THE ASHANTI CAMPAIGN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7542, 24 January 1896, Page 3

THE ASHANTI CAMPAIGN.

KINd EREMPEH IN A PITIABLE ATTITUDE. London, Jan. 23. Intelligence has been received that King Prempeh placed his head between the feet of Mr Maxwell," 'Governor of the Gold Coast colony, and pleaded that he was only possessed of.6o2.bunces of gold, and was unable to pay the indemnity "of £50.000. Mr Maxwell remains at Kumassi with 600 Honssa troops and a contingent of the West India regiment. The .expeditionary force which proceeded to Knmaesi consisted of 700 Houssa troops, of 600, men drawn from the West India Regiment stationed at Sierra Leone, and 300 picked men from regiments in England. Thirty officers were also chosen for special servise. The expedition was in command of Sir Francis Scott, the Inspector of Constabulary for the Gold Coast, who has had considerable ' military experience in West Africa/ Carriers for transport purposes were supplied by the kings of Awapim and Krobo, and by other tribes within the British' s protectorate. Fifty thousand of these native carriers were required for the > expedition,- 'The weight each native was gL . required to' carry was 60lb between the coast *** and Prashu, and 451 b between Prashu and Kumassi. . . The Houssas are among the regulars of the Gold Coast. They are reoruited from the tribe of that name, and make grand soldiers,: being excellent fighters. ■ A certain proportion of these men is each year attached to the Guards or some other Imperial regiment) for about six months. The march to Kumassi occupied about three weeks. Sir. Francis Scott is desirous of getting his men back to the coast before March,' when 'the rainy ' and unhealthy season seta in. Before starting he told a representative of Renter's Agency : "If the King submits we shall merely march to Kumassi, take over the country, and come back. In any case the expedition must go to Kumassi. Although we have not now to deal with a powerful confederation of tribes, as in the last war, the Ashantis are better armed. . They have a number of Saiders and a quantity of chassepots, the ammunition for which they must have obtained somehow from the French. The climatic dangers are not so great as they were in the last war, as we knovr more about the country, and consequently know better what precautions to take. The expedition will advance at the rate of about eight miles a day." The. reason why the expedition became necessary is thus explained by the Times :— " The ambitious plans of King Prempeh for the reconstruction of an Ashanti empire gave - a serious character to the persistent and flagrant violations of the Treaty of Fomana, subject to which he occupies the throne. Human, sacrifices and raids for the capture of slaves .were expressly .renounced by the Kumassi Government after Koffee Kalkalli's defeat, -yet it is notorious that these savage practices still continue, in defiance of remonstrances from the British authorities on the Gold Coast. Freedom of trade, not only with Ashanti, but with the interior, which was also among the conditions agreed upon by treaty. Las been, deliberately obstructed. This is all the more serious because the great natural resources of the Gold Coast territories cannot be developed while Kumassi and the other Ashanti States are a barrier between the coast and the Hinterland. Commerce is thus diverted on the one side towards the French and on the other side towards the German settlements. We have, therefore, the strongest interest in demanding the 1 loyal ' execution of the Treaty of Fomana.' But all appeals to King Prempeh .have been in vain. It is ridiculous to pretend that' he has not 'been treated with patience and indulgence." Captain Donald Stewart accompanied the expedition as political officer, and will remain'at 'Kumassi as Resident Agent. Prempeh, the deposed King of Kumassi, cannot speak English, and is a mere youth. JEtts reign has not been for good, and he has Sod his people into the worst forms of idol Worship and into cannibalism.