The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-09-02 00:00:00

MUSKAT, FESTIVAL.

. As the period of ibis grand entertainment approaches, it I
timid be unpardonable in us not to bear our spontaneous
bonny to the excellence of the arrangements made by
tit eon:mince of Management, and the high promise they
afford of such a treat 51$ was never befute presented to the
lovas of music in this district, and has rarely been sur-
passed In the kingdom. Indeed, we learn from a gentle-
man on whose judgment we can place the most confident
reliaece, that the band will he one of the most perfect that
has ken hesr,l since the commemoration int;st. In point
of numb:Jot it ions been quailed by no provincial mectiag
except that at York last year, and the list includes a very
rat proportion of the first-rate talent of the kingdom.
The Choristers have been in regular training ; the
a miler of relit arsals is increased to three eve ry w..ek ;
and more titan one hundred performers were present on
Fridsy last.

Th; hills fer the morning performance,' are now printed,
and certainly a finer selection of sacred innsie was never
prforreed. That mcst sublime of all musical ccinposi-
t,ons, th^ Mete,ieh, will have the addition of the boo of
Mcsart's 'ter enpaniments. The finest pieces are culled
from bra,/ in Susannah, Judah, and the Crealiun ;
tl:e..lLthan perfumed at the Coronation of the pres:nt
likin- is iatriatteei! ; the well-merited compliment is paid,
to Mr. Perry, of giving CDC of the Chorusses from the I
,1',14,1 the Relrantrge of the rich combination of
talent. which Twist derelope the full beauties of every com-
resitimi ; a,,,1 it isjostly observed that the songs combine
every ellarn. ter of whleh sacral music is susceptible, illus-
tael by tier• cat compositions of the first masters.
The tneOwical rreparations arc meth nt in their way.
Andrew's flail is fitting up for the occasion with great
splenel.,r ; that fine and spacious edifice will be lighted
si:11 gas, and the effect of the light will be most brilliant ;
(rain jc eh column issue three brackets, containing eightbars
outanu tits, each orEament having twenty separate
110 ts. Over the orchestra is suspended a Large chandelier,
emte'n:ns.: ;o ; and the Committee have directed
that anoth,7r chand.-11,r shall be fixed over the Patrons' gal-
1, ry. The orchestra is now completed, and a most stupen-
Ls rtn:rture it is. There arc ten different platlnnns,
en telling from pillar to pillar, and the wingsfor the choral
Intl,' arc r•mrly to the ceilings of the side aisles. 'The
vie'llnen are now completing the side galleries for the
c')"lvitn sad every mat in the hall will be Provided with
a !il4l IPA C. vered with cloth. Nothing seems omitted
whs!' can cehl to the splendor of the scene, the an a of
the hsr,! an•l the comfort anti convenience of the audience,
to tag the spectacle will unquestionably be cue of the
u•s;.rnag:fctot ever beheld.
ell nip ct to the attendance, we have not a moment's
artkhrtwe a : we arc satisfied that it will be such as the
a. We are assured that the number of
d at private hcus:•l, and of lodgings already
Ty west, whilst at the same time there is no
one to be deterred from going by the fear of
arc:, as, from the extraordinary increase of
its pr• pared, the Committee have many sets
still on their list, which may be obtained
terms.—Bery Pus!.

L-o.vi;-irEILEsi,Er.

of a trat saction, supposed to refer to this
Lvaig teen published in our paper, we deem
irn to insert the following letter from Gang-
Itlonilay:-
1)11Tolt OF G.VLIONANVS
i7.divposition. which now confines me to my
of my bring made acquainted with the pare-
r 'ore of die 2.'kh inst. till yesterday, entitled • The
Faux PAS it Naples.' If the initials I. It'. are
to my cant', I have to declare the assertions therein
a gross mis-stalemeat of flirts.
t my lineation, nor do 1 eunsi lee it. under any etr-
coming, to entertain the public with affairs a twi-
n, I satisfy myself with this declaration. wit h-
maigh th, mnlmm or the public priitts into any
nor s'o‘odil I have taken this notice of the above
did it not inrolve the conduct of °therm.
:IT. •mot, i i2l. " W. L. WELLESLEY.
use tie la Pale."

!er, (luring the last wo,I, has been very farour-
tarrov, rhich, in tliis part of the country,
oini:e of abnittlinee.-314idafone Paper.

NUR IFITII TUE ASHANTEES.

