In the nineteenth century one can distinguish between three different stages in the development of British military policy in Africa. Up to 1840 British military policy relied heavily on eighteenthcentury precedent and revolved round the triple pillars of the Africa Squadron, the forts, and the military personnel, made up mainly of Europeans who were brought fran Great Britain or raised among European volunteers at the coast in times of emergency. Between 1840 and 1870 the British relied rather heavily on the Indian troops, whcn they used in a strategic role to deal with military problems in her African possessions. During this period attempts were made to raise small but local paramilitary units to supplement the efforts of the India Regiments. Fran the 1870's onwards the limitations in the use of the Indian troops and the need to cut down military expenditure led to the emphasis placed on the raising of ccmparatively large African and local forces which later took over the duties previously undertaken by the India Regiments. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, when the need arose, these local forces were amalgamated into what came to be known as the West African Frontier Force, which eventually became the instrument used by the British government not only to ward off European trespassers in those areas which it claimed but also to consolidate its authority in Africa in subsequent years.