Pg. 500

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November 2, 2020

¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 500 ^THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS. [June 18, 1853.

¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 THREATENED WAR ON THE GOLD COAST, WITH

¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 0 THE ASHANTEES, AND EXECUTION OF ASSIN CHIEFS.

¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 2 By the African Steam Navigation Company’s Mail-packet Forerunner, we have received intelligence that by the promptitude and firmness of Major Hill, the energetic Governor of the Gold Coast, a serious war with one of the most civilised and belligerent nations in Africa (the same which, in 1825, defeated and killed Governor M’Carthy), has been averted.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on paragraph 5 1 When the Forerunner arrived at Cape Coast Castle, on her outward voyage, the Governor and troops had left the fort to settle a dispute with the King of Ashantee, and had encamped near Dungua in the face of an army amounting to upwards of 20,000 men; the English, with their allies, being 16,000.

¶ 6 Leave a comment on paragraph 6 1 The particulars of the dispute are as follows :—At the close of the last Ashantee war two Assin tribes (tributaries to the Ashantees), preferring the mild rule of the English to the despotic one of their own King, came over the boundary river Prat, and claimed British protection, which was granted them. Since then, the King has been making repeated attempts to induce them to return, but without success. At length he bribed the two chiefs, Gabriel and Chiboo, with 300 oz. of gold to bring their followers over. The chiefs spent the gold, but were so far from being able to fulfil their engagement that, on the people discovering what was going on, they informed Major Hill of the circumstance; and, on a party of Ashantees coming into the British territory to assist the chiefs, the Assins rose and took many of them prisoners. Major Hill immediately seized the two chiefs and imprisoned them in the castle, and then marched out to the assistance of our allies, calling on the Fantees and other tribes under our protection to assist against the common enemy who had now

¶ 7 Leave a comment on paragraph 7 0 EXECUTION OF THE ASSIN CHIEFS, GABRIEL AND CHIBOO.

¶ 8 Leave a comment on paragraph 8 0 about 8000 men in our territories, supported by about 12,000 others a few days’ march in the rear, who threatened to release the prisoners from the castle. The Fantees cheerfully responded to the call, and Major Hill soon found himself in the field with an army of 28,000 men, and he had three men-of-war—the Britomart, the Polyphemus, and the Spy—off the town. He then assembled a public court in the camp (about two days’ march from the town) for the trial of the two traitor chiefs. It was composed of thirteen of the principal chiefs under British protection. The prisoners were found guilty, and sentenced to be beheaded—it being their second offence; which sentence was carried into execution on the 18th of April, in front of the camp, some of the Ashantees being allowed to be present.

¶ 9 Leave a comment on paragraph 9 0 The execution took place just outside the town of Dunguah, where they were tried. The open space had been cleared, in case of the advance of the Ashantees. We have been favoured with a spirited Sketch of the scene of the execution, by Commander Heseltine, of H.B.M.’s ship Britomart, who was present on duty. After the execution, Major Hill sent word to the Ashantees, that, unless they quitted the British territory in twenty-four hours, he would attack them. They retreated; and, on communication being had with the Ashantee King, he found it convenient to disown the whole affair, and to declare that the army marched into British territories without his sanction, and that he had no war palaver whatever with the English.

¶ 10 Leave a comment on paragraph 10 0 The small poll-tax, which the Governor has lately imposed on the inhabitants, in return for British protection, is so far from being unpopular, that on the first call it was paid with enthusiasm. This tax, although individually trifling in amount, will probably not only render the colony self-supporting, but leave a surplus in the Governor’s hands, to enable him to prosecute the various useful public works—such as new roads, waterworks, &c.—that he is undertaking.

¶ 11 Leave a comment on paragraph 11 0 The Britomart left Cape Coast Castle on a cruise after the settlement of the disturbances.

¶ 12 Leave a comment on paragraph 12 0 When the Forerunner left Cape Coast Castle, on May 3, all was peaceable.

¶ 13 Leave a comment on paragraph 13 0 THE AFRICAN SLAVE-TRADE.

¶ 14 Leave a comment on paragraph 14 0 From intelligence lately received by the African Steam Navigation Company’s Mail-packet Forerunner, we learn that slaving had again commenced on the African coast, and, in one or two instances, captures had followed; one of which a Correspondent has sketched for our Journal.

¶ 15 Leave a comment on paragraph 15 0 It appears that Governor Kennedy had not only succeeded in putting a stop to a system that seems to have long prevailed at Sierra Leone of selling children out of the colony to the people on the banks of the river, but has recovered above seventy of them from the chiefs, and is still actively prosecuting further inquiries in that direction. In doing this he obtained information that two suspected vessels in the river Pongas were being prepared for slaves; and he sent information by the Pluto to the senior officer (Captain Seymour, of the Firefly), who directed Captain Reed, of the Linnet, which was blockading that river, to send his boats up and examine, and they succeeded in capturing two fine vessels fully equipped.

¶ 16 Leave a comment on paragraph 16 1 Our Correspondent’s sketch shows the capture effected by the Linnet on the 30th of April, about twenty miles up the river Pongas; the vessel, with sails loosed, was a handsome brigantine, of about 250 tons, the other a schooner of about 100. The brigantine was taken entirely by surprise; but the crew leaped overboard, and, with the exception of iwo, escaped. The schooner was found deserted; and, as she was not taken until three hours after the brigantine, her crew, in all probability, upon hearing of the capture, left her. Both vessels were got down the river, and, at the date of our Correspondent’s letter, were at Sierra Leone, awaiting adjudication.

¶ 17 Leave a comment on paragraph 17 0 The scene of the capture is picturesque. The banks of the river are covered thickly with mangrove trees; and sails and brambles were spread over the sides of the brigantine, to protect them from the sun.

¶ 18 Leave a comment on paragraph 18 0 By the Forerunner mail we also learn that Captain Seymour, finding that the King of the Medina Biver, which communicates with the Pongas, was not keeping the treaty which had been formed for the suppression of the Slave-trade, personally undertook an expedition up that river, and had some difficulty in making him understand that a treaty made with his father was still binding on him and his people.

¶ 19 Leave a comment on paragraph 19 0 CAPTURE OF AN AFRICAN SLAVER, BY H.M.S. “ LINNET,” IN THE RIVER PONGAS.