NAVAL ENGAGEMENT NEAR ZANZIBAR.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 321, 23 June 1875, Page 3

NAVAL ENGAGEMENT NEAR ZANZIBAR.

(Times of India , March 29.) H.M.S. Glasgow, the flagship of the East India squadron, which arrived in the harbor the day before yesterday after a twelve months’ cruise, chiefly on the east coast of Africa, brings news of an engagement which took place not far from Zanzibar in the month of January between vessels of Her Majesty’s service and a rebel chief, who had set himself up in defiance of the Sultan. A brief and somewhat inaccurate account of the affair was given in the Army and Navy Gazette , where it was stated that the engagement took place at Mozambique. The real spot, however, was Mombasah, a small town some 120 miles north of Zanzibar, The particulars of the affair are briefly as follow . Captain Prideaux, who, in the absence of Dr Kirk, was acting consul-general and political agent at Zanzibar, had information of threatened hostilities at Mombasah between a large force under the rebel chief Akida Mohammed bin Abdullah and the Sultan’s troops under the command of the Governor, and gave instructions to Captain Sullivan, of H.M.S. London, to proceed to that place in order to afford protection to the British residents in the town in tin event of any collision taking place. It appears that this Akida Mohammed had formerly held the command of the fort of Mom-

basah, but had been superseded by order of the Sultan. Taking advantage of the remissness or the weakness of the Sultan’s forces in the town, he had seized the fort and defied the authorities. Later information having apprised the acting political agent that hostilities had actually commenced, he, with Captain Sullivan and the officers and marines of the Lyon, embarked on board H.M.S. Nassau (Captain Gray), and proceeded to Morabasah, arriving there on the 16th. H.M.S. Rifleman also received orders to proceed thither at the same time. Immediately upon their arrival, the acting Political Commissioner sent a message to the rebel chief, which, as was intimated, was to be an ultimatum, demanding his instant surrender. Akida Mohammed, however, refused. Being in command of a strong fort, with no less than 49 guns, he was ready to defy not only the Sultan’s troops, but even English men of war. On receipt of this message the Acting-Consul-General at once placed the matter in the hands of Captain Sullivan. The Nassau and the Rifleman, the latter having on board a company of small-arm men from the London, under the command of Lieutenant A. S. Hamilton, had already taken up their position, and as soon as the boats of the two vessels could get within range, Captain Sullivan made the signal to engage the fort, and both ships and boats opened fire. After bombarding for somelittle time without producing any great effect, the commander gave orders to weigh anchor and close, and the Rifleman advancing to within 400 yards, opened fire with both guns and small arms. The small arms evidently told on the defenders of the fort, and the Rifleman running still closer in shore opened an overwhelming fire from the decks, which rendered it all but impossible for the occupants of the forts to serve the guns. So ineffectual, indeed, was the firing from the fort, that not a single casualty occurred among the ships or boats. While the Rifleman was thus engaged with the fort, the Nassau took up a position opposite to the gateway of the town, prepared, if necessary, to blow down the gate and bombard the place. This, however, was not required. The following morning the rebel chief came on board and surrendered, delivering the keys of the town into the bands of the M.S. Acting ConsulGeneral, On this Captain Prideaux and Captain Sullivan, with the small-arm men of the Rifleman, Loadon, and Nassau, landed and took possession of the fort, hoisting the Sultan’s flag under a general salute. The town was then formally handed over to the commander of the Sultan’s forces, the rebel chief being placed on board the commander’s ship until his fate should be decided. The engagement was exciting, and gave ample scope for the display of courage and good conduct, though fortunately it did not result in any loss of life on the part of the British (the loss to Akida’s troops was, by the general account, about 17 killed and 50 wounded). All the officers who took part in the affair acquitted themselves so as to obtain the good word of their commander. We have not been able to obtain a complete list of those who received special praise, but the names of Commander Stratford Tuke, of the Rifleman, Lieutenant Commander Gray, of the Nassau, Lieutenant Ammersley, and Lieutenant Foly Yereker were amongst the number. The result of this will probably not be insignificant. The action of the Consul-General in taking prompt measures to uphold the authority of the Sultan will certainly not be without its good effect in regard to the suppression of the slave trade.