8 5 ▁Captain ▁ ▁was ▁commanded ▁to ▁re - form ▁the ▁squad ron ▁with ▁ ▁, ▁ ▁and ▁, ▁deployed ▁under ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁Kn orr ▁in ▁East ▁Africa , ▁and ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁West ▁Africa . ▁In ▁the ▁event , ▁the ▁multiple ▁demand ▁on ▁Germany ’ s ▁small ▁force ▁of ▁gun bo ats ▁meant ▁that ▁on ▁reaching ▁Cape ▁Town , ▁the ▁G ne isen au ▁was ▁ordered ▁back ▁to ▁East ▁Africa , ▁leaving ▁only ▁the ▁Prince ▁Ad al bert ▁and ▁the ▁St os ch ▁to ▁continue ▁to ▁West ▁Africa ▁before ▁proceed ing ▁back ▁to ▁Germany , ▁and ▁the ▁West ▁African ▁squad ron ▁was ▁finally ▁dissol ved ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 8 8 5 . ▁After ▁this ▁the ▁Imperial ▁German ▁Navy ▁established ▁the ▁West ▁African ▁Station , ▁covering ▁the ▁mar itime ▁area ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁West ▁Africa . ▁War ships ▁were ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁ports ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁German ▁colon ies . ▁ ▁The ▁West ▁Africa ▁Conference ▁and ▁territorial ▁adjust ments ▁ ▁Having ▁st aked ▁its ▁claims ▁with ▁Nach t ig al ▁and ▁back ed ▁them ▁up ▁with ▁naval ▁force ▁by ▁dispatch ing ▁the ▁West ▁Africa ▁Squadron , ▁Germany ▁needed ▁to ▁secure ▁international ▁recognition ▁of ▁its ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁ ▁B ism ar ck ▁believed ▁that ▁the ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁colon ies , ▁while ▁expensive ▁and ▁of ▁no ▁real ▁economic ▁or ▁military ▁interest , ▁was ▁benef icial ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁gain ing ▁b arg aining ▁power ▁with ▁other ▁govern ments . ▁His ▁foreign ▁policy ▁goal ▁was ▁to