THE EARL OF CARNARVONasked whether certain statements published in The Times of this morning as to hostilities on the Gold Coast were correct, and 139 whether the Government had received any despatches containing such information. If the statements were well founded, they tended to confirm the fear he recently expressed that Colonel Harley's estimate of the position was too sanguine, and that we should find ourselves engaged in another long and costly African war.
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYsaid, no Department of the Government had received any information of the nature described by the noble Earl. He was, therefore, unable from any official source to inform him whether the information contained in the letter which had appeared in The Times was correct; but he was bound to say that he believed it would turn out to be substantially true. The latest information in his possession was dated the 4th of June, and arrived on the 28th. At that time the Ashantee forces were near a place called Donquah, in the Denkera country, and it was expected that a battle would come off between them and the Fantee tribes. The statement in The Times corresponded as to the locality, and he feared, therefore, that the battle had resulted in the defeat of the latter as was stated. It was due to Colonel Harley to say that though on one unfortunate occasion he under-estimated the Ashanteo force, he had by no means erred in the sense of taking a sanguine view of the position, having always represented it as of a serious kind. The noble Earl had not, apparently, noticed another letter, which stated that two African mail steamers, the Yoruba and the Nigritia,had been lost. He conjectured that this might be the cause of his not receiving correspondence regularly. A considerable quantity of military stores and provisions had been sent to the Gold Coast, and some, but by no means the larger portion, had been lost in those steamers. To remedy this loss a special steamer would be sent out immediately, with provisions and stores; but a considerable quantity had already arrived, and he had no serious apprehensions on that head. Papers giving a complete history of the matter up to a comparatively late date would be in the hands of Members of both Houses on Monday or Tuesday. These Papers would contain much information respecting the state of affairs at these Settlements, and he would communicate further information hereafter.
THE EARL OF LAUTDERDALEsaid, he had no doubt that the account in The Times was correct, for by the last account Donquah was closely besieged by the Ashantees, and the King had written to the Administrator that, without immediate assistance he could not hold out. He feared the Administrator was under a delusion or was fettered by instructions, for he had seen a document in which he stated that he had given the protected tribes no assistance, except a small supply of powder. A gentleman also arrived by the last mail who was in the last action, and who said the Fantees were quite able and willing to beat back the Ashantees if they had some assistance. Unfortunately, our protected tribes at Cape Coast Castle and the Settlements had not been adequately supplied with arms and ammunition, and the result was that the whole country was now in a state of disorder, and had been completely devastated by the Ashantees.
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYthought the noble Earl should await the despatches before condemning an Administrator placed in a very trying position.