All the mosquitoes in the world seem inclined to sting
England at once. King Koffee Kalcalli, of Ashauteo, has just declared war. Mr. Griffith, Lieutenant-Governor of the Gold Coast, on January 18th gave asylum to an Ashantee prince, who implored protection ; and next, day the King's messengers, bearing a gold axe, the symbol of war, demanded the refugee. Mr. Griffith, of course, refused to surrender him, but intimated to his superiors at home his opinion that war would immediately follow, and that British territory would be at once invaded. A West India Regi- ment has been ordered to Cape Coast Castle, and the Houssa force collected ; while the Admiralty has seat the Champion,' corvette, from Madeira, with four or five gunboats, to protect the settlement. The garrison of the Castle is full of heart, and it is hoped that the King will be checked in the attempt to cross the Prate, but we may be underrating his strength. He evidently desires to wipe out the recollection of his defeat, and is said to have drilled his men, and to have collected sufficient arms of precision. The Houssas can be relied ou, and the West Indians and the Blue-jackets will be most efficient, but a stronger white force would seem to be required. If the King is driven hack, all will be well, but should we sustain a defeat, it may be neces- sary for the second time to march to Coomassie,—that is, to expend lives and money on an expedition which nobody desires, and which can have no beneficial result. Nobody wants Coomassie, but the colony cannot live under constant threats of invasion.
