunboat.