New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-18
THE DAHOMEY QUESTION.
CAUSES OF THE CONFLICT.
WHY FRANCE PROTECT, PORTO -Novo-THE RAIDS

WY FRANCE PROTECTS PORTO -Novo-THE RAIDS
AND BLOOD SACRIFICES OF THE DAhNNlANo'
Svou AN occA sloSAL CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUNE
Paris. March 6.-The Dahomey question Is as''a''e
France nearly as much If 1t were ano'ncr i"'iN, =.
Tonauin affair. The main cause OF the ae'u'' '
on the coast OF the Golden and slave 'o'S', VI ,"'"
~ the Benin Gulf lies in the necessity LOT tie re
10 protect the black kingdom OF Porto No'o asa''o'
the annual and bloody raids OF the DahoHey ""''''
Tho protectorae of France Porto Novo has Dech
recognized even by England, which at first a'ehp'cu
to establish there her own supremacy Inc r''"'
uossessions there are surrounded by English German
ana Dabomian lands. The people of Dahomey used
IN start every year on raid against their Porto No'o
neighb0rs in order to page the atters nuts ana "
capture prisoners, destined to figure III inc horrIo"
sacrifices so often made in Dahomey THESE sacrhoe'
have increased lately under the reign OF "lec "o'o
fcrocious instincts not destroyed by MS so]our
for four years in college in France. lie recently
compelled the French Of the Cabon coiohy'
nr BavoI then on q visit to Dahomey's capital
Aborne TO witness the killing Of 300 prisoners III one
forenoon This king died soon after, ana human sac
rfces on larger scale than ever were 10 'iAe Po
a, Ahorue in order to celebrate his obscques The
human beings destined To figure In these aooii'i""io
hutcheres in honor Of the dead king Lad to be fur
nished principally by the ncghboring people ol ro''o
Novo though the blood Of native Dahomians Is repue'
CORY agreeable 10 the fetichs whenever foreign coptves
arc mot ~ he had in sufficiently large Numbers Inc
raid on the French protected Kingdom must nave bce
more serious than ever, and that explains the ahA'N
felt throughout France when Governor bayoi "ahc"
for rclnforcements, which were forwarded nam
from ST. Louis. Dakar and other poin''
Of the French establishment along the coast VI "'
Gabon and scnegambIa. No fear Is expressed con.
corning the safety Of the French military posts ana
factories. already defended by the navy. But ue
honor of France is engaged In protecting her hatNc
friends Of the Porto Novo Kingdom, Whlch huhoe''
about 14O 600 inhabitants, who for the last iorS year"
have been an easy prey for the Ddhoihiahs' !. -
usually in November December that these warriors
cross the Oueme River, at a moment WHICH, 'Vs va"
ford it, for supcrstitlous tradition orders them hcNe'
~, use boats This is why their annual raid Is always
ended before March, for at that time OF the year WV
waters Of the Oucme are swollen, ana 'lc run" "
their country would be closed to the DahoHiah''
Inst wear they were more audacous thah ever u.
their raid and approached TO within three mics Vi
the capital Of Porto Noyo itself Al Danpo, v'''7
ON the hank of the Ouems River, placed under fTehc"
proecLorate by treaty passed with the chies Ds ''
agents Of Marseille, hrm-s treat, rs,nen vnr the
by the Goyernment-tf frcn1 as on hearing Of
the approach OF The Dahomians, ne uoi. n hy
mo-, 10 take to flight because they were prvclo o
France At day break The VILLAGERS advanced 10 w
The enemy Il am French We are French. don;t
d~ ~" ANY harm" And in order to support rs r
Amnion ran his cabin and returned Ti,n nnahomlsns
nas' M, noun emf off hi. head and slaughtered ~,
family TO the lat saryiynS Tc teS sam And wrap
i ha Moody trophy in the fold, of the fri color nag
ih", tied up together the four corners ana re'ur"e"
10 AbOrne. - ,,,,, (which ,hc French
have begun to avenGc and their clvl1in g oaih h VIII
90, - IN diflcu a, might BE- inferred from INC II.
~, ,uh,,.hed concerning the military forces OF
Hahomev Though the Dalonians, were ioi' Sr.
ai,nn-t nuuberless they now reduced % a ivI'e
~ sonc vs. 900 men, bad soldiers. mere mer'charSe,
and illcquippcd A. to the famous AniaHon,, vi,
lIte cn,rd II the King each one o whom was worth
ro men thew are stated I'm the letters Of European
traders now established In DaoIney ana az lort 49,
an c.crr. To- tho King but who DO not recall 20 INC
mind the glorious warlkc legends Of 100 years ago