The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-25
BRITAIN in WEST AFRICA
NIGER COMPANY'S EXPEDITION HAS
GIVEN 1T a VAST TERRITORY.
Frances Claims TheretO-Capture of
Bida and iiOrin Likely tn Lead to
complications.
Philadelphia Telegraph.

~ N-t NNC 'f~AN NoN NSoAtN "a NANN NJ
dition of Il vast area to the British empire.
OF course the territories of Nupe and Ilorin.
which have been taken by the company's
troops. will still be considered as nominally
subject to the Sultan of Sokoto. of whom
the British trading company is a supposed
ally. By arrangement with him they ex-
tended a protectorate over this portion of
the great river valley. and as England will
have to come TO their support if the natives
become too strong for their forces. Eng
land is virtually possessed of the country.
Indeed, the proposition that England form
ally annex the territory has already been
made. Complications with France, which
claims the exclusive control of the Niger
from its South Sarahan territory TO the
sea, are sure to arise, and Germany. too,
is making claims TO suzerainty over GAN
do. which lies just north of Ilorin. The
Paris newspaper Eclair announces that the
have made encroachments on the
Dahomey hinterland, especially at Baltic
and Kinki, where French explorers had
concluded treaties with the native chiefs.
placing their territories under French pro-
lection. NJ. Ballot. the French governor,
learning that the Germans had occupied
the places mentioned opposite the posts
which the French had already established.
proceeded to the district, obtained from
them a recognition of the French rights
and addressed protests to the German Off
GERS. The latter, however. persist that
they have a claim to the district in ques-
ton. a person well acquainted with Afri-
can affairs, the Eclair adds, declares that
the question of the German claim can only
be settled by diplomatic means.
a Sierra Leone correspondent writes:
THE report of the secretary of the interior
presented TO the Legislature of Liberia con-
tains an account showing the activity with
which the French are pursuing their ag-
gressive colonial policy on the west coast
of Africa. 1t would appear that a French
expedition under the command of Captain
Guillemot. and consisting of ten mounted
whites and twenty black soldiers, invaded
the Liberian territory and persuaded a
chief to combine forces against the chief
Of D~oma-BouZe. The latter succeeded in
defeating his opponents, and the French
commander. unable to bear his reverse,
party being killed by the natives. Two of
their rifles and a piece of paper bearing the
officers name were sent to Monrovia as Il
token of their victory" There is trouble,
too. over the Benin hinterland. The state
OF affairs in west Africa is therefore fruit
full of trouble.
THE OF BlDA.
The Royal Niger Company will neverthe-
less continue in its pacification of Nupe
md Ilorin. Some further details have been
received with respect to the capture of
Bida. The eXpeditionary force advanced on
the 9th of January To within 1000 yards of
the walls, with the guns in the center. and.
after throwing the Nupe army into disor-
der by the fire of the guns, began a bonn
III 49,, ---l-
in the wall it was stormed. Part of the
city was fired. The Fulah army was COM
P PIfa t routed and one of its generals
The troops slept two nights on the field
of battle, but on Jan. % Sir George Goldie.
and. with Mr.. Wallace and Major Arnold.
took up his residence in the emir's palace,
which covers an immense area. Lieut..
Vandeleur swarmed up the highest PIN
nacie of the palace and there planted the
British flag. The other officers are housed
in neighboring. palaces, while the troops are
encamped in the market place.
Sir George Goldie has received an i'm
mense number of populations from Nupe
towns. who inquired what protection would
be extended to them in future against their
Fulah tyrantS. A proclamation has been
issued by Sir George Goldie announcing
that all Nupes can have freedom ana free
farms to the southwest of the Niger in the
regions which have been depopulated by
the Bida slave-raiding princes. and that the
company Will convey them across the river
and protect them.
A Bida dispatch of Jan. 80 states that
quantities of gunpowder. arms and old
cannon have been captured by detachments
Nupe army has been broken up and Is
| scattered. The natives are regaining conf
dence and returning to their villages.
blown up, but the mosques are being care
fully preserved. A number of valuable
Hausa books and documents nave been Sc
49,, Cor tho In1Co AGGnRi1tiOn-
On Jan. 81 the expeditionary force made
a successful reconnaissance northward from
Bida. A body of the enemy were SURPRISE
in a village and Prince lisa, brother of the
commander of the southern Fulah army
was taken prisoner. Sir George Goldie or
the same day visited a great dausa camI
told them that the Queen of Great Britain
desired them TO be free and well governed
He assured them that Nupe would now bt
made so safe that a woman or a little child
could pass through the country unmolested
The Hausas received this statement witt
great delight. and a deputation OF thell
Goldie at the emir's palace to express then
gratitude.
Ajai Lepai and other Sokoto states haye
abandoned the Bida federation. The Sui.
tan. or Emir. abb Bekri, is in hiding. A
reward has been offered for his capture
alive.
Characteristically British are these It'd
ings from Bida by the Pail Mall Gazette.
A few days after the capture of the town
a gymkhana was nelu by lne BLUSH III
vading force. Thousands of spectators were
| present. and large fields entered for all
| seven events, which were decided as fol-
lows:
First-Abu Bekri stakes. catch-weight
race under twelve stone: course. three fur
longs-Lieutenant Burden first, Major Gun
ningham second.
Second-The Ndegi stakes, over twelve
stone-Lieutenant Vandeleur first, Lieuten-
ant Bird second.
Third-Loyd-Lindsay competition fol-
4 no ire Won nv jputpnantS McClinfOck and
iBird.
Fourth-Bida cup. value twenty guineas
and a prize for second. presented by Sin
George Goldie. open to all corners; course
three furlongs-Lieutenant Testing first
Major Cunningham second. Lieutenant re
third. Twenty-Five started.
Fifth-Noncommissioned officers goa
race-Won by Sergeant Baba Falie.
S~iXth-Soldiers' calabash race-Won 10y
Private Namuda Orlaorta.
The seventh event was a carriers race
with loads.
FULAH POWER BROKEN.
The Fulah power is utterly broken in tn,
Nupe kingdom. And not alone by the whit,
man with his machine guns, modern rifles
electric searchlghts. and other diabolical in
ventions of the infdel, but also by a hand
full of the Hausa people. upon whom thu
Fulahs. though only during the present cen
fury, had fast riveted the chains of slavery
1t is a significant fact. If the Fulah caste
throughout the whole sphere of the Nige
Company's influence. combine against tn,
company. it will be compelled 10 appeal L
the imperial government for assistance
Should a jehad be preached-which is b,
no means improbable in view of the in