AFRICAN AFFAIRS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2298, 17 March 1898, Page 17

AFRICAN AFFAIRS.

London, March 7. Colonel M'Callum, Governor of Lagos, who is now in the disputed hinterland, is proceeding to Okuta and Otua, in the Borgu country. The sittings of the Anglo-French Delimitation Commission have been discontinued in consequence cf the illness of the French members of the commission. Major Lugard's expedition to the Lagos hinterland has left England. March 9. News has been received that the British forces in Weat Africa suffered losses through falling into ambuscades in the hinterland of j Sierra Lsone. Reinforcements have been J sent. March 14. Reports from Lagos state that the French have depopulated Borgu and established a puppet king at Nikki, whom the natives refuse to recognise. Paris, March 7. Le Temps asserts that ths object of Colonel M'Oallum's movements is to isolate the French posts at Ktssi, Keinna, and Paraku. It adds that this will have the effect of aggravating the situation, and involve a risk of conflict; between ths British and French in West Africa. March 9. The Fretch expedition to Fashoda, on the White Nile, under the command of Marquis de Bonchamp^, failed in its mission in consequence of ths Abyssinian auxiliaries having deserted. Cairo, March 7. The durvishes are transferring their camp and war tnaterial from Metemneh, which the main body recently evacuated, to Sfaendy, on the opposite or Berber side of the Nile. The' British gunboats captured several of the enemy's vessels, and defeated the dervishes along the river*

March g. Mahmud, the dervish general, has burneel Metemneb, and has concentrated his forces at Shendy. He has under his command 11,000 riflemen and spearsmen and 2000 horsemen. Osmah Digna is slowly advancing with a considerable force against the British. March 14. The expedition to the junction of tbs So bat River with the White Nile, under the leadership of Mr H. S. H. Cavendish, explorer, has been postponed.