THE ASHANTEE WAR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 74, 27 March 1874, Page 2

THE ASHANTEE WAR.

We take the following from the letter of the London correspondent of the Australasian received by the last mail:-— The arrangements of Sir Garnet Wolseley's advance upon Commossie have been made with enorgy, and, as far as wo can judge, with admirable skill. The troops had all landed, and •be 80 miles between the coast and the Prah were to be traversed in eight marches. The line of advance would be protected by a succession of camps or forts; and lerge stores of ammunition had been already provided on the river banks. The correspondent of the Daily Telegraph was nrnong tho first to cross tho Prah after the retreat of tho Ashantees. He states that the river is found to be 66 yards broad at the point selected for the bridge. "It is a deep, swift stream, the colour and nearly the consistence of mud. That portion of the invading force which used this immediate neighborhood for the crossing; have left the remains of their rude bridge. Between two trees which had fallen or been felled long since, and lay half buried in the stream a rope is stretched which still drngs in the racing water. With no assistance they tried to reach tho other bank. Undoubtedly the loss of life must have bten great if it be true, as is alleged, that the mass of the Ashantees cannot swim. A number of bodies have been found on the foreshore of our camp. One was hanging in the nearest tree when our men arrived, another was caught by the boughs of an overhanging bush, a third lay entangled on a raft, several corpses were also found on the bank itself, which had been burnt or buried, two of the dead, probably chiefs, being on the branches of a tree suspended in the boskets which are their travelling carriages. On the further bank, too, were some who had reached the shore only to die. Very striking and ghastly was the attitude of a corpse just opposite the site of our bridge; it waß crouched upon the bank, the head resting on the baud?, and elbowß on the knees. At this moment I look up and Bee a heap of bones, with Turkey buzzards waddling round." The same writer estimates the number of Aslantees who retreated across the Prah at 30,000. Lieutenant Gordon tells him that " while the length of the abandoned camps along the roadside is surprising, their depth in the bush fairly astonished him. Shed beyond shed, in irregular lines, they stretch 200 yards back on a mile long frontage, then occurs a Lelt of uncleared bush, behind which lies another camp, and then another equally as long." Sir Garnet Wolseley had issued a memorandum to the troops, with minute instructions as to health, the march, and the mode of fighting. The following is the concluding paragraph which in style serves to recall the addr esses of some greater commanders: — "It must never be forgotten by our soldiers that Providence has implanted in the heart of every native of Africa a superstitious awe and dread of the white man, that prevents the negro from during to meet us face to face in combat. A steady advance or a charge, no matter how partial, made with determination, always means the retreat of tbe enemy. Although, wheu at a distabce, and even when under a heavy fire, tho Aehantees seem brave enough, from their practice of yelling and singing and beating drams, in order to frighten tbe enemies of their own color with whom they are accustomed to make war, they will not stand against the white man. English soldiers and sailors are accustomed to fight against immense odds in all parts of tbe world. It is scarcely necessary to remind them that wheu, in our battles beyond tho Prah, they find themselves surrounded on all sides by hordes of howling enemies, they rauat rely upon their own British courage and discipline, and upon the courage of their comrades. Soldiers and sailors, remember that the black man holds you in superstitious awe. Be cool, fire low, and charge home; and the more numerous your enemy, tbe greater will bo the loss inflicted upon him, and the greater your honor in defeating him."

During the one buudred and fifteen days' trial of the Tichborno case, there have been paid to the jury £2600; to the shorthand writers, close on £2000; to the printers, nearly £4000. The prosecuting counsel — five in all — have swallowed over £14,000. The defendant's counsel are paid miserably, compared with the prosecution, but the exact amount is not known. Some of the witnesses for the prosecution received very large fees — one £1000, and another £700, and a third £500. Of course they came from Australia and Chili, and their evidence wns deemed necessary. Altogether, tho "little bill," on one Bide alone, when it comes to be addid up, must rench close on £150,000. Result obtained for this expenditure — " the Claimant " sentenced to fourteen years' penal servitude. There is a clever lad in Bioghampton, N.Y., who will get his living in this world and no mistake. For playing truant, maternal authority cut oft hia supper. Casting one fond look at the authoress of his existence, ho paused at the door to say : "Mother, I »m goiug to die, and when I urn no more, I want tho doctor to cut me open and look nt my stomach." The maternal heart was filled with awful forebodings ; and the maternal voice asked what he meant. "I wish it to be known," he

