The Express.
London, England, 1851-07-08 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, JULY 8, 1851.

has been responded to on the part of the local authorities I
by the nomination of four highly respected gentlemen, the
Hon. W. Porter, Esq., attorney-general; lion. W. Hope, I
IRA.. auditor-general ; F. R. Surtees, Esq., H.M. arbitrator
in the Mixed Commission Court, and li. E. Rutherfoord,
Esq., of the firm of Rutherfoord and Brother, Cape Town.
The only ground of objection which has been urged against
this commission is the large preponderance of the official
element ; the inquiry, it is considered, being in fact a trial,
in which the government is a party concerned.
The royal mail steamer Bosphorus arrived in Table Bay
on the 24th inst., in 40 days from Plymouth. This ipassage
is !hotter by a few hours than the former one, in which this
fine vessel commenced the service of the Screw Steam Com-
pany on this line. On the present occasion, the steamer was
delayed nearly four days at Sierra Leone, by soma difficulty
in coaling. But for this detention the passage would have
been easily made in 36 days. With the large steamers of
1,700 tons and 300 horsepower, making a direct course to
the Cape, without touching at Sierra Leone, it is thought
probable that the passage will hereafter be ordinarily made
in little more than a month.

A letter in the Cape Town Mail, dated Graham's
Town, May 17, says:
It is stated that Kreili seems averse to plunging any far-
ther into the proceedings of the war party. He bad been
making excuses for his late conduct, stating that the colo-
nial forces had first entered his territory. From tome hints
and remarks that had fallen from his Excellency, it is now
feared that some hollow kind of a peace will be patched up
Cr, long; in which case the colony will be left to a renewal
of the lute scenes and disasters iu the course cf a few years.

Another, of the 20th, says :
Kreili is reported to be still more disposed for peace, some
of the lam patrols having had a wonderful effect upon him.
Ile has been heard to say " Gaika's house is ruined."
The following is from the summary of the Cape
Mali Monthly Despatch :
-

- -
CAPE TOWN, FRIDAY, MAT 30.
The aspect of the war has undergone little altera-
tion since our last publication, and we regret to say that we
have still no decisive success to record, or in fact anything
that would lead to the conclusion of a speedy termination
of the present disastrous state of affairs. The system of
patrols has been continued, the Amatola mountains have
been repeatedly penetrated, and their fastnesses explored
by the British troops, who have endured great fatigue and
displayed all their usual energy and gallantry; but
the enemy, like the children of the mist, vanish
on their approach, driving off their cattle. Is fact;
as :Sir H. G. Smith observes, we have to deal with
a foe who acknowledges neither front,. flank, nor,
rear, and whose movements arc too rapid and eccentric
to he calculated upon. A fall of snow had occurred on the
Winterberg and other mountain ranges of the colony,
which extended to the Amatolas; the number of plunder-
: ing parties of Kaffir, within the colony have greatly in-
creased, probably in consequence of the privations which
they suffer in the bush. Fortunately the 74th regiment
landed at Port Elizabeth and proceeded to Graham's Town,
so that there will be a larger military force than heretofore
within the colony, to second the efforts of the burghers and
the faithful coloured inhabitants. The 300 men who ar-
rived in the Dee, have joined Sir H. 0. Smith at King
William's Town.

