=West African Medal.=--For their services against Mwele a number of men from four of H.M. ships were awarded the West African medal, but, instead of a bar, MWELE 1895-6 was impressed on the edge, on either side of the clasp claw, together with the name and ship of the recipient. Those already in possession of the medal had Mwele and the date engraved on the edge. The 24th and 26th Bombay Infantry were also engaged, and they likewise received the medal: the latter have the names, etc., engraved in slanting script like India 1895 medals. A bar for NIGER 1897 was issued later, and in 1898 bars for BENIN 1897 were issued to men from nine of H.M. ships, and a bar for DAWKITA 1897 was also added for the members of the Gold Coast Constabulary who took part in the defence of Dawkita. In 1899 authority was given to add the bar for SIERRA LEONE 1898-99 to the East and West Africa medal for those engaged in the country between February 1898 and March 1899. Men of the West African Rifles and 1st West India Regiment were engaged, also some Royal Garrison Artillerymen. The name and date are arranged in two lines, and the bar is consequently rather wider than the others. The named edges are engraved in capital Roman letters, but some issued to Europeans are impressed. In 1900 it was decided to issue four more bars, and to revert to the use of dates instead of names; these bars cover 1896-8, 1897-8, 1898, and 1899. In the following year the bar inscribed 1896-99 was issued to those who had been employed in the northern parts of the Gold Coast, or in the hinterland of Lagos; later those who had been engaged in the Kadima and Munchi expeditions were awarded the medal and bar for 1900.
=The Relief of Chitral.=--Early in 1895 the war cloud was gathering in Chitral; the Nizam-ul-Mulk, the nominee of the British, had been shot at the instigation of his supposedly idiot half-brother, Amir-ul-Mulk, and the Indian Government was in no great haste to recognise the succession attained in such a way, especially as the Mehtar indulged in the most savagely murderous deeds. Later came the news to Surgeon-Major (afterwards Sir George) Robertson that on the night of January 22nd Umra Khan had crossed the Lowari Pass into Chitral territory with 3,000 or 4,000 followers, demanding that Amir-ul-Mulk should join him. Then Robertson made up his mind to reach Chitral, and occupy the fort in the valley, as speedily as possible. The little force pressed on, many an unfortunate man getting frost-bitten during the terribly cold nights. An ultimatum was then sent to Umra Khan, indicating that he must at once leave Chitralis territory. Of course he did not; one or two unfortunate affairs happened--the disaster at Mastuj and at the Koragh defile, where a number of the surviving Sikhs, after existing without food or water for seven or eight days, were cajoled, by the promise of life, from the little sangars in which they had taken refuge, and then cruelly murdered. The gallant defence of Rashun under Edwardes and Fowler, until they were captured by the cunning of Muhammad Isa, must be mentioned _en passant_.
