The British were the first to colonize this area when, in 1697, Captain Smurt brought his frigate round the coast from the North Lake, which can be entered from the Pacific Ocean. He had a brush with the fleet of the slave traders who had their fort up on the North Coast, just as today. He evaded them and sailed south to finally land at the village that has now become the town of Manchester. From that area, the British later struck out to the east, north and south being restricted in their travels by the Kej Mountains to the east.

They did not encounter much opposition from the Sultan of Akbar, whose troops were kept fully engaged in fighting civil wars and keeping the hill men of Nusa and Akbar Mountains at bay, besides fighting the natives from the adjacent ends of the south and East Jungle. The native state of Akbar, in those days, stretched from the coast in the north, east of North Jungle, downwards and to the eastwards of the Nusa Desert and the South Jungle to the marshlands by the South Lake. To the East it stretched to the River Bata.

In 1745, the British being otherwise engaged, the French landed from a fleet of warships and transports at what is now Philipville and at Ferryville. In the course of the next few years they succeeded, after a series of fierce and bloody wars, in taking much of the State of Akbar under the French flag. By 1880 they held an area as shown on the map, whilst the Germans had moved in via Hagenheim, which was the last available port of access remaining in the whole of East Asia.

And so we come to 1883. The whole area is a powder keg and there are at least six separate excuses for war. Roughly speaking, they are as follows:

1. The Germans are bitterly conscious of the fact that they do not have a port on the North Lake, nor any form of access to that area and to the sea. Their shipping has to make the long voyage right around the peninsula to Hagenheim, which doubles their joumey. They are also conscious that they have severely beaten the French in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and yet the French have considerably more of East Asia than have the Germans.

2. The Sultan of Akbar is an old man, but he has been the greatest ruler that the country has ever had. He has kept a very rigid peace with his three European neighbors, but bitterly feels the fact that all of them hold what was originally a large part of Akbar. He also is very unhappy about Akbar not having any direct access to the Lakes. He would like to see Akbar regain some of this territory before he dies, but is handicapped by having two sons already wrangling over his kingdom.

3. The French want access to the North Lake, but do not feel inclined at this stage to tackle the British for Kerka or Ropertown, nor to antagonize Akbar by going through their territory to get to these places.

4. The British are having considerable trouble in keeping contact between Aprico and Manchester because of the fierce hill men in the mountains between these places. They are also having difficulty in keeping forts supplied in many parts of the area they occupy because of either natives or hill men raiding the convoys.

5. The French and the Germans are similarly having difficulty in supplying their forts and town and it seems possible that some sort of punitive expedition will have to be mounted either singly or jointly by the three countries to rid themselves of these menaces.

6. The slavers have a well-equipped fleet of dhows, armed with relatively modem guns, that sail on their slave raids up and down the Samba River and the River Kej.

In late 1882 the German government secretly decided that the time has come to extend their colonial possessions. They plan to send a strong force of regular Prussian troops from Germany to reinforce their colonial soldiers and native levies in German East Asia. Their Navy is not strong enough to mount a sea-borne invasion of the ports, and area they wish to attain, so their attacks will mainly have to be by land with gunboat support.

The Respective Forces

Germany Colonial Troops
4 Native Infantry Bns
3 Companies to the Bn
4 German Infantry Bns
24 Companies in all
1 Squadron cavalry

German Crack Troops
3 Jager Bns - 9 Companies in all
4 Line Bns - 12 Companies in all
1 Squadron cavalry
4 Horse Artillery Bty - 8 Troops, 1 gun each
3 Foot Artillery Bty - 6 Troops, 1 gun each
2 Gatling gun Bty - 4 Troops, 1 gun each
1 Howitzer
2 Seige guns
1 Mountain Bty, 2 guns
Pontoon train

Naval Force - Gunboat "Wilhelm"
1 Company sailors
2 Companies marines

France
4 Bns Chasseurs a pied - 12 Companies in all)
7 Bns Native infantry - 21 Companies in all )
6 Bns Line infantry - 18 Companies in all )
3 Bns Foreign Legion - 9 Companies in all )
1 Foreign Legion mounted company
8 Squadrons cavalry
4 Squadrons native cavalry

Naval Force - Gunboat "Florian"
1 Company sailors
3 Companies marine ftisiliers
4 Horse artillery Btys, 8 Troops of I gun each
4 Field artillery l3tys, 8 Troops of 1 gun each
2 Mitrailleuse l3tys, 4 Troops of I gun each
2 Siege guns
1 Howitzer
1 Mountain Bty
Pontoon train

