1-150-723 - The Cartoon Collector/Heritage-Images

'Dearly Bought', 1874. Sir Garnet Wolseley is depicted presenting Britannia with King King Coffee's state umbrella. British troops in the background stand guard over the dejected native King. This relates to the Ashanti Campaign in which Sir Garnet mounted an invasion of Kumasi, the Ashanti capital, after they threatened British settlements on the Gold Coast. Kumasi fell in February 1874 and Sir Garnet had sent news that his troops were now marching towards home. They had taken Kumasi, King King Coffee's stronghold and the King's captives were freed. Sir Garnet, who believed it was impossible to negotiate in any civilised manner with natives, instead gave orders that the palace and city should be burned. However, the King was prepared to enter into negotiation and the Treaty of Fommarah was signed to enforce the payment of a war indemnity, the renunciation of any Ashanti claim to a number of areas, and the maintenance at Ashanti expense of a road between the coast and Kumasi to facilitate trade. The King's state umbrella was presented to Queen Victoria at Windsor. From Punch, or the London Charivari, March 21, 1874.