The Sun.
London, England, 1827-09-06 00:00:00

AFRICA

cAra COACT, JUNE 10, IBC.
It is not yet in my power to give you any •
satisfactory intelligence with reference to the state
of this country. On the 12th of last month,
two messengers arrived here, saving that they
came from the chiefs of Adaucy, a town of .-.
Assin, on the frontier of Ashantee, and in alli-
ance with that nation ; the purport of their Ines.-
sage was, " that in all- isputes between the
Ashantees and other states; the Chiefs of Adaucy
had been accustomed to interpose their good
offices ; and having understood that the English
were desirous of restoring tranquillity to the
country, they now offered their assistance, and
requested that messengers might be sent, whom
they would forward with their own ,to Corn-
massie, to state to the King that the English
Government were willing to treat for peace."
Captain Ricketts being aware that it was to
against the feeling of our (late) allies, that
we should be the first to send messengers to
Ashantee, which would be regarded on both sides
as an act of submission, and that against such feel-
ing it could not be accomplished, replied that
he was glad to see the messengers ; that he
could not in the first instance send to Ashantee,
but requested the Chiefs of Adaucy to state to
the King, that being anxious to restore peace
and happiness to the country, any messengers
that might be sent from Commassie should be
protected and favourably received ; that he was
willing to enter into a negociation . for the final
and satisfactory adjustment of all differenees, but
that such negociation could be carried on only at
Cape Coast Castle.
This answer will, it is to be hoped, tend to
remove the suspicion entertained by our late
allies, that we intended to treat separately for
ourselves, and to abandon them to the fury of
the Ashantees. The savage and brutal manner
in which Mr. Bowditch and his companions
were treated (see his mission to Ashantee) ought .
to deter us from again placing our countrymen
in a situation degrading to themselves and the
Government they represent, and fatal to our own
interest.
About six weeks ago (by command of Sir Neil
Campbell) a company of-the Royal African Co-
lonial Corps (natives of this place and the neigh-
bourhood) were ordered from hence tv Sierra
Leone. Apprehensions being entertained that .
some would desert, not a moment's notice was
given of their embarkation ; they were mustered
as if for inspection, the gates next the town were
locked, and the soldiers were sent from the parade.
in the Castle. to the beach, and instantly em-
barked. .As they had families here, this affair
caused great disgust amongst those who were
left, and within a few days twenty-five deserted.
Last night, in consequence of an idle report of
an intention to send them to Sierra Leone, fifty-
, seven more deserted, leaving in garrison, in-
cluding invalids, only thirty-seven. It is no
more than justice to add, that this unpleasant
affair is owing solely to the cause I have stated.
sUtrniedterditshceiplpinreesehnats abdeemninpirsetrsaettiwoend,, twhiethosoultditehras
severe
emaandde
frequentn o
punishments
u ni s
ion
nf tehnetisr t
htreatment,
landitr.
formerly. Some discontent was naturally
duction (by Sir N. Campbell) of 2d. 4 eia „,, y
in tte eir
paltry'
exd
amongst the soldiers in consequence of a
pay. re-
duction
.....
• ' ' '

The withdrawing so great
a portion of the
garrison, the desertion of
So many of th remain-
der, and the general policy adopted by Sir Neil
Campbell, are circuraatances that cannot fail to
cause us deep regret, ae being calculated to have
an unfavourable effect on our negociations with
Ashantee, and to be detrimental to the general
welfare of the country.
I know an opinion prevails at home, that our

native soldiers are not a good force, though ca-
pable of beina. much improved under good ma-
nagement. Under the late African Company,
the forts were garrisoned entirely by native-, troops .
enlister' for five or seven years to serve on the
Gold Coast only : they were fo,:nd 11:lly ade-
quate to the purpose ; strict discipime was main-
tained without difficulty ; mutiny was unknown
and desertion extremely rare. So far was the
service, then, from being disliked, that a soldier
was considered to be on a much more respect-
able footing than the generality of the native in-
habitants ; the troops were composed chiefly of
free persons of colour, and care was taken
to enlist only men of good character, and
such as were supposed to be attached to
the British. In recruiting for the Royal
African Colonial Corps, these considerations,
seem to have been neglected ; any were received
who offered, and many were natives of Elmina,
who frequently proved guilty of desertion and
treachery. The character of the corps was also
much injured by the introduction of white
soldiers, men of the most abandoned and dis-
solute habits (the greater number, I believe,
convicts), whose bad example had a most perni-
cious effect on the conduct of the native soldiers.
Another sentiment, prevalent in England, is that
of dissatisfaction at the great loss of life amongst
street
the white troops stationed here. On this head
much prejudice exists, and the true cause ought
to be stated. The mortality may, no doubt, in
part be attributed to the climate, but by far the
greater
lying in excessiveanti
unnecessary exposure to the sun. I have repeat-
edlyseen the
soldiers t the drinking,
state
of drunkenness, after returning
from the villages,
some miles in the bush, to which they had gone
in the heat of the day. Th • •
Their diet, too, of
late was not such as to be conducive to health,
as, during the last six or twelve months of being,
here, they lived almost entirely on salt provi-
sions, fresh meat being only allowed to the sick.
That these settlements are not so unhealthy as
they are by many considered to be, is evident
from the fact that (with the exception of a Dr-
Stewart, who died two or three days after his ar-
rival, having been taken ill when on board shipi
at Sierra Leone) no death has occurred here
amongst the civil and military officers, or mer-
chants, for upwards of eleven months.. During
the more active period of the
war with the
Ash antees, there undoubtedly was a great in or-
tality : while on duty in the interior, many died
from fever, dysentery, exposure to the sun, and
And exhaustion. When
night air, extreme fatigue,
the enemy
were encamped near this place, (be-
sides a great additional force assembled for (le_
fence), the castle and town were ,rowded With
women and children who had fled hither for pro-
tection ; at this time the small -pox broke out,
and carried off great numbers. Iz the nf •
co usiou
that existed, the dead were left in the streets un-
buried. It is surely not su • rprismg that., under
such circumstances, much fatal sickness should
have occurred amongst the Europeans. With
the exception of three who are artificers, the last
of the white soldiers attached to this colony were
removed to Sierra Leone in December. It is to
1)e hoped we shall never have tiny awn of them,