Great Britain
3 Rifle Bns - 9 Companies in all
10 Line Bns - 30 Companies in all
2 Egyptian infantry Bns - 6 Companies in all
9 Indian Army infantry Bns - 27 Companies in all
12 Squadrons British cavalry
10 Squadrons Indian cavalry
1 Regt. Camel Corps
4 Horse artillery Btys - 8 Troops, 1 gun each
4 Field artillery Btys - 8 Troops, 1 gun each
2 Gatling - 4 Troops, 1 gun each
1 Howitzer
1 Mountain Bty, 2 guns
2 Siege guns
Pontoon train

Naval Force - Gunboat "Dahlia"
2 Companies sailors
1 Company marines
1 Gatling

In addition, each country has formed units of irregular horse in all their territory - about 15 men strong per unit. The settlers and, in many cases the native population, will aid the soldier if their homes are invaded. This is dependent upon circumstances.

Great Britain Irregular Horse Units
Bettington's Aprico Light Horse
Lonsdale's Manchester Light Horse
Pope's Maidstone Horse
Caswell's Busa Horse Volunteers
Baker's Sampa Mounted Rifles
Shepstone's Ropertown Lancers
McQueen's Kerka Light Horse

German Irregular Horse Units
Hauptmann's Stettin Reiters
Landmann's Postdarnstrasse Dragoons
Muller's Leipzig Hussars
Alba's Hagenheini Light Horse

French Irregular Horse Units
Ferrara's Ferryville Chevaux Legere
Duberey's Joinville Mounted Zouaves
Bulanger's Nilthaut Chevaux Legere
Martin's Philipville Horse
Lebouef s Nusaville Hussars

Commander

Great Britain
General Sir Gamet Wolseley C in C (B)
General Stewart (A)
General E. Wood (B)
General Roberts (A)
Col. R. Buller (B)
Col. Drury Lowe (B)
General Colley (C)
Col. Smith (C)
Lord Ch. Bereford (B) Naval Cm

Germany
General von Weldersee (B) C in C
General von Hartmann (A)
General Moss (B)
Col. Bauer (B)
Col. Wenzel (B)
Lt. Cmdr. Adler (B) Naval Cmdr.

France
General Marat (B) C in C
General Flic (A)
General Lemartin (B)
Col. Simon (B)
Col. D'Arbre (B)
Col. Hier (C)
Lt. Cmdr. LeMare, Naval Cmdr.

Disposition of Troops

German

Fort Stettin (General von Hartmann)
2 Btys heavy artillery
1 Bty gatling guns
2 Siege trains
Pontoon train
2 Squadrons European cavalry
2 Squadrons Native cavalry
3 Companies line infantry
3 Companies European colonial infantry
3 Companies Native infantry
Hauptmann's Stettin Light Horse

Gunboat "Wilhelm" off shore Kerka, Lt. Cmdr.
1 Company sailors
2 Companies marines

Leipzig (General Moss)
2 Btys field guns
1 Howitzer
2 Squadrons European cavalry
1 Squadron Native cavalry
2 Companies line infantry
2 Companies European colonial infantry
2 Companies Native infantry
Muller's Leipzig Hussars

Potsdamstrasse (General von Waldersee)
1 Bty horse artillery
2 Squadrons European cavalry
3 Squadrons Native cavalry
1 Company jagers
2 Companies line infantry
2 Companies European colonial infantry
2 Companies Native infantry
Landmann's Potsdarnstrasse Dragoons

Fort Wilhelm (Col. Wenzel)
1 Bty horse artillery
2 Squadrons European cavalry
3 Squadrons Native cavalry
2 Companies jagers
2 Companies line infantry
2 Companies European colonial infantry
2 Companies Native infantry

Hagenheim (Col. Bauer)
1 Bty field artillery
1 Bty Gatling guns
1 Bty Mountain guns
1 Bty horse artillery
2 Squadrons European cavalry
2 Squadrons Native cavalry
2 Companies jagers
3 Companies line infantry
3 Companies European colonial infantry
3 Companies Native infantry
Alba's Hagenheim Light Horse

Great Britain

Kerka
1 Company British infantry
1 Company Native infantry
McQueen's Kerka Light Horse

Fort Windsor (General E. Wood)
1 Bty field artillery
I Squadron British cavalry
2 Squadrons Native cavalry
1 Rifle company
3 Companies British infantry
3 Companies Native infantry