(Concluded 'tidal yesterday's Paper.]

i
The expedition to Donquah, on the 20th of February, followed
the murder of the sergeant, and was ore of the most gallant and
;successful tonawares we have had with the ermine ; for, although
i the advanced guard, only amounting to about lON men, were en.
ifiroged (the main body, under llajnr Chisholm, having been he.:
, frayed, and led astray by a treacherous guide) the Ariliantees,
' amounting to neatly t. 410, and a large force of Falafel, were put.
sued for r distance of eight miles, totally defeated, and signal i
punishment administered in the death of four of their Chiefs, and
!nearly 100 men. The superiority of the Ashantee mode of fighting
over that of the Eamon was clearly dennonwrated by the different
effect of their respeetiveKrir.g, the Ashsetees, front their steady aim,
bringing down our men as every volley, while that of the Fantees,
bsing directed too high, merely crowned us with leaves; and it was
quite as well that they Were not more skilful in the time of the ;
musket at that time, as the parry of Asioninters, with the hOir of a
stray shot now aril then from the ran tees, colon ived to kill and ~
wound serentymee out ef the 'handful oppos,tl to them. The'
report of this victory 'penal like wildfire through the country, and I
before Sir Charles lett the tont, in the month of 3111 following, i
he received the allegiance of most of the Felton., and of various ,
other oative tribes, who, desirous to rid themselves of the Ashantee i
yoke, flocked from all quarters us his banner, which was combat'.
cony termed and looked upon at that time an the statidard of liberty. •
While such things were going on, and the must gigantic prepare-
tioos ;or war were everywhere in a state of forwardness, the King of
Ashantee busied himself, by means of emissaries, in an anemia to .
intimidate our allies. lie sent to one, advining him, sareasti-ally,
to arm the fishes of the sea ; to another he intimated his Intention
of carrying the terror of war into his country with such alarming
sounds, that he would awake his father from the silt nt grave; anti
to Sir Charles M'Carthy he stmt his compliments, with a threat of
stain having his head as an ornament to the great war drum of
Ashantee .!* Ile also acknowledged the monkr of the sergeant, !
and directed the messenger to Pay, he had seen the knife with which
It was perpetrated. To the Femme, generally, he threatened ea. !
termination. Ile advised them to be on their gourd, for he could ,
talk MIT the white turn whenever he pleased, and then conic down
upon them. He ridiculed their confidence in Slachatch ( I), who, '
he said, would betray them, tin Governor Torrainc had dome on a for.
suer occasion. But all this trade no impression on the Fanrees.
who now appeared inspired with a degree of confidence and cotton-
sintsm quite unusual to them. The Ashantee Monarch, therefore, !
beginning to think more seriously of the matter than lie was at first ;
eh to do, and knowing that hie best troops were on a hazard. '
ems campaign in the (*repo country, at length sent an entbassy to •
Elmina, to offer the olive brar.ch to the British through them:ilium
of the Dutch Governor. Sir Charles Ill•Carthy, on being apprised I
by petit:nor Poohnsn of the arrival of this embassy, and of the pa. 1
, ..
one nature of their 'restage, tent up four gentlemen to receive it. 1
(These were ('aptain Laing, Ensign It'etherill, Mr. Williams, •
Colonial Secretary, and AIL F. Swarxy, merchant.) Ilut, to their
great surprise, they found, on appearing in the Palaver.ltall, that i
else tenor of the e was a thrust of vengeance on the people
of Cape Coast, wgeniergey accused (perhaps with mare justice) of
puironieg the maid of the new Governor against the King of
Ashantee. They denied that Assai had sanctioned the murder of
the sergeant, and laid the whole affair at the door of the Fantets,
simm they accused of perfity of the blackest nature. This mes-
sage, so opposite to •hat hail been anticipated, not only mirpriscd
the gernltmen front Cape Coast, but also seemed to strike with asto-
nishment the Dutch Governor himself, who declared, upon the
honour of a Netherlander, that he had ur.derstood it differently
yesterday; and, in proof of his assettion, called upon his linguist
to explain the message, as interpreted to hint the (lay before. it
was of such a 'valor:, that had it been deliotod, pacific arrange-
ments might Ince been entered into; but, as the Ashantees denied
any knowledge of it, the conference was broken up, and matters
stood cant fly as before. This occurrence took place about the be-
git.ning of /day. 11122, and Sir Charles 3l•Ciarthy, a few weeks at.
terwards, left (*ape Coast, in the Cyrere sloop of war, en a tour of
inspection to the Gambia and Sierra Leone; his instructions were
soy concise—" To make as many allies as possible—to induce
them to oppose any force the Ashanteez might seed towards the
coast—hut to risk as little as possible in the way of military enter.
prise till his return."
About a fortnight after his depr.nitre (the 4th of June), a report
