The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-05

who have no fear of firearms. but are
wholly unacquainted with Coney ISL
and rockets The road from the Gold
coast to Ccomassie that was cut by
the British forces through the dense
! forests Of Ashantee in 1874 had since
completely disappeared.
Under the fierce tropical sun, with
I numerous rains, vegetation grows in
way to astonish people of northern
climes Trees grow by day and night,
and a path through the forest closes
MP behind an army almost as 1t adj
vances.
The king OF Ashantee is reproached
by the English with not keeping the
road open and nicely swept for them
TO use. 1t is charged that he deliber-
ately let the trees grow up so as to
forest is his Monroe doctrine which
protects him from intrusion of the
monarchical foot.
IL was in getting through this dense
forest that the English expected to en-
counter their greatest difficulty. The
Ashantee warriors have no love for
fighting in the open.
They appeared TO rely upon picking
off the British by sharpshootlng meth
DDS I'm the jungle The thick under
brush, the numerous large trees and
the dense foliage afforded them every
opportunity for concealment.
FIREWORKS BRIGHTEN THEM.
Here 1t is that the sky rockets. the
pinwhcels the snakes" and the cheap
Chinese nrecrackers came into play. A
wcll-directed rocket shooting between
the tree trunks and Kissing over the
ground with its long train of fire, to
finally explode in a gorgeous shower of
brilliants, would have more effect in
frightening the followers of King
Prempeh than n dozen actual shells
fired from a mortar
Blue fire alone is enough to make
the ordinary African native quake.
Fourth OF July crackers make an adj
mirable imitation of musketry fire. To
hear a couple of dozen punches of
them go off you would think a thous-
and men were shooting. Fire balloons,
pinwheels and Roman candles are
enough to make an army of African
natives throw up their hands and sur
render.
This is the purpose of the great con-
signment of fireworks in the Ashantee
war, which is funnier in its various
aspects even than the Chinese war.
The English hired COO sturdy negroes
to hew a way through the forest be-
fore they landed the main body OF
the troops.
the miasmatic fevers of the region.
They understood the forest and It's
strange denizens. and under the drec-
ton of the British sappers and miners
they made an admirable corps Of
woodsmen.
They had to be protected, however,
and this protection from the rifles Of
Prempeh's men has been secured with
the frecrackers and sky rockets. A
large quantity of this material has
been carried in advance of the coYps
that was cutting a road through the
forest. and IL was sufficient to scare
off the enemy.
stores Of every kind had 10 he car
ritd on the heads of natives. and
thousands of women. each TO carry 30
pounds. were engaged for work beyond
the Prah. Bakers were also sent across
the river 10 bake fresh bread at the
defensive posts.
SAVAGES WILL BE CONQUERED.
Altogether the expedition included
so white soldiers. 400 men from the
West India regiment and 500 hussars.
Tho artillery consisted of n small
mountain battery Of six seven FOUNDER
field guns, a Maxim gun and large
number Of rocket tubes The king Of
Koranza who is a neighboring mon
arCh jealous of Prempch's greatness.
volunteered To help the British in "ad-
vancing civilization"
The result Of the British expedition
TO Coomarsle i'm 1874 was summed up
by Sir Wlfred Lawson, I'm the house
of commons. when he said that all the
English gained by il was IAN old UNI
brella and "a treaty" He was remind
ed that there had been no treaty, and
then remarked that he was not sorry.
as the treaty would have been worth
no more than the old umbrella.
In this he was referring to the UNI
brella Of state captured by Sir Garnet
Wolseley from King Koffee and
brought to London. This time they
propose 10 bring back the old plug hat
Of Prempeh. which has taken the place
of the umbrella of state as the symbol
of supreme Ashantee power and great
ness.
incidentally the slaughter yard will
he put an end to. while the mines will
he opened and possibly the golden
stool of Prempeh captured and retain
ed for what IL is worth per ounce.
What the other European powers
think of British designs on Ashautee
has not yet appeared.