West Africa.

Manawatu Herald, 23 November 1895, Page 2

West Africa.

+ We know it is hot in our settlements in West Africa as they lay only some six degrees above the Line, but the inhabitants should be used to It, and therefore this cannot account for our darkey neighbours being rude and quarrelsome. What , will? The Kingdom of Ashantee lies on , the northern boundary of the English Gold Coast Colony, which in turn lies juat to the West of the Lagos colony. This little bit of geography, . to which may be added the fact that these colonies touch the Gulf of Guinea, will be useful direotly. The King of Ashantee the other day imagined his power greater than what it is and insulted the Governor of the Gold Coast Colony, but possibly hearing of the troops being dispatched to pay him a visit, he has knuckled down and undertakes to pay the cost incurred by the British Government in preparing for the campaign. The mojgaxch resides at Coomassie and raleiMWer three millions of subjects, therefore it appears he has undoubtedly exercised the better part of valour in these proceedings. No sooner is the Ashantee trouble laid at rest than others arise close by, luckily, to the country occupied by the first would be disturber, viz., in Yoruba. The one advantage of these incidents is the forcing of our readers to become better acquainted with the map of the world. Where on earth is Yoruba ? It is a targe and fertile region in West Africa lying within sphere of British influence, to the North of the Crown oolony of Lagos. It covers about 20,000 square miles with two millions of inhabitants. A British resident, Captain Bower, has been killed and his residence destroyed by fire by the King's orders. The outbreak is said to be of a serious character. In the face of this it sounds odd to learn that Yoruba has been " one of the most successful fields of missionary enterprise." The party, under Captain Bower afterwards shot a number of the leaders of the revolt. The Governor of Lagos is sending reinforcements, and should he want more possibly some of the troops ordered for Ashantee will be available.