A DISASTROUS MISTAKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9402, 8 January 1894, Page 5

A DISASTROUS MISTAKE.

a: British force attacked "t '. BY THE FRENCH. : SEVERAL OFFICERS KILLED. THE BRITISH ; MISTAKEN • FOR ',■',-•-:■■;■■•:, N4TlVEC:v,;V's';';;.ui A STUBBORN FIGHT. Pross Association.— Telegraph.— '" *<fivl%] ■'■ ..-*<?< Londok, January 6. { \ Telegrams from Sierra Leone, 1 Western Africa, published in r the London newspapers, state that the French attacked the ; British camp i at Warrina before dawn on the 23rd December./V ** j; i , The British replied to the fire, arid the fighting lasted for some time ; but eventually the French withdrew, their commander, Lieutenant Mtfritz, having been wounded. : ~'<-,. .".,,.,' ~ K '. j The latter was brought into the camp, where he died. ' ' J .' '!,!■; j r Before his death he explained that he thought the British were a u body of Sofas (against whom the French, are operating) officered by Arab leaders.'.> In; the fight 10 on the French side were killed. ! ; The West India , Regiment (British) had Lieutenants Liston and Broughton, a sergeant, and four privates killed, and 15 seriously wounded. , . 5 'The frontier police had Captain Lendy and two men killed, and three seriously wounded. ' The British troops remain at Warrina, which is within the British sphere. ; ; There were troops on both sides as well as natives. . A later telegram states that the British expedition of the 60th First West India Regiment, and the frontier police, was despatched form Sierra Leone, under Colonel Ellis, to relieve Captain Lendy, who was encircled by Sofas at Koranko. Twelve hundred French native troops, with Senegalese sharpshooters, were also operating against the Sofas. The French Government were warned of the despatch of the British expedition, but it was not expected tiiab the French expedition would be so far Sou as to come into contact with the British. It is thought that the French operations drove the Sofas into the British sphere. The British and French spheres of influence had previously been defined. The English Press is awaiting further explanations. Meanwhile the comments are of a temperate character. London, January 7. The attack by the French on the British camp at Warrina was made by bright moonlight, and the French mistook the white suits of the British for the robes of the Arab chiefs. : The British expedition was surprised, but doggedly held their ground regardless of the death of their leaders. I Official messages received from Sierra Leone state that in the confusion of the onslaught Capttfin Lendy of the Frontier police was shot by his own men.