These reinforcements are, however, inadequate for the
purpose, looking at the extended line of frontier along
which operations must be carried on. A couple more
regiments of infantry, one of light dragoons, and above
all, some companies of the rifle brigade, with proportionate
artillery, will probably be required before the half-bar-
barous tribes in our vicinity can be sufficiently impressed
with the power of Great Britain for any lasting and satis-
' factory peme to be conclude& As we have before observed,
the sooner a sufficient force can be brought into the field the
better; the necessity is inevitable, and further delay may
increase the disorder and h'oodahed in our newly-acquired
territory and the sovereignty, and augment the cost of this
harassing warfare. Whatever conciliatory measures be
adopted, and whatever alteration in our Kaffir policy is
contemplated, they should be preceded by a display of the
power of Britain to subdue and crush auy combination of
the coloured tribes in the vicinity of the colony.
The reports from the north-eastern districts and the so.
vereignty, even if somewhat exaggerated, arc sufficiently
gloomy to cause the most serious apprehension for the
safety of the fanners and of the numerous flocks and herds
of the colonists which have been driven in that direction as
a place of safety from Kaffir incursions, and there is a pro-
bability of our having to assist our ally Moruko, beyond the
Vaal River, as be is threatened with en attack by the Ba-
sutus. The fidelity of Mushesh is considered questionable,
and the Kaffirsare becoming more daring ; five farmers have
lately been killed in the Albert division. Two successive
mails between King William's Town and Graham's Town
have been intercepted by the Kaffirs • a waggon was plun-
dered and the oxen driven off on the high road within three
miles of Graham:s Town, and several farm-houses in its
. .

vicinity burnt. Fort Arnistrong and the Kat River dis-
trict are again in the possession of the enemy.
As an illustration of the state of the Frontier, we may
mention that we are informed that two officers of the 91st
lately arrived, who wished to go to Fort flare from King
William's Town, a distance of 14 miles, were compelled to
return to Buffalo mouth, and t-. proceed by sea to Port
Elizabeth, whence they marched to Graham's Town, UM
miles, escorted by Fingoes, and then had a dangerous
journey before them; thus making a detour of dOO miler.
The road from the Buffalo mouth to King
Town is no longer secure, strongly escorted waggons having
lately been attacked. On the other hand, the arrival of the
Natal auxiliary force under Mr. Shepstone is daily expected
in the Tambookie country, and may effect a favourable
diversion in that quarter.
The following is from the Graham's Town Journal
of May 20 :
An express came in this morning from Fort Hare, bring-
ing the intelligence that the Kathrs and rebel Hottentots
are in great force in the Kat River, and that Fort Arm-
strong is again occupied by them. Captain Carey, with a
strong party of Cape Mounted Rides, was sent on the 12th
inst., with despatches to Captain Fisher at Eland's Post,
and had much difficulty in getting back, a great effort being
made by the enemy to intercept him. Every available
soldier has been ordered to join Major-General Somerset at
Kaal Hoek, whose force, about 900 strong, was considered
far too week for the work before them. The arrival of the
74th regiment was most anxiously looked for.