Ropertown
1 Company British infantry
1 Company Native infantry

Fort Charles (General Stewart)
1 Bty horse artillery
1 Bty Gatling guns
1 Squadron British cavalry
1 Squadron Native cavalry
I Rifle company
3 Companies British infantry
3 Companies Native infantry

Fort John (Col. Drury Lowe)
1 Bty horse artillery
1 Squadron British cavalry
2 Squadrons Native cavalry
1 Rifle company
3 Companies British infantry
3 Companies Native infantry

Sampa
1 Field gun (1/2 battery)
Pontoon train
1 Squadron British cavalry
2 Squadrons Native cavalry
1 Rifle company
2 Companies British infantry
2 Companies Native infantry
Baker's Sampa Mounted Rifles

Fort George (General Buller)
1 Bty mountain artillery
1 Gatling gun (1/2 battery)
2 Squadrons British cavalry
1 Squadron Native cavalry
1 Rifle company
3 Companies British infantry
3 Companies Native infantry

Fort Victoria (Col. Smith)
1 Field gun (1/2 battery)
1 Rifle company
2 Companies British infantry
2 Companies Native infantry

Manchester (General Sir G. Wolseley)
2 Siege guns
2 Squadrons British cavalry
1 Squadron Native cavalry
3 Companies British infantry
5 Companies Native infantry
Lonsdale's Manchester Light Horse

Fort Henry (General Colley)
1 Field gun (1/2 battery)
1 Rifle company
2 Companies British infantry
2 Companies Native infantry

Aprico
1 Bty horse artillery
1 Squadron British cavalry
1 Squadron Native cavalry
1 Company British infantry
1 Company Native infantry
Bettington's Aprico Light UorsA

Fort William (General F. Roberts)
1 Bty horse artillery
1 Howitzer
1 Squadron British cavalry
1 Squadron Native cavalry
1 Rifle company
3 Companies British infantry
3 Companies Native infantry

Busa
1 Field gun (1/2 battery)
1 Squadron British cavalry
1 Squadron Native cavalry
2 Companies British infantry
2 Companies Native infantry
Caswell's Busa Horse Volunteei

Maidstone
1 Bty field artillery
1 Gatling gun (1/2 battery)
1 Squadron British cavalry
1 Rifle company
1 Company British infantry
6 Companies Native infantry
Pope's Maidstone Horse

British Oasis
Camel Corps

Gunboat "Dahlia" at Manchester Lord
2 Companies sailors
1 Company marines
1 Gatling gun

France

Ferryville
1 Company line infantry
2 Companies Native infantry
1 Field gun
1 Mitrailleuse

Philipville
2 Companies line infantry
3 Companies Native infantry
2 Field guns
1 Mitrailleuse

Fort Dauphin (General Le Martin)
2 Companies Chasseurs
2 Companies line infantry
2 Companies Native infantry
2 Companies Foreign Legion
2 Squadrons line cavalry
1 Squadron Native cavalry
2 Field guns
2 Horse guns

Fort Madam (General Simon)
2 Companies Chasseurs
2 Companies line infantry
2 Companies Native infantry
2 Companies Foreign Legion
2 Squadrons line cavalry
1 Squadron Native cavalry
2 Field guns
4 Horse guns
1 Mitrailleuse

Joinville
1 Company line infantry
2 Companies Native infantry
1 Field gun

Nusaville General Marat)
3 Companies Chasseurs
3 Companies line infantry
3 Companies Native infantry
3 Squadrons line cavalry
1 Squadron Native cavalry
2 Field guns
4 Horse guns
2 Siege guns

Nilthaut
1 Company line infantry
1 Company Native infantry
1 Field gun
1 Mitrailleuse

Fort Louis (General D'Arbre)
2 Companies Chasseurs
2 Companies line infantry
2 Companies Native infantry
2 Companies Foreign Legion
2 Squadrons line cavalry
1 Squadron Native cavalry
2 Field guns
2 Horse guns
2 Mountain guns

Fort Reunis (Col. Hier)
1 Company line infantry
1 Company Native infantry
1 Squadron line cavalry
1 Field gun

Fort Faubrug (General Flic)
3 Companies Chasseurs
3 Companies line infantry
3 Companies Native infantry
3 Companies Foreign Legion
2 Squadrons line cavalry
2 Squadrons Native cavalry
2 Field guns
2 Horse guns
4 Horse guns