WAR ON THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2156, 22 January 1881, Page 3

WAR ON THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA.

From a home paper we learn that a serious war ban broken out on between Bing Amachreo and Will Braid, the two great rival chiefs in Hew Calabar. Will Braid is the descendant of the former King of Hew Calabar, and his futile attempts to gain the throne led him to form a strong faction against Amaohree, and he has established himself at Awaffa, an important position commanding a creek which communicates with the interior, and by way of which all oil is brought down to Hew Calabar. For seme time previous to the outbreak he intercepted all produce on its way down the river, and at length the matter became so serious that Amachree decided to proceed to Awaffa and try and dislodge him from his position. Will Braid, however, was joined by the Kriokamen, and it was found, on the arrival of the Hew Calabar force, that he had dug rifle-pits round the town, protecting all the approaches to it, Amaohreo’a men, therefore, could not operate effectually, and they at once constructed similar entrenchments, close to the line of the enemy's pits. At the latest accounts there was a sanguinary duel going on between the two sides, and large numbers of natives have been killed, without any apparent advantage having been gained by either side. Trade at How Calabar was quite stopped, the only thing obtainable being gunpowder, cartridges, and rice. King Amachree had sent a present to Ja Ja, King of Opobo, in order to induce him not to side with Will Braid, but it was not known what action he would take. The Hew Calabar natives, who are very well off, are understood to have determined to spend any amount of money, and sacrifice any number of lives, in the attempt to subdue Will Braid.