The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-02-16 00:00:00

DEATH OF CETYWAYO,

A telegram dated Durban, February 10, says :
Oetywayo died yesterday afternoon, in his hut at
Ekowe. The military doctor thinks that the cause of
death was heart disease.

The Times. noticing the announcement of the death
of the ex-King of the Zulus, says :—Cetywayo was
the son of King Umpanda, who for many years ruled
over Zululand. In 1856 Cetywayo's ambitious
designs on the throne led to family quarrels, which
before long broke forth into open war. In one of the
battles six of the King's sons were slain, and as the
result of Cetywayo's victories he virtually superseded
his father and became King. A year or two later an
Ingenious compromise was arrived at. King Um-
panda was declared to be too old to work or fight, but
not too old to think. Cetywayo was, therefore, called
in to share the Royal dignities and duties. The
father was styled the head, while the son was said to
be the feet of the nation. Umpanda, however, lived
for many years after this compact had robbed him
of most of his power. It was not until 1873, after a
reign of 35 years, that the old King was laid
to rest. Cetywayo then succeeded to the throne,
his coronation taking place in the presence
of the Secretary for Native Affairs, Mr., afterwards
Sir, Theophilus Shepstone. Five years later, Sir
Bartle Frere, Governor of Cape Colony, visited Natal
in his capacity of the Queen's High Commissioner for
South Africa. He egarded Cetywayo's military
power with suspicion as a standing menace, in his
opinion, to Natal and the Transvaal. So he despatched
to Cetywayo in December, 1878, an ultimatum, calling
upon him to make reparation for alleged outrages on
British subjects, to disband his formidable army, to
abandon his tyrannical system of Government, and to
accept a British Resident. Cetywayo was in no mood
to accede, and treated this communication with con-
temptuous silence. The days of grace having elapsed
Lord Chelmsford, on January 11, 1879, entered Zulu-
land, at the head of 13,000 British troops. The early
weeks of the campaign were signalised by the disaster
of Isandlana, followed by the gallant defeace of the
post at Rorke's Drift. At Ulundi, on July 4, Lord
Chelmsford completely routed the Zulus, and Cety-
wayo, taking to flight, sought a hiding-place in the
bush, where, however, on August 28 he was captured
by Major Marter. By this time Sir Garnet
Wolseley had succeeded Lord Chelmsford, and
t 3 him fell the task of re•organising the country.
He divided it into thirteen separate govern-
ments, with a British Resident exercising control over
all. Cetywayo himself was taken to Cape Town,
where he was kept as a prisoner Here he received all
reasonable indulgence and freedom, subject to such
regulations as were necessary for his safe detention.
The ex-King constantly petitioned to be released, and
also, as an alternative, to be brought to England.
This latter request having been granted he arrived at
Plymouth on August 3, 18824 and immediately came
to London, where he occupied a private house in
Melbury-road, Kensington, which had been specially
prepared for him by the Government. During his
stay in England he visited the Earl of Kimberley at
the Colonial Office, Mr. Gladstone in Downing-street,
the Prince and Princess of Wales at Marlborough
House, and had an interview with the Queen at
Osborne. On the 15th of August the Government
announced that they had decided to restore Cetywayo,
and he left England on the let of September to
resume, as he thought, the throne of Zululand. His
subsequent disappointments and defeats are still
fresh in the public mind.

The latest definite news with reference to Cetywayo
previous to the announcement of his death was con.
tamed in a telegram from South Africa mentioning
that on Sunday, the 27th ult., the ex-King, with a
number of his followers, surreptitiously left Ekowe,
where he had been living under British protection.
His destidation and intentions were not known, but
he was pursued by the military, captured on the fol-
lowing day, and brought back to Ekowe. There was
no doubt, however, that Cetywayo still nourished a
hope of regaining his throne. This is confirmed by a
telegram so late as Wednesday in last week, which
stated, in connection with the movement of Boers into
Zululand, that Cetywayo, Zibebn, and Oham were
each offering inducements to the Boers in the shape
of land grants in return for active service
in aid of their respective claims. The reason
for his flight was also probably partly to be found
in the dissatisfaction with which the late king regarded
his treatment by the authorities while in the Reserve
Territory. It was recently stated by a Natal paper,
although it was most hostile to Cetywayo, that "all
the king's chiefs who were staying with him got
notice to leave Ekowe, and on refusing to do so had
their hut burnt down." This statement was confirmed
from other sources, so that the number of chiefs who
were forced from their homes in July last, and had
since been in personal attendance upon him, were
turned out of Ekowe, the followers allowed to remain
with Cetywayo being limited to ten. In addition to
this he was not permitted to have the presence of an
English adviser, and he had been compelled to fall
back upon his native counsellors.