29 NOVEMBER 1873, Page 3

The despatches from the Gold Coast received this week add

'little to our knowledge of affairs there, but we observe a great conflict of testimony among the Special Correspondents. The Daily News' account, on which we relied, affirmed most distinctly that after the surprise of the Ashantee camp by Colonel Festing the Ashantees rallied and attacked the force, which retired, " fighting every inch of the way," upon Dunquah. The Telegraph and Standard, on the other hand, assume a complete victory, and Colonel Festing's account, although not wholly inconsistent with the Daily News, makes the affair much more successful, and conveys no notion of retiring till the Ashantees were completely beaten :—" We at once brought a 7-pounder gun and locket-trough into action, and continued to engage the enemy, who filled the surrounding bush, with a hot fire for about a couple of hours, after which I advanced some of the 2nd West India Regiment, who poured a heavy fire into them from their Sniders. During the sharp action we inflicted a heavy loss upon the Ashantees. As it was becoming late, after destroying their camp, we collected our forces and returned to Dunquah, whither we arrived at sunset."