Star.
London, England, 1824-09-01 00:00:00

WAR •WITH. yys AsuAxTBRA •

The following inl

.tir article relative to the war

aterestilg .
with the Ashanfees is furnished by Captain A. G. Laing,
of the Royal African Colonial Corps:
' The fortresses at present garrisoned in that quarter
by the British, are four in number, and extend from
west to east in the order they are. here enumerated, via.
Dix Cove. Cape Coast Castk, Anuamaboe, and Accra ;
of these Cape Coast Castle is the most considerable, in
point of appearance and strength ; but the most valu-
able in point of trade are Annamaboe and Accra ; the
latter by far the most desirable of any of our posses-
sions as a situation for troops, having in its rear a fine
healthy open country, of several miles in extent. Cape
Coast Castle, as a place of trade, is of little importance
to Great Britain, being famous for nothing, except the
insolence of its inhabitants, which, from the pliancy and
dwarfish power of the late African Company, was not
unfreqaently permitted to proceed to the most alarming
extents; and it was. to, the agency of this insolence,
which has but too often been exerted with success
against the whites, and :hewn more than once towards
the subjects of the Kith of Asbantee, that the town is
indebted for the suspension of trade arid intercourse with
the interior, for a period of more than three years.
The situation is extremely unfavourable for the Eu-
ropean constitution, as has been lately too substantially
proved by the great mortality which ha; prevailed.
among the whites of all classes; and although this for-
midable evil might, in the course of time, and with
considerable expense, be remedied, yet the difficulties
which oppose themselves in the deleterious quality of
the water, and the scarcity of fresh provisions, are so
considerable, that as soon as matters are settled, and
friendly relations entered into with the Asbantees, it
may become a question worthy the attention, of Go-
vernment, whether this expensive and useless fortifica-
tion may not be abandoned ? at the present moment,
however, while a large force is requisite for the defence
of the coast, its occupation is a matter of absolute ne.
cessity, as the only situation on the Gold Coast, which,
from the extent of its public buildings, can afford ,
shelter to the troops. These brief observations te,pest-
ing the relative value of the settlements are merely,
given by way of prelude to some remarks which wily
be offered on the subject of future occupation, as soon,
as the causes which led to the present war.are explained,
In a well-written work which has lately appeared,
the production of. Mr. Dupuis, late British Consul at
Coomassie, a considerable degree of pains has been tak
to throw the whole emus of the war upon the shoulders
of Mr. Smith, the late Company's Governor at Cape
Coast Castle, but whether the serious accusations with
which he is charged, are well founded or not, it is not
the intention of the writer of this article •to inquire;
their refutation is left to those who may be mere in-
tttested, and who, being present at the titan of daeie
stated occurrence, are better able to attempt it. Sufficei
.ia for him, its the meantime to observe, that he is aware
of the existence of various, as yet unpublished, opinions
on the subject, which, when they do meet the light, as'
in all probability they shortly will, may materially alter
the present received opinion respecting the policy of the
measures pursued by that Gentleman. To proceed,
therefore, to the outline of the immediate, and not the
remote, causes of the war, which latter are so myste-
riously involved with party feeling that their truth can-
not be easily ascertained, it appears that in the year
1819, shortly after the return of Mr. Hutchinson from
Coomassie, a misunderstanding, (followed by a demand
I of 1,600 ounces of gold, on the castle, and a like sum on
the town), arose between the Authorities on the coast,
and the King of Ashantee, relative to an article in
'the treaty framed by Mr. Bowdich in the year 1817.0
—This misunderstanding, which it Was expected the
presence of Mr. Dupuis at Coomassie would entirely
remove, was renewed immediately on the return of that
Gentleman, whose residence at the Ashantee capital
appears to have been too short to have secured airy
permanent advantage, had matters been even in a more.
settled state than that in which he found them ; and it
is here to be sincerely regretted that any disagreement
between the Company's Officers and Mr. Dupuis should
have induced him to lay aside the advantages of recipro-
cal and friendly intercourse, which it is evident, from
his own account of the favourable disposition of the
King of Ashantee, he might have been enabled by a
little consistency and perseverance to secure.
The misunderstanding which existed, together with
the imprudent and insolent conduct of the people
of Cape Coast, led to a suspension of intercourse
between its inhabitants and the Ashantees, who ap-
peared very undecided as to their future intentions.
At this period (the beginning of 1b21) an act combining
at once the greatest atrocity and utmost contempt for
the authorities of Cape Coast Castle, was committed
by a party of Fantees stationed at a town near an aban-
doned Dutch fort, called Mouree, in the seizure of a
native, who had for many years lived under the protec-
tion *1 the castle, and in the subsequent inhuman mur-
der, by the severest torture, of the unfortunate man at
the aboveuamed place. Mr. Smith, on being apprised
of ;his horrible act, indignant at the contempt shewn
to the British flag, and acting at once upon the first im-
pulse of his feelings (and who, similarly situated, could
have acted otherwise?), dispatched an armed force to
Mouree, with order; to secure the perpetrators of the
murder, but
.the party in the ercution of this duty
being fired upon by the Fantees, was necessitated in
sell-defence to return the compliment, when an action
ensued, which terminated in the defeat of the Fantees,
and the death of Payntre, their Chief.
About the close of the action, Prince Adontn, ap
Ashwee Chief, who was encamped with a force in th
vicinity of Cape Coast, waiting the order of recal fro
his soverefgp, made his appearance, and assumed
threatening attitude, insomuch that the party from
Castle, apprehensive that their return might be ends
gered, sent to Cape Coast for assistance, which beiu
promptly afforded, we Asbantee Chief altered his m -
bacipg imp:moos, acrd sent to acquaint the officer in
command that Ae bad merely come to lend his assist-
?'L ecfpg of Albano. Waisted that be understood from Mr.
Vowdiels that the penalty fur any infraction of the treaty wits to be
11 fine or rild;iiididiailittOon Is bill/wed by Mr. Dupuis; but the
note (,p. 2§9),by 4r. khgtP* Vita* litore Searrntft and is well
worUry of attention. •