▁explore ▁and ▁test ▁the ▁existing ▁a ▁German ▁claims ▁in ▁the ▁region , ▁and ▁where ▁possible ▁to ▁establish ▁new ▁ones . ▁B ism ar ck ’ s ▁plan ▁was ▁to ▁use ▁Nach it ig al ’ s ▁treat ies ▁to ▁establish ▁German ▁so vere ig nt y ▁over ▁key ▁areas ▁in ▁West ▁Africa , ▁which ▁would ▁then ▁be ▁govern ed ▁indirect ly , ▁with ▁administration ▁undert aken ▁mainly ▁by ▁a ▁commercial ▁company . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁Nach t ig al ▁reached ▁Sang are ya ▁bay ▁and ▁the ▁Los ▁islands . ▁He ▁sent ▁a ▁party ▁ash ore ▁to ▁seek ▁treat ies ▁with ▁the ▁r ul ers ▁of ▁Kap ita ï ▁and ▁K oba . ▁However ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁he ▁arrived ▁the ▁local ▁chief s ▁had ▁already ▁reached ▁agre ements ▁with ▁France , ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁sign ▁any ▁new ▁treat ies . ▁Nach t ig al ▁therefore ▁ste amed ▁on ▁to ▁the ▁German ▁trad ing ▁posts ▁on ▁the ▁B ight ▁of ▁Ben in . ▁ ▁On ▁ 5 ▁July ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁Nach t ig al ▁signed ▁a ▁treat y ▁with ▁M la pa ▁III , ▁r uler ▁of ▁T ogo ▁( a ▁village ▁known ▁today ▁as ▁T og ov ille ) ▁establish ing ▁a ▁German ▁prote ctor ate ▁over ▁a ▁stretch ▁of ▁coast al ▁territory . ▁This ▁formed ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁the ▁future ▁German ▁col ony ▁of ▁T og ol and . ▁On ▁ 1 4 ▁July ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 8 8 4