The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-02-22 00:00:00

THE ZULU WAR.

The authorities at the Horse Guards have been
besieged by applicants for appointments in any
capacity at the seat of war. General officers
and subalterns alike have tendered their services, and
more than one lieuteuant.colonel of a regiment has
volunteered to resign his command in order to proceed
to South Africa. There is much difference of
opinion as to the propriety of volunteering. Some
officers approve, others highly disapprove the
system that permits it. Whatever may be the
diversity of opinion on this subject, there can be no
doubt that the present desire evinced by officers of all
ranks to share in the coming campaign is a sign of a
healthy feeling in the Army. The promptitude with
which battalions have been brought up to a war
strength shows that the feeling does not exist alone in
the conamissione4 grades, but that it has spread with
equal rapidity along the rank and file.—Monday's

The Daily Telegraph of Tuesday says :—" At Hounslow
Barracks yesterday a scene of busy preparation and soldierly
enthusiasm was presented throughout the day, in con-
sequence of the orders received by that splendid regiment,
the 17th Lancers, to get ready for immediate embarkation.
Lieutenant Colonel Drury Lowe, who goes out in command of
the 17th, visited the barracks yesterday morning; and, though
he came quite privatelyiu a cab,he was recognised at once, and
was greeted with such ringing cheers that he was obliged to
acknowledge them. No commander could possibly receive
a more convincing and significant token of eagerness to
follow, in at good cause, than was thus afforded. It is abun-
dantly evident, indeed, that the 'Death or Glory Boys,' as
the 17th Lancers—who wear the grim insignia of a skull and
crossed-bones on their sleeve—are called, have their whole
heart in this expedition."

A strong contingent of the unfortunate 24th Regiment,
stationed at Brecon, are under orders for the Cape. Many
of the soldiers of this regiment are Brecon men. The band
did not play as usual on Sunday to church, and each man
wore a mourning badge in memory of his fallen comrades.

On Monday night a party of 16 men of the 6th Dragoons
who had volunteered for service at the Cape, left Edinburgh
by the 9 20 train from the IVaverley Station for Aldershot.
As the train left the men were loudly cheered by a crowd
who had assembled to witness their departure.

A dozen flat-bottomed horse boats were got ready at
Portsmouth for use in landing horses from the transports at
Natal. Each troopship will carry one or more. The boats
carry ten horses, and their sterns are arranged to fall and
form a brow.

On Monday bargeloads of provisions were conveyed from
the stores in the It.oyal Dockyard, Woolwich, to the ships,
and the first instalment of the regimental baggage began to
arrive. At the Clothing Establishment, Pimdco, the pres-
sure has been exceptionally great, as may be estimated by
the fact that 20,000 garments have had to be made in seven
days and the last of the batch was delivered on Tuesday.

A meeting of the Liverpool sailors on strike was held on
Monday afternoon (says the Standard), and, amidst great
enthuqa.sru, it was announced that they had volunteered to
man the fleet of transport steamers now preparing at Liver-
pool to take out troops to the Cape, and that they had decided
not to ask more tban a "living rate" of wages, viz,, £3 10s.
per month. Mr. W. Simpson addressed the meeting, com-
plimenting the men upon their patriotic resolve, and
stating that it would tend greatly te secure them the sym-
pathy of the general public in their dispute. It was after-
wards announced that several of the shipowners had
granted the full rates of pay asked for.

The Dunrcbin Castle left Cape Town on January 27, and
arrived on the 10th of February at St. Vincent, whence the
news of the disaster of January 22 was telegraphed to this
cluntry. The Conway Castle, on her way out, left St.
Vincet t on Monday, and would thence take telegraphic de-
spatches from Downimpstreetto Lord Chelmsford, in answer
to his despatch announcing the defeat of the British force
under Colonel Durnford. The despatches from the Home
Government would give reassuring information as to the
reinforcements which would be sent out; and the Conway
Castle, conveying them, would reach C.pe Town on the 2nd
of March. The reinforcements sent out this week will be on
their way in 28 days after the disaster actually occurred,
and in 22 days from the date at which the news left the
Cape.

A general order has been issued by Lieutenant-General
Lord Chelmsford, commanding the troops in Natal,
that every non-commissioned officer and man in his army
shall be supplied with a copy of Speedy Aids to the Wounded,
written by Dr. Shepherd, A.M.D., under the sanction and as
the expense of the Order of St. John.

Most of the officers who were sent out to Natal last
August for special employment under Lord Chelmsford, had
been doing duty since tueir arrival in organising native
levies. Four of their number, viz., Captain Alan Gardner,
14th Hussars, and Edward Esqex, 75th Foot; Lieutenants
Dundonald Cochrane, 32nd Light Infantry, and Horace
Smith-Dorrien, 95th Foot, were encamped at Rorke's Drift at
the time of our defeat by the Zulus, but are stated to have
made good their escape.

Captain or Lieutenant 31e1ville, who was killed at the
Cape, had only been married two daya.—The World.

The young subaltern of the 24th Regiment who escaped
from the massacre of his regiment near Rorke's Drift, and
succeeded with a small force of 80 men in keeping a whole
army of Zulus at bay for 12 hours, is not only to obtain the
command of his company but will receive also the brevet
rank of major in recognition of his most gallant conduct
The officer referred to is Lieut. Gonville Bromhead, the
brother of the Major Bromhead who earned distinction in
the Ashantee campaign. and who was also employed in
active service with the 24th Regiment at the Cape, but who
fortunately escaped the massacre at Rorke's Dritt.