QUESTION. (Hansard, 30 March 1874)

EARL GREY
said, he understood it was the intention of the noble Earl the Secretary for the Colonies to make a statement as to the intention of the Government with respect to the Gold Coast, and he wished to ask the noble Earl, Whether he was now prepared to make that statement?

THE EARL OF CARNARVON
I think the noble Earl (Earl Grey) must have somewhat misunderstood me in a conversation I had with him. I think your Lordships will agree with me that this is not the time to make such a statement as the noble Earl seems to anticipate—an exposition of the intentions of Her Majesty's Government as to our future policy on the Gold Coast. Before we arrive at a conclusion on so serious a subject, there are many views to be taken and many considerations to be weighed; and from time to time, even within the last few days, information has been coming which makes me feel how very imprudent it would be to state to the House the intentions of Her Majesty's Government on so serious a question. But I may make a short statement 395 of the present position and of the measures adopted for what may be called the provisional government of the Gold Coast. It may be convenient to the House that that statement should be made, and I am so far glad that my noble Friend has asked this Question. There is this further reason, perhaps, for stating nothing positively at this moment—that the Treaty which it was one of the main objects of Sir Garnet Wolseley to obtain from the King of Askantee is not yet signed. When that signature will be given, and the Treaty completed, it is, of course, impossible to say. Africans, under any circumstances, are slow in action; they do not consider the value of time, and, therefore, I attach, perhaps, less weight to it than I should to similar action on the part of civilized Powers. If I remember rightly, it took the King something like five years after the first great war of 1826 before he could finally make up his mind to sign the Treaty, which is almost the only one now in existence regulating our relations with the Ashautees. It must also be borne in mind that the whole civil life of the Settlement is in abeyance. Though the war is concluded, the civil life of the colony has hardly recommenced, and till that commences it is impossible to speak with any precision or certainty as to the future. I may, however, state, as regards the number and disposition of the troops on the Gold Coast, that, so far as we can judge, they are amply sufficient to provide means of defence. The 2nd West India Regiment was under orders to sail, and has probably left the coast. The 1st West India Regiment is detained there for the present, but only provisionally, until matters can be hold to be in a settled condition. The total strength of that regiment is 550, of whom 150 will proceed to Sierra Leone: so that the total force which will be available will be 100 men. In addition to that there are about 600 armed police, who will be scattered on various parts of the coast and inland stations, with a view of maintaining order and securing the peace of the district. I may take the opportunity of observing that the detachment stationed by Sir Garnet Wolseley—I think very prudently and discreetly—half way between the Prah and the coast, and at a point on that river itself, will keep open those paths where the Ashantee traders come 396 down from the interior to trade, the closing of which has often been the subject of great and, I believe, legitimate complaint, and where they have suffered serious molestation, amounting sometimes even to murder. Other detachments will keep open the mouth of the rivers—the Volta and the Adda—and regulate our relations with those refractory and rather lawless tribes on the eastern part of the Protectorate, who have given so much trouble, and might easily be inclined to do so again if they had the opportunity. Under present circumstances, it is no doubt desirable that a military officer should be in command for some little time to come, or, at all events, that the officer governing the Settlement should be a military man. It is rather sad to say; but Sir Garnet Wolseley offered this post to no less than four officers in succession, who thought themselves obliged, under the circumstances, to decline it. At last, Colonel Maxwell, of the 2nd West India Regiment, undertook the charge; but I regret to say that his state of health has rendered it necessary for him to come home, and the administration will, for the present, be placed in the hands of a distinguished officer on that coast (Captain Deedes), who has been Administrator once before, and is Collector of Customs at Lagos. It is obvious that no good government can exist unless there be an adequate revenue, and, of course, affairs on the Gold Coast have undergone during the last 12 months so complete a dislocation and disturbance that the financial well-being of the colony might be presumed to be equally disturbed. Such, however, docs not appear to be the case. There has for many years been a steady rise in the revenue of the settlement; and even in this year of disturbance there seems every probability that the revenue will show a considerable surplus over the expenditure. The figures are so striking that I may, perhaps, be allowed to mention them. In 1862, the total revenue of the Gold Coast was very little above £9,000; five years after it had only increased to £10,800; but in the following year it was £18,000, the next year £24,000, and the next £30,000, while in 1871 it was very nearly £20,000, and in 1872, £40,000—having more than quadrupled in ten years. This last year, in spite of exceptional disturbances, it was estimated to produce something like 397 £52,000, while the expenditure is set down at about £40,000. The exports and imports tell very much the same tale. The imports in 1862 were of the value of £145,000, and in 1872 they had nearly doubled, being £260,000. The exports in 1862 were £100,000, and in 1872, £385,000, having nearly quadrupled. My belief is that there is considerable power on that Coast to enlarge the revenue; and it must be borne in mind that the uniform duty which it was the object of the noble Earl opposite (Earl Granville) to produce when the transfer of the Dutch forts was made ought to produce a very much larger sum in years to conic than at present, when it has hardly had time to be brought into play. These are the main points which it is necessary at present to lay before the House. I am sure your Lordships will not expect me to state at this moment the future intentions of the Government as to the Gold Coast. It is a matter requiring the greatest consideration. On the one hand there are doubtful gains, the chances of wars like this, I he terrible loss of life, the fatal character of the climate; on the other hand, there are obligations which cannot be wholly overlooked; and the question is, how far all these things can be reconciled into a harmonious and consistent system of government, under which you might maintain what interests you have on the Coast, exercise what duties you have, and, above all, put yourselves in a position to see your responsibilities and liabilities, whatever they may be, in a clearer light than has been the case for many years. Whatever may be the ultimate result, that is a point which I shall desire to keep in view—namely, to define a little more carefully our relations with the different tribes, the nature of our obligations to them, and our moral liabilities. The information from time to time coming in, may modify many of our conclusions, but meanwhile we require time to consider carefully and dispassionately the different questions which will naturally arise in connection with this matter.

THE EARL of LAUDERDALE
was sorry to find that our force on the Coast had been reduced to nearly the same number as before the war began. In his opinion a considerable naval force and the West India regiments should I have been left until some sort of settled 398 government had been formed in the Protected Settlements.

THE EARL OF CARNARVON
said, his noble Friend had misunderstood him. What he said was that 400 men would be stationed at different points; and that, in addition, there would be 600 armed police—making a total of 1,000 men.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE
was glad to hear that statement. There should be on the Coast a considerable force until the Native tribes were induced to form that federation which had been attempted before the war, but which was mismanaged and fell to the ground. He wished to state that the Fantee men were the greatest cowards on the face of the earth, but that the Fantee women had come forward and supported the British forces in such a way as that but for them it would have been difficult to reach Coomassie. He hoped that the Government would let those women know that we were aware of the great service they had done. They carried a large portion of the ammunition and provisions for the troops; and at the commencement of the war they sold their gold ornaments, and subscribed money to buy powder and lead.

EARL GREY
expressed a hope that before the close of the Session the noble Earl (the Earl of Carnarvon) would take an opportunity of bringing clearly before the House the policy Her Majesty's Government intended to pursue with respect to the Cold Coast Settlements, and that their Lordships would also be afforded an opportunity of considering how it was that the war had been brought upon us. It could not but be satisfactory to their Lordships' House and to the country that an understanding should be arrived at both with respect to the future and also in reference to the circumstances out of which the war had originated.