The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-24 00:00:00

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

We have received files of journals from the
Cape.

According to the Graham's Town Journal, the Kaffirs
in British Kaffraria " are destroying their cattle with the
most reckless disiegard of the future, thousands being
immolated every week ;" bat the local journal, the King
William's Town Gazette, contains no mention of anything
of the kind. The Journal also all-ges that " there is a
dogged determination not to cultivate the ground ;"---
while the Frontier Times, another Graham's Town paper,
states that a portion of the Tombookies " had vigorously
began to plough." Another Graham's Town paper says
that though " there is not much news, there seems to be
an uneasy sensation airing the border consequent upon the
continued stealing that is going on, and the conviction that
the Kaffirs generally have reduced themselves to a state of
want, and will not go without eating and the near approach
of Christmas, at which time the Kaffirs are wont to break
out." In consequence of the number of applications received
for juvenile emigrants, the commission at Cape Town had
issued a prospectus, giving applicants all the necessary
particulars, being about, it was understood, to make
arrangements for obtaining another importation from
Holland.
The barque China, which had left Table Bay for
London, has on board a young elephant, a present to
the captain from the King of Siam, and which, if it
survive the voyage, he intends presenting to her Majesty
the Queen.

The Port Elizabeth Mercury contains the following ac-
count of an assault committed upon Sir William Wiseman,
commander of H.M. steamer, Penelope, while on the voyage
to Algoa Bay .—" A day or two previous to the arrival of
the Penelope in our bay, Sir William Wiseman narrowly
escaped being assassinated by one of the crew on board, an
Italian. The man, it appears, bad been punished for some
act of insubordination, which seems to have rankled in his
breast and determined him to seek revenge. Watching his
opportunity whilst Sir William was walking the decks-in
company with one of his officers, the man suddenly drew
his knife and struck a deadly aim at Sir William's breast.
Fortunately he caught the knife in his hand, and, after a
struggle, succeeded in taking it from the man with no further
injury to himself than a severe gash on his hand's
We read in the Cape Town Mail of December 9 :—" The
public have an opportunity this week of judging of the
value and importance of the South African College, as a
seminary of sound and liberal education. The examination
of the students commenced yesterday, and will be continued
daily down to Friday next, This institution is now in its
twenty-seventh year, having been founded in 1829, and we
are happy to find that it is in a prosperous and efficient
state, with brighter prospects than at any former period. It
has recently received an addition of £5,000 to its funds, the
munificent bequest of Mr. Murray, an old colonist, who had
not forgotten the land where he made his fortune, and we
have reason to hope that the Cape parliament will not be
slow to add what maybe necessary to make this college
worthy of its name. There are at present four principal
departments, and the number of pupils is between eighty
and ninety. The four departments are,for classical and
English literature, mathematics, Dutch language and litera-
ture, and physical science; drawing, German, French, and
writing and book-keeping, are also taught by approved
masters. Having witnessed yesterday's examination, we can
safely say that the exhibition was in every respect most
satisfactory. The pupils read and translated with fluency
and correctness long passages in Thucydides, Homer, and
the Greek New Testament; in. Cicero and Sullast. They
were also examined at great length in logic, history, and
moral philosophy, and acquitted themselves in a manner
highly creditable to their professor."

PRINCE GORTSCHAKOFF'S REPLY TO
LORD CLARENDOY.

We printed extracts last week from the official
despatch which Lord Clarendon penned in
,justifi•
cation of the conduct of England towards Russia
concerning Bolgrad, the Isle of Serpents, and other
difficulties which arose in the fulfilment of the
treaty of peace. The despatches connected with
the subject, as 019 public are aware, have been
refused by Government in the House of Lords, and
the public are indebted to the Press for their pub-
lication. Prince Gortschakoff wrote a reply to the
letter of Lord Clarendon. It is dated Dec. 8, and
contains the following passages :
A policy of recrimination is not that with which the
Cabinet of Russia is inspired. Far from that, it longs for
the moment when the relations between Russia and Great
Britain, freed from every recollection of hostility, shall
be re-established on a footing of goodwill and reciprocal
cordiality. I shall not insist on the controversy raised on
the subject of the Isle of Serpents. Our former com-
munications have already sufficiently proved that Russia
does not attach to that barren islet either military import-
ance or political interest. In dealing with this discussion
the Imperial Cabinet did not expect, it is true, that it
would be reproached with haying maintained at its own