The New York herald., 1873-12-15


For nearly couple OF centuries Ashantee has
traded with the Dutch settlement OF Elmina. eight
miles from Cape Coast When England purchased
Elmna she might have opened highway
as far as Prahsu on the Busum Prah River
and there established an outpost garrisoned
by 200 Houssahs, with firm. intelligent BRUSH
officer as commandant. whittier trade would have
centred at once. which would not only have been
means OF securing large commerce, but also nave
been means OF protection for the irontier OF the
prolectorste. England did nothing Of the sort
She sent conciliatory letters TO the Ashantee po-
tentate telling aim OF her desire TO remain on
| peaceful terms with him. and hoped that trade
/ might be revived. on the 9th OF May, 1872 she
took possession OF Elmina with bare OF trum-
pets, cannon sayos and imposing ceremonies
ANGLo-sAxoN CIVILIZATION.
Inow open the Parliamentary Blue Books, from
| which extract the following news, which goes TO
show what was done by England from her occupa-
ton OF the Dutch territory down to the time Of the
Ashantee invasion OF lS73:-
MAY 81, 1S72.-Prince Ansah. q cousin OF King
Coffee, of Ashantee. being at Coomassie wrl tes 10
say that the king is pleased with the news which
Governor Hennessey has sent that the road VIII be
open Tor trade.
Some missionaries OF the Basle mission, pursu-
ing their religious profession quietly, had, about
two years be ore, been captured by Adu Boiu an
Ashantee general, and Prince Ansah suggests
Kushne, Bonnat Ramseyer, Mrs. Ramseyer and
child.
| made demand for their release and offered TO
ransom them. though they were not British sub
jects. The British Foreign once has already IN
formed the German government OF their good lnten-
| tions. Won Srrausse, in the name oil his august
master, has thanked the British government for
| This was a diplomatic mistake, leading the
Ashantees into the beiief that they were people OF
The Ashantee General Adu Bofu their captor
| demands lsO0 ounces OF gold or e6,4So.
LATER.-Governor HenneSsey sends present TO
King OF Ashantee oi pieces OF gold-embrodered silk
/ In June son of General Adu Boiu is made pris-
oner, but Is Internationally released by Governor
| Hennessey, in the evident hope OF stimulating
reciprocal reiease on the part OF General Adu
| BoIu.
This month, ALSO Governor Hennessey makes
further diplomatic gilt OF ring marked Win the
| i signs OF the zodiac.
| lonia ONCE. advises Governor Hennessey TO IN
form the King of Ashantee that II Europeans are
detained the annual stipend promised him VIII be
| suspended; and at the same time warns Europeans
that they go beyond The limits OF the protecorate
| they do so AT their own FISK.
grave diplomatic mistake the part of Earl
Kimberley making use OF sucn threat when
those Europeans were not British subjects, and
when he was not called upon to do anything in
| their behalf This iault too, after Chinese ana
Abyssinian experiences.
OCTOBER II, ls72-The Ashantee King, ulng
poor Governor hennessey into false security,
writes 10 say that nc Is about TO send to make
peace, upon which Governor Hennessey states ns
belief 10 be that the release OF the captives IS OF
minor importance compared 10 peace with
Poor Governor Hennessey seems to have forgot
ten that he stated that peace could only be mace
except by the release OF the Europeans at Coo
masse.
Peace with Ashantee means an influx of gold
dust and native produce from Coomassle TO Cape
! Coast and Emlna, which the conclusion OF SOUND
I peace would surely bring.
