The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1873-10-22
The Ashantee Of southern Africa.

Those of our readers who wish to
keep posted in the current history of
the times, will thank us for the follsw-
ing short and concise account Of the
Aslmntees, a semi-barbarous nation
with which the English Government
is at present at war, which we con-
dense from the Chronicle:
The Empire OF the Ashantces lies
back Of the gold coast in Southern AT
rica. This government Of semi-barba-
rians was founded in the carly part Of
the seventeenth century. This then
small but warlike tribe conquering
contiguous Kingdoms, until in the
course OF time the Ashantee became a
nation of some three millions Of peo-
pie. In 1907 the Jurisdiction of this
nation extended to the ocean-that is
to the Gulf Of Guinea. The English
had u settlement at Cape Coast Castle,
and the Dutch trading post at Cor
mantine. The Ashantees at this time
came into collision with the Fantees, d
coast tribe under the protection of the
English and Dutch. aud won a victory
over the combined forces of the Dutch,
English and. Fantee. The result of
this conflict was a treaty which guar
anteed to tile Ashantees the right to
trade with the coast. In 1861 another
conflict took place-the Ashantees on
one side, the English and Fantees
upon the other-the advantages being
with the Ashantees. In 1921 the forts
of the African Commercial Company
were formally turned over to the En-,
glish Government. In 1922 Sir Charles
Mccarthy vas made Governor-in-
Chief of I'LL the British settlements on
the western coast of Africa. A fight
again occurred between the Ashantecs
and the English. Under the command
OF the new Governor, and the Ashan-
tees were defeated. The next year
another expedition was made against
the Ashantees. Sir Charles was de-
feated, wounded aid nearly all his
officers killed. The Aslmntees were
not really defeated until 1926, when a
treaty was formed which has continued
III force till within Il short time since,
when hostilities again broke out be-
tween the Ashantees and English.
The Ashantees accuse the English Of
q breach of their treaties. and an en-
dcavor to prevent them from having
access to the coast for commercial pur-
poses. The AShnntees are not alto
getlser unfamiliar with the arts Of civ
iized life. and have shown themselves
expert in the art of war. With the
English it is the old, old story; COM
mcire and the English desire to push
its enterprise into Central Africa,
stamp every nation that opposes its
rs barbarous and every
act us an Infringement of English
rights.
On the morning of August 18th.
Her Britannia Maiesty's ship Rattle
snake lay at anchor off the mouth Of
the river Prah. A council had been
leIl with the Chamah tribe, who re-
fused the English alliance, preferring
the friendship Of the ASlmntees, who
have so long, to the savage intellect,
their superiority in war
over the English and their better re-
lpg:rd for tile faith of treaties. Com
modore Commerell, with Captain Bel
Ilen and Commander Luxlnore, ell
leavored to penetrate the interior In
boats with armed crews. The result
vas that the English found themselves
h an ambiScade and were fired upon
rom the banks of the river, and COM
Delled to retire with several dead and
wounded soldiers, and every officer.
the commander, severely
Thus there has been inaugurated
mother war. in which the English
will secure for themselves all the glory,
Is they alone will write the history Of
heir campaigns. Already several
owns have been bombarded, some
lundreds Of lives taken and the brave
English army will be required to fight
everS and savages OH this distant
olst. England Knows whom to fight.
ihe magnanimously submits to arbi-
rament ler differences with strong
'owers; she boldly gives battle to
AbysslnIans and Ashantees.