COL. MACKINNON'S REPORT.
Sir,—l have the honour to report that, according to your
Excellency's instructions, I marched from this station on
the Bth Hay, with the following force:— 2 companies
6th Regt., 4 companies 73rd Regt., 200 Cape Mounted
Riflemen, 75 of the Provisional Mounted Levy, the Swel-
lendam, Genadentlid, and Fingo Levies. On the Bth in-
stant I bivouacked near Dohne's station. On the 9th
lastaat I proceeded to Toise's kraal (Panel's old station),
lw the Kalusi. Oa the 10th instant—sending my supply
:Crto the front of WiadvogeLibcra-1 marched at 2
a.m. in the direction of the Thomas and Doom
Elvers. About two hours before daybreak, I detached the
whole of the cavalry under Lt.-Col. Napier in advance,
sad proceeded with the infantry to the junction of the
Doom and Thomas Rivers, where I was shortly joined by
the cavalry. A good many spoors had been seen both by the
cavalry and infantry, but no cattle. The spoors were of the
previous morning, and went in the direction of the Kei
liver. The country was so utterly impracticable for men and
bones that it would have been a waste of time to follow
ow spoor unless it had been very fresh. I joined the
near the Windvogelsberg late in the evening,'
boll sats~ and horses very. much fatigued. On the 11th
instant I returned to Tom's kraal by the road which the
Ingres bed taken the previous day. I directed Lieute-
nant-Colsmd Napier with the cavalry to make a detour to
the right, sad to sweep the country at the northern hue
of the Kobsests mountain range. Lieutenant. Colonel Na-
pier reeeded. at his rejoining me, that he had met with
no KBAlhe, but that he had communicated with a
Cst.whYli your Excellency had sent out under Major
Cu the 13th instant I proceeded to our former
UMW WIN Debra's station. On the 13th instant, leavl:
Ilhatialpvi anise a strong guard of regulars, infantry,
rely, essagmffiied by Captain Faunce, 73rd Regt., at the
Wens rase Mime's, I proceeded, at 1 o'clock a.m., in the
direstion Mao Bela River, which falls into the Kei. Some
hem behre day-break I detached the cavalry, under Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Napier, to the left, with iniructions to pro-
seed towards the Kei to a point about six miles above the
ed the Bola with that river, whilst I proceeded
wafttlry to the Bola. After halting some hours on
the Oda, I marched towards the Kei. Some mounted
*An amend on our right, and I directed Ensign Dams
ill them with a detachment of 40 of the Cape
Batmen, which 1 bad retained. This service was
we sealed out, and several Kaffir, cut off and killed. A
bolls of Kafka then appeared in our front, and seemed
Owed to bold some strong hills through which our path
htilLat they diporeed on our approach. On reaching the
above the Lei we saw large herds of cattle grazing
•716 side* mad the spoor evidently indicated that
*of rah Mar elm ever from our side. Your excellency's
instructions were, hmeover, that I should not cross the Kei,
and I therefore refrained from any further pursuit of them.
It being evident that secattle remained within our reach on
this side of the Kei, I proceeded to form a bivouac on the
Bola. After dark I was joined by Lieut.-Col. Napier with the
cavalry. They were in possession of about 300 head of cat-
tle. Lieux-Colonel Napier reported that about 100 of these'
oath had been captured by a party of the Cape Mounted
Billsmen, under Lieut. Studdert, some distance from the
KM liver, and that the remainder had been most gallantly
eiyameed is the bed of the Kei River (on this aide) by the
mewled lleej wader Captain Robertson and a serjeant's
gos. of 111 amp, Mounted Riflemen. Captain Robertson's
purl/ hod Was warmly attacked, and had lost 3 horses by
this foe of the army, and 3 shot from fatigue • they bad
also ems tea Invaded. Lieutenant and Adjutant Crouch,
of the nip hen, accompanied this party, and rendered
most saint service by his knowledge of the country.
IdestemnwhOinael Napier reported that large droves of
earls bad mewed the Kei from this aide in front of the
eavuft._ Oa Me 14th instant, I returned to the bleat's,
near Dimes. Oa the 15th instant, I proceeded homewaids
and tivesodued near the Kamelm River. On the Ms
instant, I returned to this station. I ham every
reason to be satisfied with the exertions of the
officers and men during these operations. The marches
have been long and harassing, and both men and
horses have suffered severely from fatigue. I NW
to thank Lieutenant-Colonel Eyre, commanding the 73rd
Regt. ; Lieutenant-Colonel Napier, commanding the Cape
Mounted Riflemen ; Captain Crowder, commanding 6th
Regt. ; Captain Robertson, commanding the Mounted Levy;
and Commandant Aylitf, commanding the Provisional
Levies, for the zeal and ability they showed in their respec-
tive commands. Lieutenant Stokes, D.A.Q.11 -Oeneral and
Field-Adjutant Croker, were most talon and active in the
I discharge of their duties. I hare aim to thank Limit*.

mint and Adjutant Crouch, of the Fiera Levy, for the effi-
ciency with which he acted as guide to the cavalry. I have
great ?lemurs in noticing the cordial co-operation of the
Chief roles and about 40 of his men, who accompanied me
during the whole of the operations.—l have, &c., (Signed)
Ono. MACKINNON, Colonel.—Lieut.-Gen. Sir 11. G. W.
Smith, Bart.. 0.C.8., &c.