3-085-855 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The French Aggressions in West Africa: scenes in the Royal Niger Company's Territory, 1898. 'A street in Lokoja... Much excitement has prevailed since the news received on Friday last of French subaltern officers in command of detachments of negro soldiery pursuing a course of aggressive movements within the British territories of the interior...there is a despatch from Lieutenant-Colonel Pilcher, commanding at Lokoja, the chief inland port on the Niger, dated Feb. 20, Sunday last, stating that four French officers, with a hundred men, have arrived at Argungu, on the eastern or right bank of that river, which belongs to Sokoto. Since the arrival of this extremely grave intelligence, M. Hanotaux, French Minister for Foreign Affairs, has on behalf of his Government formally repudiated the action of the French aggressors, as far as Sokoto is concerned; but even granted that the advance was unauthorised, the French claims on Boussa and Nikki have yet to be dealt with, and the situation remains sufficiently serious'. From "Illustrated London News", 1898.