New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-25
ROUTED BY SLAVE-DEALEkS.
british SAILORS AMBUsHED ON IHh
WEST AFRICAN COAST.

x,,vprR woUNpEp-TIIEY HAD LANDED
TO PUNISH CHIEF FoDisIi.Ah
NOTORIOUS SLAYER
London. Feb 24-The rumors In clrcuiaoo"
Yesterday based on dispatches from 49,
West Africa that number OF BRUSH o"i0.
and sailors had been killed In pa''ie WIZ"
slave dealers on the West Coast, were comm nv
~, omc,oI dispatches received to-day. The hrst
intmation Of the disaster was gwen ~ VI.
nubljc through the receipt by the wife OF pay
master on board Her Majestys gu"ood'
eeon Of a telegram saying that British Sailors
had been put to flight In an ehcou"'e WAN
natives. 80
This morning more explicit dispatches were re-
to1 rbev state that the cruiser Raleigh, the
eagsbin of the British squadron on the west
African coast commanded by Rear-Adii'i'ai
Frederick c. d. Bedford. and the screw gun
boat Vidgeon. commanded by Leutenant-Co"-
marder William j. Scullard, arrived yesterday
at bathurst capital of the British West African
colony Of Gambia Though the Admiralty OIL
cxrs refused this mornlng.to make pubic theit
DISPATCHES It was learned that the sailors VI
these two vessels had been defeated on shore'
Further details leaked ont to-day which sho"
that landing parties from the Widgeoh anu
Raleigh had been sent ashore to PUNISH 'het
rodisilah a notorious slaye-trader, VINO hau
been carving away and selling into slavery
rumbers of natives Of the villages in that sec
tlon of the coast over which he rules.
Tho sailors landed In force. marched some u'S-
lance inland, and in a lght with
foIlorers were repulsed with the loss OF three
onca~s and ten men killed and forty-seVeh
wounded The humiliatng feature OF the ue-
feat Of the British sailors is the iact that r""'
lah's men are comparatively ie" anu ann"
with primitive rifles. FOdisiah has the rep"'"
ton of being a fearless ana desperate Ns"''',
b,t ma doubt was entertained Of the ability Oh
the landing force to put him ana MS lo''o"e'' ~
flight. .,,.o,
Further details Of the disaster were receiver
this afternoon. The force which landed near
bathurst was composed Of men from po'h '"e
Raleigh and Widgeon. They went ashore fuily
oouinneI for a march inland and for remaining
.shor. for some time. Several machine gums
,,oro tolen ashore. with provisions for four days
and an ample supply Of ammunition. reserve
,orca was left at the landing place. whlch WAS
nrotected by the guns Of the cruiser ana the
gunbOat.
The beginning Of the march disclosed no signs
Of armed natives, but when the sailors Id"
advanced several miles inland the nauVe carriers
hearing the ammunition. water PROVISIONS e'''
deserted one by one, and finally all oi '"'''
,,.,,,.ared The force continued its march de-
.,,,o the des4rtions. and was finally led INTO
an ambush The party had penetrated Ioun
Try thlcI<lv wooded. with high ground Oh 49, -.
side when suddenly IRE was "PN"
from every direction -, ooh,ra
An attempt was made 70 use the Hiaonl'lo
,,rs nut The attack was SO sudden and so herce
that the British were Ihdpie l" Wv ~ ~
quickly routed. ,,, admitted
Later this afternoon the Admiralty admll,ed
that they had received dispatch rom aulli. -
I,edfnrd on board the flagship Raleigh al Patn
lrst dated yesterday. and practlcalIy comm IN.
ing all the stories circulated concerning INC ~
osfer The Admiral said that the Landing lorce
vas under the command Of Captain Oaihpe ai'u
that the carriers. by their drseruOn. causeu i"e
loss of all the spare ammunition taken aS" th
for the use Of the landing parties ana als9 ne
SUNNY Of water. He reported that the sdloiS'
mon reaching signs Of native habitaton' !
pushed forward and captured two villages which
were defended by stockades. Ihey occup.eu
these villages throughout the following Night
nlacinC the machine guns at points OF vantage
The loss OF the water and ammunition now
ever. made Captain Gamble decide 70 return 10
the shore with the intention OF re-emDalkihs ms
force This movement was begun early the next |
morning and the column was on It's way prck
when the sailors were suddenly attacked. me
fire was So severe and the slavers were 50 Wen
concealed I'm the bush that the blue Jackets Tell
on All sides and begun 70 retreat hastily carry
Ing their wounded and dead along with them as
far possible.
Lieutenant william II. Arnold OF the Navy.
and Lieutenant Francis W. Hervey. OF the Ma
rires were the first two officers killed. ana SUD
Lieutenant Francis W. Mester and ten men
soon shared their fate Lieutenant the Hon.
Robert +. Boyle dangerously wounded ana {
Lieutenant Herbert J. Sayill was badly injured.
Captain Gamble. Surgeon W. X. White Mid
shipman Arthur Chambers and forty sailors
were slightly wounded during the retreat.
san later reports were received from Bathurst
by the Admiralty late this afternoon which make
ii appear that the disaster To- the British force
was greater than the first accounts indicated.
The earlier dispatches. which partook largely or
rumor, mentioned the West India Regiment as
having supported th- sailors I'm their movement
against the slave-dealing chief. but the later
messages did not. IL now appears that the eX-
petition was composed Of detachments OF marines
and seamen from the Raleigh and the Widgeon.
and a detachment from the West India Regi-
mcnt
The latest dispatches say that in addition %
those OF the party killed and wounded (already
accounted for) "A number Of marines and part %
the West India infantry detachment are missing,
md grave fears are entertained for their SAFETY.
The officials at the Admiralty office are Informed
by Rear-Admiral Bedford that another and much
more formidable expedition IL making prepara-
lions 10 march inland 10 search for the missing
men and avengn the death OF their comrades who
were slain IN ambush by Fodisah's followers.