answered, « (hat I died of starvation." This was enough. The small boy w»b triumphant, and retired to bis iitile bod gorged to repletion. Advices from Bermuda give an account of the wonderful escapo from almost certain death of a petty-officer of H.M.S. Seagull, named Lock During the passage from Ascension, and in tho midst of a heavy squall, orders were given to shorten sail, when Lock, a fine youDg fellow, and very popular with the crew, was thrown by a lurch of the ship from the topgallant yfirJ into the sea, a distance of eighty feef. The alarm was given, the engines stopped, the lifebuoy let go, and the boat lowered, but it was thought to be a forlorn hope, and after twenty minutes had olapsed a gun was fired to recall the boat, which returned, and was duly hoisted up. Lock was known to be a strong Bwimmer, but more out of respect for the poor fellow, whom aU regarded as gone for ever, than with any hope of saving him, the ship lay-to for nearly an hour after the accident, As the crew were gloomily peering over tho bulwarks into the black waters a faint cry was distinctly heard right ahead, and then arose Buch a cheer as only British tarß can give. The boat wns again lowered with wild baste, and from its crew presently came up, loud above the whistling wind, a shout of joy. In five minutes more Lock stood upon the deck. He burst into tears, and, adds our informant, we nil stood around viewing him as one verily risen from the grave. "Little Tommy didn't disobey mamma, and go in swimming, did he ?" "No, mamma ; Jimmy Brown and the rest of the boys went in, but I remembered, and would not disobey you.'' "And Tommy never tells lies, does he ?" " No mamma ; or I couldn't go to heaven." " Then bow does Tommy happen to have on Jimmy Brown's shirt ?"

i.

Just in Time— Tho Ballarat Star gives the following anecdote: — "Instances are so numerous in this colony where njeh'ob the very verge of ruin unexpectedly become the possessors of vast'Wetalth, ihat it may be hardly worth while to add unother to the number. However, as in this case the gentleman in questiba is pow rolling in. riches, and, besides, a well-known Sandhurst spoculator, his case may be adduced as descriptive of the old motto, nil desperandum. Having invested all his money in., a mining venture at Sandhurst, in Which of course he had great faith, he found himself without means of meeting the fortnight's expenditure, which amounted to £240, and the prospects below teiog no cheerier than before, the men began grumbling, and refused to continue the work unless their pay was forthcoming. The bank was appealed to, but, secure in its possession 6f the ptont, decliaed to advance anptlier copper; and Was, in fact, prapariug to. place its paws upon the property. Thus situated, and feeling disconsolate efaough efiipr his unsuccessful appeal to the' bank, the present possessor of thousands sat ,on the brace with some of the men, and explained the position «of affairs. A number of the mineis had come from below to get their wages, leaving only two under-ground, who wished to finish putting in a blast before coming up. Of course, no money was Forthcoming to those on top, and as ih^ey were about to leave off work the sound of the blast below reached tbeir oars", and they waited for their mates Coming up. Judge of their astonishment when they appeared with several pieces' : of quartz studded with gold. Tfcie drive was eagerly visited, nnd a nuti^lier of willing hands soon had another blast off, which disclosed the rsef-they had been vainly searching for daring Jpiig weary weeks previously, and which .they bad reached at last. All Jdanger.of r'uiu was now at an end, and the bank, meanwhile hearing of the good newe, supplied the required cash, aod_ even sent tbeir messenger with it in post haste to the claim, and a friendly intimation that bs much as was required oould be obtained. The gentleman refefted tp t - who profited thus acciBen tally by that lucky shot, has still a large connection in the same claim; and to, show the value of his interest it may .baslated that in dividends alone he has netted, since November last, no less a Bum than about £144,000, or about [£85$0tt pet* month.