FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 17 



the Benin River. Thus these Possessions are conter- 

 minous with the English Niger Protectorate, and 

 represent with the latter a coast line extending from 

 the Western Boundary of Katanu Kingdom to Ambas 

 Bay, and forming a sea-board of over 500 miles. 



In view of its commercial importance and in 

 generous compliance with the popular demand, by 

 further Letters Patent dated 13th of January, 1886, 

 Lagos was again separated from the Gold Coast and 

 erected into an independent Colony, which was pro- 

 claimed on the 13th February, 1886. 



The grand inland waters of Lagos, extending to the 

 Volta in the one direction, and to the Oil Rivers in the 

 other, are approached from the sea by a well-buoyed 

 Bar, the dangers and difficulties of which are reduced 

 to a minimum by the presence of a fleet of local Bar 

 steamers. For Bar service there is available a com- 

 petent staff of European pilots. 



This port constitutes the only safe harbour along 

 six hundred miles of coast, and its trade is likely to 

 have a grand future, which must, as has been the case 

 in the past, be largely dependent on the peace of the 

 surrounding and interior tribes and nations. Inter- 

 tribal wars, or rather guerilla and kidnapping expe- 

 ditions, that have unfortunately from time to time 

 been carried on, act as a commercial barometer. 



What has been and was known as the " Interior 

 War " begun in 1877, between the Ibadans and Egbas, 

 o-ave rise to the Ekiti-parapo Confederation, which, with 



c 



