New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-03
c1RpYLNG rAR LNTG AERLCA.

C1RRYING VAR INTO AIHICA.
II is evident that the British expedition to
the Gold Coast has very serious task before
it, Thus far it has met with one disaster
after another. The Ashantees are no con-
temptibe antagonists. even for well equipped
European force. They have long ranked among
the most powerful of all the African nations.
They are capable it is said, of bringing into
the field an army of 100000 men. Their troops
have been drilled by Dutch Adventures; and
Yankee merchantmen, if report does not
belle our enterprising countrymen, have sup
piled them with arms and ammunition. Re-
cent occurrences also have made il plain that
in a contest with the British they will have
the active or passive assistance Of all the
tribes along that part of the coastal least
until they have been beaten in some signal
engagement. The affair on the Prah, in which
every man save one in Commodore CONNER
ells boat expedition was more or less seriously
hurt and the distinguished commander him
self was dangerously wounded, has borne its
natural fruit. The revolt as the English
papers term it, has become general, and a
second disaster, similar in character to the
first, has aggravated the dangers of the situa-
ilOu. We 1lb ploDibll III lbl a. oNllOuS wall
says Tie Pail Mall Gazette. "and war which
eve shall have to carry on single-handed,
without hope of any material assistance from
"native allies. This means that we must sub
"sttute much more formidable number for
" the handful of British troops with which the
"war was to have been carried on. We must
"have plenty of men-and, what is more,
"plenty of Englishmen-on the Gold Coast if
"if we are to win this bout"
The military force now on the way to At
RIGA, under the command of Sir Garnet Wose-
ley will doubtless be strong enough for the
service likely to be required of it; but it will
not have an easy march to the Ashantee capt.
tai. The natives are adopts at bush fighting;
the country gives them every advantage; and
they can seriously embarrass the progress of
an invading army, however formidable. Their
object is evidently to detain the English near
the coast until the rainy season sets in. For
this purpose they have been careful to carry
hostiities far and wide into the protected
coast territories of the Fantees, which the
British General must leave in his rear when
he moves towards CO0massie; and as the Fam
tees will join the side of which they are most
in fear, 1t becomes grave question how this
difficulty of the campaign is to be met. Delay
will be the Ashantees best defense In few
months the swamps and jungles will reek with
pestllence and fever, ague, and dysentery will
do more execution i'll the European ranks than
gunpowder.
OF course in the long run there can he only
one issue to quarrel between the King of
the Ashantees and the British Empire. But
the victory must be inglorious and may be
dearly purchased. For nine or ten years the
Gold Coast has been the scene of more or
less pronounced hOstilities, to which the Brit
ish, having assumed a protectorate over the
coast tribes, could not be Indifferent Yet it
is not clear to-day that the Ashautecs have
committed any sufficient provocation of the
present war, or that their attempt to conquer
an opening from their kingdom to the sea is
not entirely justified. Justified or not, how
ever, the war must be fought to its close and
the English settlements restored to security.