Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1892-07-23 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

THE SITUATION IN UGANDA.  CAPTAIN LUGARD'S REPORT.  The Imperial British East Africa Company have received a letter from Captain Lugard, dated from gampalla, February 11th, in which he reports on the recent events in Uganda, giving a very differint account from stories telegraphed to French papers. He says: "On January 12th the French bishop, who had gone to meet a party of newlyarrived priests, reached Menge. Though our mail was supposed to be leaving in a day or two, he despatched urgent mails via. Usukuma, without waiting for it. Almost immediately after this date matters began to assume a critical aspect here. There had been hitherto every prospect of continued peace, but now difficulties and quarrels began to spring up daily Letw«ei the two parties, and as far as I could judge the trouble in every instance arose from aggressions on the part of the Catholics. Matters culminated in a cold-blooded murder of a Protestant by a Catholic in the streets of Mengo. My urgent appeals to the King for justice in the matter were entirely set aside. The, King declined to punish the murderer in any way, and Dualla, who conveyed a second protest from me, was told openly in the Burza that if I interfered to see justice done my soldiers should be killed to a man, Kampala would be looted, and we should all lose our lives. Such language in Burza was an entirely new departure, and has never been used since I arrived in Uganda. At night the French party beat the war drums, and next day, January 24t1i,got under arms. They had been massing in great numbers in Mengo for some days previously. While still engaged in negotiations with the King, and endeavouring by every means to avert war, the battle was precipitated by an attack on the part of the French party. They greatly outnumbered our force. A very large number—the main body, I believe—charged down towards Kampala, but I drove them back with the Maxim, and the final result was their defeat. They fled to the islands, and unfortunately managed to secure the person of the King. The importance of this is not to be over-estimated in Uganda, where the people are devoted to the King and will acknowledge no substitute. I offered to reinstate the King and the French party in all their former positions and influence, and to forget the.war. I received constant letters from the King in reply, saying that he was most anxious to return. However,MonseigDeur, the head of the Catholic Mission, who advocated a complete separation of the two parties, went down to the islands where the King and chiefs were, and I heard from various sources which I could not doubt—Stokes's men, unbiassed Mahornmedans, and several personal adherents of the King—that the bishop had used all his influence to prevent the King's return. He had promised me lie would do all in his power to bring him back. He had also told me he was going to Sese, instead of which he remained in the islands with the King. Finally, we 'were forced to attack the islands, and we drove out the enemy with much loss." Captain Lugard, after referring in detail to his present position, says: "We have in Kampala a very strong position, but, in case of attack, we have lost confidence in the Protestants, and our greatest difficulty would be food. In addition to the requisite food for our fighting men, we have to supply some 350 women and unarmed slaves, ix. of the Soudanese, together with about 150 unarmc:d porters. In all over 1,000 souls must be fed daily, and the food around Menge is already largely exhausted. Under these circumstances, I hope you will send what assistance is in your power with the utmost despatch. I would also ask you to send up as soon as possible some one to assist in the work here, and to take the place of either Captain Williams or myself in case of sickness, &c."  Captain Williams, writing from Bukoba on March 7th, says that Mwanga has fled to German territory. All the Europeans are well in Uganda, and all missionaries safe. The writer is of opinion that before long the company's authority will be firmly established.