The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-28
THE WAR In DAHOM EY
Coailnaei From p1qe Q.

the failure of Daaomey's ruler to ohxe,v.
the terms OF the treaty he entered into w,,s
France IN October 1880. By this traa,-
the rights of the French at kotonon wsIl
recognized ana assured immunity fro~
disturbance, yet for several months naa.
the small garrison at kotonou has bass
harrassed perpetualiy by the Dahomevan.a
The untavorable season prevented ~.
French from operating to advantage in ths
neld, and tins circumstance left ia
friendly tribes. who act as tha;s
allies. exposed To the venreanas
of the hostiles. One special cans.
OF trouble is King Behanzins.
persistence in asserting rights over he
kingdom of Porto Novo. the ruler !,
which, Toiia. long since sought and ~
tanned the protectorate of France. vet i.
has lately been the constant victim ~
Dahomeyan incursions into his terr;
tory. France has now taken the fe,s
with the firm determination of brine;n.
matters to climax and forcing Bchang;a
TO come 10 his senses. The arrival
of reintorcements enabled Colonel Dodds
the French commander. to tai.
measures for the complete protection -
the became country. lie has fortified ~
his positions and enlarged the circle =
outposts, and has now arranged tnafta-
SO that he can command communicated
between Porto Novo and Sakete, ON IN.
Adjara river, near the English territory n
Lagos. and also from Porto Novo to Dams.
DO. French warships dispatched 10 M
coast of Africa have bombarded an
the towns on the shore line. whils
the land forces. advancing into thu
interior. have stormed and burned tbs
villages,a fighting the opposing bands a
Dahomeyans they encountered OH the wav
In these conflicts the French loss was verv
slight, but that of the enemy was seyers
France is in this war to stay, but the ns.
ture of the country her soldiers have n
fight In and the methods of the toe shs
has to contend with may possibly entail
considerable expenditure of blood and
treasure. OF course there can be only one
result, however protracted the struggle.
Frances chief object is to protect bev
commercial interests in Dahomey, Fus
merly Portugal had similar interests them
but IN recent years she has evinced litte
solicitude about them, and has even aban.
doned fort she used to occupy at Whv.
dab. A certain feature of the situation
which may eventually become very impor.
tant is the existence of considerable Ger
man trade In this part of Africa and il ia
we'll known that the Dahomeyans have ~,
ceived supplies of arms and ammunition
from the German merchants. One Ger.
man house of Whydah Is represented
by Herr Richter. who has so com.
pleteiy won the affections of Behanzin A
To have almost assumed the dignity OF =
court official From him the Dahomey.
ans have acquired much instruction
i'll modifying as tirailIeurs and also
in the manipulation of field pieces
and in craftsmanship. The kings
troops are regularly drilled, and the chief
Instructor has been Richter When it was
resolved to attack the town of WHY.
dab, Colonel Dodds notified the European
residents and gave them time to leave.
whereupon they all did leave with the ex.
ceptIon of the Germans, who declined to
accept the notice. Whether this may or
may not yet become the nucleus of an 10.
ternational difficulty between France and
Germany is a question of grave uncer.
tainty in the minds of many.
j. c. DUVAMEt