On December 1, 1880, died, to the general regret of native and stranger,
Mr. Ussher, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Gold Coast; a veteran
in the tropics and an ex-commissariat officer, whose political service
dated from 1861. In British India a change of rulers is always supposed to
offer a favourable opportunity for 'doing something,' often in the shape
of a revolt or a campaign. The same proved to be the case in West Africa,
where the Ashanti is officially described as 'crafty, persistent,
mendacious, and treacherous.'
It may easily be imagined that after the English victories at Amoaful and
Ordusu in 1873-74 the African despotism sighed for _la revanche_. The
Treaty of Fomana, concluded (February 13), after the capture (February 4)
and the firing (February 6) of Kumasi, between Sir Garnet Wolseley and the
representative of the King, Kofi Kalkali, or Kerrikerri, subsequently
dethroned, stripped her of her principal dependencies--lopped off, in
fact, her four limbs. These were the ever-hostile province of Denkira,
auriferous Akim, Adansi, and lastly Assin, now part of our Protectorate.
The measure only renewed the tripartite treaty of April 27, 1831, when
King Kwako Dua, in consideration of free access to the seaboard, and in
friendship with the unfortunate and ill-treated Governor (George) Maclean,
'renounced all right or title to any tribute, or homage, from the Kings of
Denkira, Assin, and others formerly his subjects.
Pages:
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359