The Colonial Office acted with spirit and wholesome vigour. It was urged
on by Mr. Griffith, whose energetic reports certainly saved the
Protectorate grave troubles. He has thereby incurred much blame, ridicule,
and obloquy; nor has he received due credit from those under whom he
served.
The newly-appointed Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Gold Coast, Sir
Samuel Rowe, at once ordered out to relieve Mr. Griffith, left England in
mid-February. He was accompanied by a staff of seven officers temporarily
employed. Reinforcements were hurried from Sierra Leone and the West
Indies. The Admiralty was applied to for the reunion of cruisers upon the
Gold Coast waters. Estimates of native allies were drawn up, showing that
20,000 half-armed men could be brought into the field against the 30,000
of Ashanti. The loyal and powerful chief Kwamina Blay, of Atabo, in
Amrehia, or Western Apollonia, offered 6,000 muskets, and an additional
1,000 hands if the Government would supply arms and ammunition.
On January 19 the ambassador with the 'Gold Axe' presented himself at
Elmina. He was accompanied by Saibi Enkwia, who had signed the treaty at
Fomana, a village in Assin, between Kumasi and the Bosom Prah River.
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