was prevalent that a body of 2,000 Ashanteei hail crossed the
lloosorn-era River, and were making their way to the Fenno
country. It being of course deemed necessary to check their pro.
grass ('sprain Laing was despatched with a few regulars, the An-
t unnbre militia, and a strong native force, to give them battle ;
but as they regard on hearing of his approach, that officer directed
his attention towards Ajuniacom the territory of a powerful na.
tire King, wit., there were strung grounds of belief, intended to
assist the Asttantres. Ilavirg arrived on the fOillillCS of his coon.
try, which Is separated from Fat tee by tI9 River Anthem, a mes-
sage was scot to heti e I.lm to join in the general cause of free-
dom ; but as the invitation was not accepted, another messenger
was despatched to acortaint him, Islet termally, that unless/rejoiced
Mi white mow, the a:ioitc Pt... was& tae to hint (2) ; to which he
n plied he was perfectly ready, and they might coon as soon as •
they pleased. (In the morning after the receipt of this menage
of defiance, orders acre given for the contoruction of a bridge
acmes the Amiina, which, by the exertions of Messrs. lltitthinson
and Swanzy' Captains of :di/Via, was completed on the evening of
the wont( day. It suns not a work of such magnitude as that
which Cesar threw across the Rhitne, but it hind the eflict of inti.
midating Aprils, who, perceiving that his riser alhireed him to
protection. sent a friendly menace to Captain Laing, and joined
him in great state next day, at the head of 1.509 men, well ap-
pointed with antra and ammunition. \Vail this force, amounting
new to dim 1/.006 effective finlocks' a theiiieSent was made
through the Kingdom.' et Ajmer...in towards Eamononsa, the terri-
tory of Qmeshie—Arouncrodi, another Chief in alliance with the
King of stshantee, who, her-tog of the approach of so large a force,
fled from Ida country and took refuge at Coornassie. Everythiog
after this bearing semblance of quietness, the army returned to
quarters on the t'O'h of June, the various Chiefs, who had been
long disunited, having sumo to one another to assemble instantly
at any point the white men should command.
Towards the end ofJuly archer disposition of making an Inroad
upon the nonce country was manifested by the Ashantees, and it
was judged expedient to tors an encampment about twenty-five
Milli from the coast for the purpose of watching their tnotiims : the
site of a deserted Fantee town, named Yammoinassie, was the too
chosen, to which a few detachments of regulars and militia were
marched on the 28th of the month, and were soon afterwards joined
by the respective native chiefs with their troops, oinking in all a
force of about 10.600 men. Another camp was formed at Jooluali,
about fifteen miles its the rear of C f ape Coast, or the purpose of
foiling the enemy in that quarter, it being reported that he WAS
saki ig for the coast in two strong divisions of :20,000 mew each.
Thesejudirious preparaniors had the effect of keeping them at bay
or sonic time; indeed, it began to be believed that they lead again
retired, when, on the evening of the 20th of August. an express
from Ajtonocon reached tfanennenuassie with tidings of the Ashantee
army being within 40 miles of Apple's capital, to which they were
marching with all speed. Orders were immediately given for a
march, and next morning at an early hour Captain ).wing quitted
j Yancootnassie at the head of a tolerably well organized force of
1 regulars, militia, and natives, amounting in all to about :UM men,
the remainder being left at die camp, under command of ('aptain
Hutchinson, in CAse of a stratagem being intended by the Ashen.
tees. On the afternoon of the 22d, the force from Vancomnawde
reached AJornaton, which was found in a state of great alami and
confusion; the sonnets painted and irespattered with chalk, making
jiiische for sucerss, agreeably to the custom of their country; the
tool armed, many of steam itt fantastic dresses, and ready time the
expected cot flirt, the A thatnee army being then cmly twenty miles
distant. As atom as the men, who had made a long and fatiguing
march, were a little refreshed, advanced
.partiea were seat out to
watch and give intelligence of the enemy s motions, and Captain
Laing, who knew their disinclination to midnight combats, made
arrangements for continuing the march as soon as the moon (which
rose at this time about 7 p.m.) should afford sufficient light to pre.
vent confusion ; in this intention, however, he was foiled, as he
could not by any arguments induce the native unorganized part of
his force to more forward till the following morning, when a noe.
tenger from the advance lmrirg brought intimitation that the
enemy were in motion, no further time was to be lost. The whole
force being speedily 'stumbled in the streets and avenues of A4n-
moron, order of morel) was arranged and the obeli; moved off with
animated spirits in the following order:—
First or Right Column (Appia) -
Second Column (Appla and Venom)
Third Celumn (Aeoona)
. .. .

