▁stem ▁the ▁increasing ▁influence ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁along ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁Guinea ▁coast . ▁The ▁French ▁built ▁naval ▁bases ▁to ▁keep ▁out ▁non - F rench ▁trad ers ▁and ▁began ▁a ▁system atic ▁pac ification ▁of ▁the ▁interior ▁to ▁stop ▁ra ids ▁on ▁their ▁settlement s . ▁They ▁accomplished ▁this ▁only ▁after ▁a ▁long ▁war ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 0 s ▁against ▁Mand ink a ▁tribes men , ▁mostly ▁from ▁the ▁G amb ia . ▁However , ▁ra ids ▁by ▁the ▁Ba oul é ▁and ▁other ▁eastern ▁tribes ▁continued ▁until ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁defeat ▁of ▁France ▁in ▁the ▁Franco - Pr uss ian ▁War ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 1 ▁and ▁the ▁subsequent ▁an nex ation ▁by ▁Germany ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁province ▁of ▁Als ace - L or raine ▁caused ▁the ▁French ▁government ▁to ▁abandon ▁its ▁colonial ▁amb itions ▁and ▁withdraw ▁its ▁military ▁g arr isons ▁from ▁its ▁West ▁African ▁trad ing ▁posts , ▁leaving ▁them ▁in ▁the ▁care ▁of ▁resident ▁mer ch ants . ▁The ▁trad ing ▁post ▁at ▁Grand ▁Bass am ▁in ▁I v ory ▁Coast ▁was ▁left ▁in ▁the ▁care ▁of ▁a ▁sh i pper ▁from ▁Marse ille , ▁Arthur ▁Verd ier , ▁who ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 8 ▁was ▁named ▁Res ident ▁of ▁the ▁Est ab lish ment ▁of ▁I v ory ▁Coast . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 6 , ▁to ▁support ▁its ▁claims ▁of ▁effective ▁occupation , ▁France ▁again ▁assumed ▁direct ▁control ▁of ▁its ▁West ▁African ▁coast