The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1874-04-04 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

SATURDAY, APRIL  THE THANKS OF PARLIAMENT TO THE BRITISH ARMS.  By a singular coincidence it has fallen to a Conservative Ministry, twice within six years, to propose the thanks of Parliament to a British expeditionary force which has been engaged in warfare with savage tribes. Some of the surrounding.s of the Ashantee War may be usefully compared with those with which we became familiar in conection with the chastisement of King Theodore. This sable monarch, in the month of February 1863, sent a letter to Queen Victoria, desiring an alliance. Rumour had it that the alliance so desired was of a matrimonial character ; but, at all events, no notice was taken of the communication. and Theodore, in a fit of mortified pride, seized some of our countrymen travelling within his dominions, and imprisoned them in the fortress of Magdala. Every effort was made by negotiation to procure their release, but in vain ; and at length, on the 16th April, 1867, the present Lord Derby, then as now Foreign Minister, sent an ultimatum to the barbarian sovereign, demanding the liberation of the captives within three months. As this had no effect, preparations for war were made in September; an advanced brigade, under the command of Sir Robert Napier, sailed from Bombay in October; and the British Parliament voted two millions sterling towards the cost of the expedition in November. The British force, as it toiled onwards towards the Abyssinian capital, presented a curious spectacle. Impressed into the service were 45 elephants, 7,417 camels, 12,920 mules and ponies, 7,053 bullocks, and 827 donkeys. On the 2nd of April, 1868, Sir Robert Napier arrived before Magdala; and on Good Friday, the 10th, his forces were attacked by Theodore's troops, ' who were defeated with great slaughter Theodore surrendered the Europeans, but did I not accept the terms offered to him on the following day; whereupon Magdala was stormed and taken on Easter Monday, when the king committed suicide. Magdala was burnt to the ground on the 17th, and on the 2nd of July Sir Robert Napier landed at Dover. He was immediately summoned to the presence of the Queen, was granted a peerage and a pension of £2,000 a year for himself and his successor to the title. Mr. Disraeli, in proposing the thanks of Parliament to the troops, declared that "they had planted the banner of St. George upon the 4nountains of Rasselas." Although there are some points of resemblance between the two expeditions, there can be little doubt that the mission to Ashantee was the more difficult of the two. In Abyssinia the natives were friendly, aud our men were not harraased on their march, which took place over well-made roads, and in a climate which was the reverse of unhealthy. In Ashantee, on the other hand, the natives were not only hostile, but elceedingly clever at artifice, and expert in ambush fighting. They learned to imitate our bugle call "cease firing" fso thoroughly, that they often deceived our own troops; and there can be little doubt of their valour, for had they been armed with the rifles of the English instead of with the old fashioned muskets with which they were fain to be content, our expeditionary force would have suffered much more severely. Even as it was, the 42nd Highlanders will long have occasion to remember the skill of the Ashentees in preparing ambuscades. Again, the p ogress towards Coomassie was very different from the march in the direction of Magdala. Instead of a broad, open road, there was nothing but the close stilling bush, excluding the light of Heaven, and swarming with invisible foes. Coomassie shared the fate of Magdala at last; however, and savage kings, whether in Asia, Africa, or elsewhere, are taught that England, although a long way off, can alike avenge her countrymen, and protect her allies, and knows, moreover, how to reward those who imperil their lives in her service in foreign and unhealthy climes.