. . 1,000
. . 1,000
/Vel
500

,
Fourth Column (lie(:d'art', Militia. and Agnes) .
Fifth and Sixth Columns (Annantaboes and depen.
dencies) - - I Joe
Column of Resent in rear (Akunifees) 1,41.10
-

Total . . . 8,3ti0
The first, second, third, filth, and sixth columns, advancod
through the woods, the pioneers, with bill. and cutlasses, preparing
the way. The fourth column, being leas accustomed to that mode
of wariare, took the beaten path, which was rarely broad enough to
admit of four deep. About nine a.m. a halt was made, in order to
pr: rent confusion in the passage to the rear of an immense concourse
ofold men, women, and children, flying before the .ishantees, whose
rapid approach they represented by signs of the utinom alarm and
trepid pointing in the direction where they were, and beating
a quick motion with their feet.
At two p.m. a few of the advance, who fen back upon the main
betly, gave information of their being surprised and nearly annihi.
lated by the Ashantees, who had already burnt one of Appia's
towns, about three miles oft The ct lumns now were k. pt more
compact, and moved forward with hss expedition, expecting
every minute to rants in contact with the entmy ; but at four
p.m. having reached the town In question, it was with surprise
they found that he had made • retregratic movement, fearing
some ambush. Ile was, nevertheless, followed with caution, and
at eight p.m., just as the moon had cleared the horizon, was sur-
prised in the town of }:ssecooma by the Mx columns, which speedily
donning. charges!, and came up in fine style, without firing a
shot. The Asitantees, who had been employed sacrificing the pri.
goners whom they scrured in the morning, were seized with a rani;
and merely discharging their pieces, without again attempting to
load, fled from the town in the greatest confusion. It was late
before the natives, sonic of whom had followed thr enemy, could be

• The stilijnt of this threatening message was frequently ad-
verted to by the late Sir Charts. \clic, at the head of his troops
at Jooquali, be rents rked in a jocular way to some officers, " that
fellow savm nothing will satisfy Itini but my head," which created a
laugh at the cameo of the sable Monarch, but Sir Charles, look-
ing seriously, replied, " You need not laugh, it might so happen."
IM another ocra,iun, two days before the latal action of the 21st
January, he said in an ironical manner to two Ashantee primmers
who hail hem brought before him, " I hear your master want,' my
jaw bone. for hi. big drum ; very well, I am going to give them to
him tu.morrow." Alas! tru: tar prelietton.

1 recall:al ; and nearly morning before, by the marching of a picket,
the mail was permitted to birousi.. The distressing scene wit-
nessed in this town was truly appalling, the bodies of the Plain
meeting the eye in every direction, and here and there the scattered
limbs of the victims taken in the morning (the sacrifice of some of
whom the opportune arrival of the tinny was in time to prevent)
• lay strewed about the ground, in the 11111 s, cateblis manner, while
raw and then a raptured foe, or timid female, who had been unable
to efri•ct her escape, was brought iii, and tremblingly beiteld the
bleeding and mangled bodies, shirk but a Yew hours before they
;hrol assisted in nintihtting, and whine awful fate appeared to awatt
them. On the following day, the 2Jth of August, the Ashanters 1
were pursued, and again sorprised in their camp in the act of pre.'
'paring their dinners; they lied itt the grntest perturbation, leaviog
'lbi.7:tind them guns, ammunition, clothing, small packages of gold
I dust, theirilihr•he and (what was most aecrpoible to the troop.,
having, been without provisions for two days) their dinners. A.
number of prisoners were adm taken and marched to Cape Coast
'Castle, Beyond this poiat the Faroees sloth! not advance; scouts
'were, therefore, sent after the enemy to watch him, hut as he made
the hest of his len to the Ito:vim-I,ra, lipid crossed it the next day,
a palaver was held at Esseroomet, when it was determined to de-
alloy the town, and distribute the respective fortes in the same
manner as before the invasion; the Yancoomassie division of the
army. therefore, marched on the 27th, atrosa the country to Man-
were (3), where they were nut by Captain Ilutchinson, with the
remaining Fante•N that °Zeer having exlvareed in a most spi-
rited and ertriuibie manner, with a hope of cutting off the re-
treating enemy. In this state of quietness the country remained
for several months. the Ashantees malting no further ineersiona,.
and the Farness,' too irdolent to follow up the advantage gained I
An attempt, bat without erect, was made to induce the Fan-1
tees (4h in concert with the force at Jonquah, nndev the command
of -Lieutenant King, R.N., to march towards the Assina, and
either force them to fall back upon the Ashadters' or induce
them to embrace our rause, which they had of Late, through the
medium of tu:ssengcra to Captain Laing, ,hewn some dill usition
to do.

