19 MAY 1900, Page 2

The news from Coomassie is gloomy, though not quite intelligible.

The Governor of the Gold Coast is still shut up there, all the tribes apparently having risen, and is in such straits that he is credited by the latest accounts with a plan for breaking out at any hazard, and cutting his way through to the coast. He is, however, probably in ignorance of the columns, three, as we gather, of five hundred men each, which are moving to his relief, and which may prove too strong for the ill-armed natives. There is no reason for despair yet, though there is for abandoning our ridiculous policy of hold- ing West Africa without regular force enough to make local risings even dangerous. If we have soldiers the natives will help us ; if not, not.