The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-12-20 00:00:00

THE ASHANTEE WAS.

We have news brought by the mail steamer from
Cape Coast Castle to the 17th November. It was re-
ported that a force of 25,000 Aithantees had been out-
flanked and surrounded in the vicinity of the Prah.
the Aehanters were said to be hemmed in by • semi-
circular cordon of native troop*, consisting of the 2nd
West India Regiment, • body oi Houseas, and a large
foroe of Koorstees, cur new allies fr.im Sierra Leone,
the retnaiuder of the encircling army being com-
posed of Fanteer. The problem, therefore, teemed
to be whether the Ashanteee would cut their way
through the opposing forces hallt towards Coomassie,
or whether they c ,old be held in their position
until the arrival of the British troop., or driven
etill further toward. the waist. Meanwhile, reports
had come in to Cape Coast Cootie by native messengers
to the effect that King Coffee, having heard of the
position of his eubjecte, had left Ashantee for the
Prof. at the head of 60,000 men, and was determined
to liberate the 25,000 warriors who were shot out
from Coornaeeie. At Cape Coast Castle a very high
opinion is said to be enteitained of the fighting powers
of the Ashantees, and the arrival of reinforcements
of British troops was anxiously looked for. The
Ambris, which had yellow fever on board, was put
into strict quarantine at Cope Coast Castle, and no
communication wax held with her. The Biafra, which
arrived in the Mersey on Saturday, was free f ruin yellow
fever, but lost nine men, including Lieutenant Wells,
six English sailors, and two blacks, the greater part
of the mortality being caused by typhoid fever id the
malignant type. Lieutenant Well., of H.M.S.
Burracouta, was attacked with the ordinary African,
iir •ildist" fever, and died on the 26th of November.
The eurviving tuembers of the Bia.fsa'a crew all appear,
with the exception of the b.goo cook and one or two
negroes, to have suffered mine or less from the effects
of the African climate. Among the few passengers
who were brought over by the steamer were
Captain Dennyo, on leave from H.lll S Argus
ioid the regimental sergeant-major of the '2nd es'
India Regiment, the only white non-comm *ensued
officer in the corps, who is invalided home to
the Roy al Victoria Hospital at Netley. He
proceeded thither on Saturday. The serjessot, who was
accompanied by his wife and one child, received two
scalp w mods in the ref: nt acione. A young negro
girl, who wax clad in a fantastic dress of Ibilliant
colours, and who came over in charge of one of the pas.
oengere, was reported to be a daughter of King Jo
one of our la ,tee friends. The fleet at Cape Comet
was very unhealthy, 30 of the crew of H.M.S. Druid
and 27 of the Barracoutces men were sick. The Barra-
cuuta has been ordered to Ascension with invalid,. The
&mom (hospital shit.) had 62 invalids on board, in
eluding Sir Garnet Wolaeley. The health of the latter
had, however, improved. The special correspondent of
the Daffy News at Cape Coast Cook states that since
the engagement at Abrakinnpa only one skirmish with
the Ashmtees had taken place. Recounaisorsuces were,
however, being pushed forwerd in every direction, in
order to annoy the enemy as mach as possible.