The herald., 1896-01-23
KING PREMPEHS PALAVER
When the King of Ashantee
Made Submission
A VERY PROMPT RESPONSE
To the Invitation OF the English Rep
resentatives
Great Britain Stops the Practice of Offering
Human Sacrifices and Also CvI-
lects nuch Gold
Associated Press sneclal Wire.

associated Press Sneclal Wire
CAPE COAST CASTLE, British West
Africa, Jan. 22.-( Copyrighted by the As-
ISOLATED Press. THE following details of
the palaver between Sir Francis Scott,
commander of the British expeditionarary
force, and King Prempeh of Asbantee,
when the latter made his submission to
Great Britain at CoomassIe, have just been
received from that capital:
The troops formed in the principal
square OF Coomassie at o'clock on Mon
day last, preparatory to the grand palaver.
Sir Francis Scott and his staff were seated
in semi-circle in the square. Shortly after
wards an officer was sent to the palaver
with instructions to impress upon the
mind of King Prempeh that if he did not
appear before the British commander
within five minutes after his summons, he
would be taken from his palace by force.
The king made a show of resistance, but
finally accompanied the officer, sur
rounded by an escort to the square. Ar
irving there, the king took his seat upon
the stool of state. After few words had
passed between the king and Sir Francis,
through the interpreters, the king de-
scended from his stool and shook hands
with the commander. The latter was then
introduced to the British governor, who
stated the negotiations which have been
conducted between the representatives of
England and Ashantee, ending by inform
ing the king that he must formally SUBJ
init to Great Britain and give up imme-
diateiy $4,000 ouces of gold as an
indemnity for the expenses incurred by
the British government in sending an ex-
petition to bring his majesty to terms.
The king was also informed that he must
keep the streets clean. maintain order
among the populace and that he would be
held responsible for any disturbances
among the natives. King Prempeh was
greatly impressed by the show of force in
the the SO square, the Maxim guns being conyen;
lently posted and every yard being utilized
by the British and their native allies.
Finally the king replied that be was ready
to submit to the British, took off his crown
and sandals and advanced to the seats,
formed by biscuit boxes, upon which Sir
Francis Scott and the governor were seated
surrounded by their stalls. His majesty
then placed his head between the feet of
Sir Francis Scott and those of the British
governor, clasping them with his hands
and actually groveling in the dust, as a
mark of his complete submission to the
power Oh tne queen OF England.
This display of helplessness Oh the part
of King Prempeh greatly impressed the
Ashantees present. They were greatly agi
tated and talked eXcitedly together, but
they made no attempt at resistance,
step which would have been useless in
the face of the British expedition and the
deadly rapid-fring guns.
The governor finally made the king arise
and called to his majesty's mind that he
had been requested Immediately to pay
10000 ounces of gold to the representa-
tives of England. In reply his majesty,
who was greatly agitated, SAID he only pos
sessed $500 ounces of gold, and that he
had no means of collecting the 10000
ounces demanded by the British. To this
the governor replied that such statement
was merely child's play. and that the de-
mands OF the British must be complied
with. as the kings ability to pay the
amount demanded was too we'll known to
admit Of any discussion. King Prempeh
then asked for time, but the governor an
swered that upon q previous occasion the
Ashantees had failed to keep their prom
ises made to the British, and that the lat
ter had no intention of giving them the op-
portunity of doing the same thing again.
The governor then announced that the
king, queen, her me ther, and the kings
father, with the other chiefs of Importance
present, would be taken prisoners under
escort to Cape Coast Castle.
A strong guard of British troops then
moved forward and surrounded the king,
the queens mother, the kings father, the
prominent chiefs and the ambassadors,
without any trouble. so suddenly was the
movement made and so effectively was it
carried out The prisoners were quickly
removed to a large house, which was sur
rounded by the guards, and then the
Ashantees were quietly dispersed by the
troops. From the moment the expedition
was first organized until it reached Coo
massie it has not been necessary to fire
single shot. 1t may be said that tho sub
mission and capture of King Prempeh will
insure British supremacy in that part of
Africa for many years to come. The
Ashantee ambassadors who are accused of
having misled their people will be tried,
and if found guilty, severely punished.
Near Coomassie the British discovered
and burned the notorious sacrificiai grove,
full of skulls and bones of the victims of
the king. The making of human sacri-
fees was one of the leading complaints
which the British had against the king and
his predecessors, and this practice has
now been stODDed.