The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-01
DAIOMEY FALLS TO FRANCE.
THE CsrfTaL AND THE TONES or
mn kI,GS IRE CfP7 ERED.

Col. Do'd. aud his Army vic'oriou- After
nrUinnt tnn pa,Gn-Th- " emu NR'-
riors Are Va qui-hcl nnd the Tsrribie
Human - UriH,e- Rrr y oW 1T u, bsnd.
PARIS. Oot. 81 "A despatch from Porto Nuvo
says that Col Dodds captured Gamma OF Satur-
day ana Abomcy on SUNDAY.
There is little doult ,hat this ends one Of the
most brilliant campaigns that Europcnn
power has over waGel against tho natives OF
Africa The French column. Numbering 1000
infantry and cavalry and several cannon. set
out from the coast on Aug. ~, and the cant
ragn has therefore lasted two and II half
months.
Tho usual route to ALomcy Is by ioa'l al.
most directly north from tho coast town OF
Whydah. This route. however, involved cross
Ing wide lagoon, which would be difficult for
the artillery. and Of. Dodds therefore chose
the route along the Wheme River,
His artillery went ahead and broke road
along the river bank for the troops to follow.
and the cavalry and aIart OF the supplies ware
lowed M the river on transports. while 2.iOO
native poIteis carried the remainder OF the
provisions.
The advancing fnrrc hal n number Of skir-
mishes with the enemy and three hnrlfought
battles before il reached the ncighborhood ~
Gamma and \bomcy. Tho French loss on all
occasions was triin.. but the Dahomeyars
suffered severely in killed and woundo'!. Tho
AmaZons or %omen warriors fought with ier-
oritr. but their shooting WAS very Wild.
Gamma. the ilaro that was captured on last
saturday. il eight miles from Abomey. ana
has a sacred character in tho eyes OF the
nahomeyHn.. as It Is me burial place of long
The capital. Abumry could rot possibly
Otlrr any resistant" TO Il wrll-rgulEprd force.
though the King las Tor many years possessed
~ n ~ IA NJ las ,II.In 81
roughly I.-rirline ed army, he most formidable
mm,uhr.s % which are tho AmnH2ns.
Ih"ttty il about eight miles in circumfor.
eir". .'r"t"cte'l m dIich ave feet deep u led
with ,t"rs" growth nt rrlcklv acacia. 1t ~
Wall, VII, ,w" 3n"nim.s buit ncl o-s TIC roads
lca,'ins INTO the town. Altogether tho place
DO, not 'on'n''; more than l2'ono inhnD',-
captured h" will. like ko'ree- kali OF Ash
ami nnhet similar circumstances. retreat into
The campaign somewhat. resembles tn"
English invasion OF the neighboring kingdom
we're I asr ali I uro nrs" so aGfsS HS" s
i.,rd terribly from tho climate; while the
present invaders are for he most par, sena;;
by Trenchm al.
Tho ,frenrh will now doubtless scizo Why
now q. their ,mcrey. apd they will profanity
turn 1t into Il French colony. Ono good result
VII he that we snn hear no Of the te1r RI
annual religious festivals at the capital.
King Hehanzin, n yonn. man very much
nuncl up with his own Importance. has
brought Lis downiail ulon himself lie has
hcen on the throne less than three years.
When he hccam" King he made a treaty with
tn" French. promising to recognize their
rights, to tlr Port ol Kotonu and to ccase the
customary raids into the French territory Of
Porto Novo for slaves and sacrinctal victims.
The French agreed to give him an annual
subsidy. and lived un TO their engagement.
Last year. however BehnDyin resumed his
raids into Porto A"vo. and when tho French
protested no rcpudiatrd the treaty. said he
would raid where lie pleased that the French
had no business in the country anyhow. and
that he would drive them out OF kotunu into
the sea
The rainy season coming on. and. rs
tho French We're utterly unpr"parnl to as
sumo the offensive. they utilized this period
about seven months getting ready to .iEht.
but after they were ready they moved with
celebrity and have had an unbrosen series of
successes Col. Douds is now in position to
supply some OF the famous women warriors
for exhibition at the Chicago World Fair