SEPTEMBER "a, 1s72.-Ihe Ashantee King writes
/ to say that he is willing to let the captives go for
sl,o0O, which shall be paid hall IN gold dust and
At this time a negro named II. Plange is the
commissioner at Coomassie negotiating ior the re-
lease OF the European captlves. at salary 0! $50
per month. MIR. Plange writes TO say that the
chiefs. who oyerrule the young King. declare IL
their belleI that II they only mold out thei VIII OBJ
tain tie whole seacoast IN exchange for the CAP
tives
[No wonder they do, after what Earl Kimberley
and Governor Hennessey have written
Mr.. PIange further says that the question at
issue seems to be, shall the Ashantees come Gown
TO the coast to trade with British merchants with
out being made 10 pay to Fantees as miadlemen
| as by trading directly with the merchants tney
FEHgtARY 5. ls7s.-There is sudden rumor OF
an AsAantee INVASION OF the British protectorate.
! Colonel Harley IS At ihis administration at Gov
erDment House. cape Coast Castle
! FEBRUARY TO- lo.3.-An Aslaniee prisoner states
| and Colonel Harley asserts that the King OF Ei-
NINA has eaten fetish with the King OF Ashantee
against the British government Tie opinion pre-.
walls this time that there is strong dislike to
the British government tnroughout the towns
lately ceded BY the Dutch 10 the English from FL
Governor hennessey, at Sierra Leone, charges
Colonei Harley with having quarrelled with the
to ElmIna people 10 practlse certain indecent
ceremonies. Ine only evidence Of dislike TO be
/ MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY.-Coonei Harley reports
The nrst outbreak q the war The Ashantees have
invaded Assinee In the BRUSH protec toratc, and
have burned nine villages
! A NEW CAUSE or THE WAR;
now comes to light, through letter which was
mslad somewhere at sierra Leone, but whicn
finally comes 10 light AT the Colonial ONCE. l. re-
/ ports the capture OF an Asnantee cllef, called
/ Ateimiron who is uncle TO the King OF Ashantee,
| ana his subsequent imprisonment at Cape Coast
| Castle. tie. however, has been started toward the
Prah through the Asslnee country which the Assns
were 10th 10 permit, but prevailed upon by Colonel
| Harley they finally withdrew opposition. 1t was
| on or about the 18th OF December, 1872, when
/ he started from Cape Coast. 1t must
| have been about the beginning OF January. 1918.
/ when he found himsel. across the border river,
| in Ashantee land, from winch We may deduce the
not unreasonable supposition that the time which
his nephew the King and the invasion o the British
i three great Ashantee divisions which rolled into
| the protectorate at three different poin.s-Den-
kera ~ the right, Prahsu IN the centre and Ak.m
10 the lett, computed TO be in the aggregate be-
tween 80, 900 and 1000 warriors.
THE FANTEE OPPOSING ToRCB.
1 Opposed 10 these splendid organizations there
| Is a statistical number OF G0,0C0 or more oi the
Fantee confederation, badly disciplined and orgar-
lied, and incapable oi effectnal resistance, owing
TO their incOhesi0n and want OF recognized chief.
LATER IN FEBRUARI.-hing OF ADrah volunteers
the information to Colonel Harley that the nva-
sion has been caused by the cession of the Elmina
jort and the Elminas having become British sub
Jects, since KING Coffee declares that rom time i'm
! memorial ls ancestors dJe duu uIank AJ LlInla-
IN Other words, that tne iort should have been his
! and that he means 70 come and take il. Ii IS
| also ascertaned beyond doubt that the King or
Elmin0, having eaten fetish with him, was his
/ sworn ally, and tnat ne only awaited the near APP
proach oI tie Ashaniees 20 declare himself ana MS
friends from Llmlna 70 Aasinee Tor the Ashantees.
TIE KING or ELM.SA
Is taken prisoner and shortly finds himself de
ported to Sierra Leone, having first positively re-
used to take the oath oil allegiance. at sierra
Leone he .s to be retained until peace Is declared
between Ashantee and Great Britain.
CONCLUSIONS AS TO CAUSES AND EFFECTS.
The above closes the notes have taken ron the
valuable blue books, and sirce the British govern
ment and press, up to the time OF my de-
parture. failed, so far as could see, TO perceive
the causes which have led to this present Anglo
Ashantee war, feel myself at liberty to suggest
reasons for 1t. From all ! can see war with