Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-07-29
CAPE COAST CASTLE.
The FantiS and the AShantees at War
Success Of the Latter-A Panic
Among the COlOnists.
Cape Coast Castle Beseiged-Searcity OF
Food and Water-Succ0ring
Steamers Wrecked.
-rom III London Standard Of the ia.

From the London Standard OF the l2th.l
The latest intelligence from Cape
Coast Castle is in the highest degree Un-
satisfactory, and the next mail is likely
10 bring even worse news. On the fourth
of June, at DUnqua, a village about fif-
teen miles inland from Cape Coast Cas-
tie, commenced a battle between the
Ashantees and Fantis. That day the
fight was indecisive, and on the fifth
both the cOmbatants by common con-
sent rested from their fatigues. On the
sixth the battle recommended and re-
suited in q complete victory for the Ash
antees. The Fautis fed in utter rOut to
Cape Coast Castle, being much hsrrass-
ed in their flight, especially by some
Ashantees who had been hsrbOred by
the native population OF Elmina. APP
parently not single HOussa took part
in the action.
THE RESULT OF THIS VICTORY
was that when the mail left the Ashan-
tees held the whole country right up to
Capsi Coast Castle and Elmina, have
burnt q village little more than q mile
from the former, and have estab-
lished their headquarters at AfOOtOo,
about twelve miles distant from the seat
Of government. In plain English, we
have been driven to the very edge of the
sea, and have practically shown our
selves utterly incapable of carrying out
the prOtectOrate which We assumed.
Who is responsible for this state of
things? When the invasion first took
place the inhabitants of
CAPE COAST CASTLE
were snubbed for discussing it; after
ward a detachment of HOussa police,
though encsmped only four or five miles
in rear Of the Fanti army, was forbid
den to afford any but moral support in
the first battle. 1t is true that when the
second fight took place the Houssas |
were engaged, but Immediately after the
defeat Of the Fantis they We're with
drawn 10 the coast On the twenty
ninth of May the inhabitants Of Cape
Coast Castle, impressed by the immi- /
nence Of the danger, offered to consti- /
tute themselves a volunteer force, under !
the orders OF British officer. Having, |
however, in the letter conveying this
offer, protested against Colonel Har- !
ley's assertions to the colonial office, |
that feeling Of complete security pre-
vailed, their petition was returned with /
out any action having been taken upon /
it. Within ten days
THE AsHANTEEs
could be seen from the Castle walls. Eth |
er Colonel Harley has been guided in |
his conduct by positive orders from
Lord Kimberley, or he has acted on his /
own responsibility? The State Of Cape I
Coast Castle at the present moment is /
sufficient TO excite considerable alarm. |
The town has been called upon toaccom-
modate thirty thousand refugees who,
from the proximity Of the enemy, must /
be cOOped up in very narrow space. |
There is a great dearth Of both food and |
water. The only water which is fit to
drink Is that stored in tanks, and owing
to the rains being three weeks overdue,
only a few inches remain. The Ordi-
nary water of the place causes dysentery,
and even Of such water there is not /
enough for the officers baths. In
Europe il is no great hardship to do
without a tub for few days, but in s
hot climate lavish ablutiOns are indis-
pensable both 10 comfort and health.
Under these circumstances ii is
NOT SURPRISING
that sickness should rage, and that one
hundred and forty cases Of smallpox
should, when the mail left, be in the
civil hospital. To add to the distress Of
the luckless settlement, the Royal Afri-
can mail cOmpany'S steamer Nigritia,
carrying large quantity Of arms, mill
taTy stores, some officers, and bullOcks,
was totally wrecked on the fourteenth
Of June OF Sierra Leone. a few DAYS
previously another steamer, the Yoruba.
also carrying supplies for Cape Coast
Castle, was cast away near Cape Palmas.
Aa1arr fro# fa Il . I
stores Is highly inccnvenient, but the
most serious part OF the business is the
uOn-arrivsl of the bullocks. Cape Coast
Castle Is entirely dependent on Sierra
Leone for fresh meat, and the loss OF the
expected supply will be severely felt at
the present moment, when the number
Of both Europeans and natives in the
place has so much increased. Turning
from Cape Coast Castle to
ELNuNA,
which is only eight miles distant, we
find that affairs are there in even a worse
state. 1t is apparently the chief object
Of the Ashantees 70 obtain possession Of
this place, to which they assert distinct
claim. They are consequently bringing
the bulk of their forces TO bear upon it,
and are, as we have said, aided by the
native population. Already, at the
commencement of the month, land COM
municatiOn between Cane Coast Castle
and Elmina was cut Off 1t was, how
ever, reOpened on the seventh by 8
detachmen Of HOussa police. On the
ninth a gle8m Of sunshine appeared. !,
On that day Brevet Lieutenant-Co Colonel
Testing, royal marine artillery, with
detachments Of his own corps and the
royal marine light infantry, landed at
Cape Coast Castle. The next day Colo
mel Testing proceeded in a gunbost to
Elmina, which was being closely press
ed. He returned on the eleventh and
on the twelfth started at midnight by
land, at the head Of the marines and a
strong body Of n
HOUssAs,
Of Elmins, an attack on which place
was deemed imminent. On the four
teenth to punish theinhabitants for sup
plying the Ashantees with arms and
ammunition, and aiding them in every
way, the native town of Elmina was set
on fire, Snd when the mail left the gun
boats were shelling il, and the houses
burning furiOusly. Previously 20 giving
the place TO the flames a proclamation
was issued offering shelter in the Castle
to all who were willing TO take the oath /
of allegiance. The burning Of the town
was not merely an act OF well-merited !
punishment, it was also measure Of
precaution dictated by strong military
reasons, for the town afforded good cover
to any force advancing to attack the
Castle. Colonel Testing has shown so
much energy already that we trust we
may shortly hear of the offensive having
been taken by the British. We have
drifted into q very serious little war in
the course Of which the ironically styled {
protected tribes" have suffered griev-
Ously both in life and property, and in
which British prestige has received q
wound which viii not be easily healed. !
III, ,,,a,,o,,,.s of tl,o t,,,rlr liDss from,