THE ROYAL NIGER COMPANY 361 The hazardous nature of the position thus created led, in the year 1897, a decision on the part of the British Government to raise a local military force, of which the primary duty should be the defence, under proper control, of the inland frontiers of the British settlements. It was decided to raise this regiment, which was to be known as the West African Frontier Force, from native Haussa material, to be officered by picked white officers selected from the regular army for the purpose. In addition to the duty of defending the frontier, the force was to be available for all local military service in West Africa.

The duty of raising and organising this frontier force was entrusted to Captain, or, as he shortly became, Lieut.-Colonel Lugard, who was recalled from private work in South Africa for the purpose. Among the officers selected by Colonel Lugard to help him in the work, was Major, now Sir James Willcocks, by whom, as well as by other members of the first English staff, he was most loyally assisted.

It was thought desirable, chiefly for military reasons, to fix the headquarters of the force at Jebba, a point upon the Niger nearly 500 miles inland. The regiment, of which the formation was successfully accomplished, under conditions not likely to be forgotten by any of the officers who were engaged in it, has since then done conspicuous honour to its founders in the Ashantee War of 1900, as well as in many local campaigns. Its strength, first fixed at two battalions of infantry, each 1 200 strong, and three batteries of artillery, has since been increased by the addition of a battalion of mounted infantry 700 strong.

The strained situation was fortunately not prolonged.

In June of the following year the Anglo-French agreement of 1898, perhaps the most important of all the international agreements by which the position taken for Great Britain by the Niger Company was affirmed, happily brought to an end the ambiguities of the political