te arrival of Ste Charlet lll.Carthy, en the Wei Nov. preceded
•
by a detachment of white troops from England, did not infuse
that spirit albeit every one had anxiously looked fix. The Utiles
hail fancied to themselves (upon what gmaind it is hand to say, for
Sir Charles nn.er led them to expect It) (hat the,r great (inventor
would have broug'it with hint a ship load of guns, with an over-
shelming hnt.t of white men ; and their disappointment may he
conceived when he was seen to disembark from the l'oltnial
schooner with ii.;!y two or three attendant.; chagrin sas to
great, that they went en far as to speak of it openly, and they did '
not scruple to ticiiiisint Sir Charles, at Christmas, when he visited
the ramp at Vancoomassie, that they were told he had arrived
in a small canoe, and brought with him seven rims and a pistol !
Attain this period it was currently believed, among the white part
of the population, that an attack would he made on Comnassie by '
Sir Chivies, anti the attempt ivas vitwed generally as one of no
great difficulty, but of comparative v,rainty. Admitting, how-
ever, that the estruction of that capful was an easier matter than
it was even conceived to be—admitting that the IttiLish arias had
sot ceetleel in razing it to tbegrotpul, the resuit, in point of colonial
interest and effect, would hat- been Atli eimparell with that
which might have been derived from negotiation, at a period when
we dud been ouccemful—ollic:n we could walk individually in per-
fect security ally where within fifty miles of the coast —and at a
time when the King of Ashantee was meriticieg eight or ten
virgins daily to induce his /ctitche to avert the destructionwhich
appeared to stare hint In the face! ! ! Nothing could have been
more favourable than the aspect of atietita at this moment, and the
aulvantages likely to stile front a negotiation were pointed out to!
Sir Charles 31•Carthy by an individual, whom it would be Mei.
di' to mention here, as the general try was for war ; and, from
the attention with which his Excellency received the suggestion, it
is fully believed by the writer of this narrative, that he would have
acceded to it, had his mind been made up to pursue any peticular
line of procedure, before the reported arr.ch of an overwhelming
fate ot Asharfece compelled him to decide upon opposing them.
with what degree of success the public arc already sufficiently ac-
quainted.

011 The rattle by which Fir C. Nl•Carthy seas desi,gnatei Its
aignitietaeion in the Ashatitte language is—cm•cr all.
(2) The literal traneation.
(.1) The distances and twain*s of these places ate not mentioned,
as they may be seen by referring to the maps of 3lLasrs. Bowdich
and Hutton.
(4) They urged the necessity of waiting for more white men, and
would upon no account advance without them. ...It this time, had
there been a thousand regulars en the emit, there ran be little
doubt but Coemasaie might have been taken, the arre‘y of the King
being mostly absent from the rouLtly, and er.gaged in other wars.
The retreat of his force from Esaccoonia canard him to recall the
army from Crept', and with it be has obtained the recent successes,
of which we are too well informed.

FEMALE FASHION'S FOR SEPTEMBER, 132 i.

tFroai La Alla Assembl:t.l

WALSIXO Inargf.

A dress of fine India muslin, ornamented with three flounces
between each flounce is embroidered, in scarlet crewel, a row of the
West Indian berry, known by the name of jumbel-beads. Full
sleeves of muslin, el,lantly confined, all the way up the arm, with
straps of cambrie richly embroidered. The dress is made partially
high, and is fitted for an out-door slimmer draw, by hating two
pelt rive capes, falling race over the other, trimmed at the edge with
a full plaiting of very fine net : the corsage hat lace let in, in
stripes downward. A broad pink math stn. red encircles the waist,
with a small bow, and the-rads dqiilistlatir brim:T.:jun Wm/ft'
knee. A bonnet of Leghorn, is th.: village shape, trimmed slightly
with broad pink ribbon, and a fine lace corneae underneath.
fel-
low kid halt-Lots, and Limerick gloves.

I so.l.7riskin,..d.
1.44:ms t?••.,,,
if; r•
te..)7'..! for stir
en.ant chj
.7,!..,415t5e)t
r,...rumn:s
Aa 3frotnt
:a 'filth/nail, ha,
a ht., to hil
.1(,..,n.
TI) %it
dtl feu
lot
fnttr r.
Fa3hirmittii.•
kid alpir
tntainhi to be t
'Ai it is pa
4"3.4a`mi Lent
transarii.ns
b'irg I,d th,
--,ll'udaili •
itil-t3ty. lent 'd
`• ":01,3a;
Tfln w
34e for iI its
gives ev,1,7 pro