The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-06 00:00:00

had employed a military force for the suppression of that savages into the citizens oft a regularly established state ;'who allOulehhe better able to do so, however, on the arrival of the
rebellion—that he proclaimed martial law, under which he had vainly expected that teir chiefs would recognise and next mail.
caused some persons to be put to death and others to be observe the lase of nations; we had entered into diplomatic Mr. GLADSTONE hoped the Committee would not rashly
imprisoned. Nov, with regard to the twenty-one executions relations with them—aPPotnted
agents to reside amongst infer from what the Chancellor of the Exchequer had said,
which had been referred to, they had the authority of Sir H. them, and stipulated that the chiefs should prevent depre- no doubt in perfect correctness, that the vote now proposed
Ward for stating that not a single individual was executed datiens—should restore. stoler property, or make compenta- of 480,0001., together with the vote which was taken last
n
or imprisoned simply for having borne arms against her tion. Those stipdaons had Kafirs ill
kept, for the . year of 300,0001., was anything like the total expenditure.
Majesty's authority. Every one of these individuals were er o ere—te rise the word sof their own great chieh sandiiii_a , On the contrary, these votes represented only the extra ex-
punished because they had taken a part in those atrocious I nation of irreclaimable thieves ; and there was no difference pense of the war, or rather only a part of the extra expense
crimes which marked the progress of the insurrection, such I between chiefs and followers. The chiefs had been utterly of the war. But the figures and the military expenditure in
as the murder of the Count Mataxa and the burning of his faithless; they had displayed the greatest skill and inge- this matter were, not the entire or worst part of the evil,
four servants. The Honourable Member had referred to a nuity in evading the provisions of the treaties. The frontier though the figures themselves were almost frightful and in-
petition alleged to have been signed by twenty-three priso- farmers had bitterly complained that the British Govern- credible. The tales of the frontier policy at the Cape, and
ners in the lonian Islands, who were confined for the part ment, which had deprived them of the right of redressing of the loss brought on this country in connexion with it,
they took in the insurrection at Cephalonia. Now, after the their own wrongs, had not sufficiently protected them would be regarded by those who came after us in future ages
statement he had made, on the authority of Sir H. Ward, and against the depredations of the Kafirs. Some of these corn- as most fabulous.—(Hear, hear.) It would appear ex-
seeing that some of those prisoners whose lives had been plaints had, without doubt, been well founded. With regard traordinary that a country like this should have gone
spared had been sentenced to be imprisoned, some for life and to others he (Sir W. Molesworth) must observe that, when hunting to the very ends of the earth to find the
others for twenty years, and that not more than two or three individuals had to redress their own wrongs, and when, in means and opportunities, of squandering the treasure
years have elapsed, he thought it was rather premature— so doing they had to incur considerable risk and trouble, and • the lives of its subjects, and that for no
even admitting it to be a constitutional course—for this House they were apt to overlook minor wrongs, which were not conceivable purpose or policy—net to found colonies or ex-
to endeavour to procure their deliverance. The Hen. worth the risk and trouble of redressing, and this had been tend them with greater effect than it might have done under
Gentleman, not content with making these charges within the case under the commando system. Bat when, as under a different system, but on the contrary, to deprive them of
the House, had also made a statement out of doors, to which the treaty system, a Government undertook to redress the the epportunity of learning all the lessons of freedom of
he had no opportunity of giving a contradiction. The Hon. wrongs of individuals, then every wrong, however trifling, self-reliance and of independence, which alone could be the
gentleman will recollect that he had addressed a letter to real, or imaginary, became, if unredressed, the source of grit,- basis of their social greatness, and which alone could assure
the Daily :Sews in the latter part of last year, in which he WOOS complaint against the Government. Thus whenever, either the duration or the utility of their connexion with
stated that he had received a letter from two prisoners in under the treaty system, a sheep had been lost or an ox had this country. The Committee was indebted to Sir W.
Cephalonia, the contents of which he had adopted by en- strayed on the eastern frontier of the colony of the Cape, the -Molesworthon this occasion, as on many former ones, for
closing it for publication in the same paper. Amongst other farmer had invariably assumed that the Kafirs had stolen it, having laid before it, in a form the most luminous, and with
charges contained in the letter made against Sir H. Ward, and that the Government ought to recover it. Therefore, a diligence the, most praiseworthy, many of the facts which
was one to this effect—that Sir H. Ward, on the occasion of partly on account of that, partly on account of imaginary bore upon this interesting and most painful question. It
his second visit last autumn to the island of Cephalonia, had depredations, the Colonial Government had been constantly would be quite unnecessary, therefore, for him (Mr. Glad-
induced some of these prisoners to withdraw their signatures called upon to enforce the provisions of the treaties with the stone) to go over ground which had already been so ably
to the petition by offering bribes of money to their wives, savages. But those treaties could only be more strictly trodden by his Hon. Friend. There was, indeed, an abun-
and holding out hopes of pardon to the prisoners themselves. enforced by constant recourse to armed force, and that dant scope 'for arithmetical calculations and comparisons,
Now, that was a charge of a serious character, and reflecting would lead to war. Some Governors rashly engaged in war, which in some degree might bring home to the popular mind
gravely upon the conduct of Sir H. Ward. But Sir H. Ward others endeavoured to avoid war. For instance, Sir George of this country the enormous absurdities that we were per-
bad written to him (Mr. F. Peel) on the subject of that Napier, who had been Governor of the Colony of the Cape petrating in Southern Africa—as, for instance, when we told
charge, and he would take leave to read the paper re- from 1837 to 1844, had stated in his dispatches, and in his them that the Goaernment of South Africa—not in one year
ceived from him in reference to it. What was the authority evidence before the Kafir Committee, that he had been re- or in two, but habitually and with every promise of perma-
upon which the charge was made ? On the authority of two peatedly urged to make war upon the Kafirs, and that there nence—cost us infinitely more per head than the government
prisoners, one of whom, Larnburnatos, was the second in were many persons in South Africa who profited largely by of Great Britain and Ireland, they began to think it strange.
command, and directly concerned in the burning of Count Kafir wars. Sir George Napier stated that he thought it But look at the matter in another aspect, and inquire what
Mataxa and his four servants. This man has written a a great folly for a great country like England to be easily were those provinces.. in South Africa, the contigrity of
paper in modern Greek, and dated from Corfu, the transla- provoked into a Kafir war; that he had declined for the which to the Kafirs had brought all this expense upon us;
lion of which he had before him, The subject and purport sake of a few head of cattle to incur the expense of a. Kafir they would find that, according to returns which were then
of. it was that be had never signed nor heard of' the letters war; and he had proposed, instead of going to war, to pay upon the table* of the House, 5,500 was the entire white
•to Mr. Hume •/ that an imposition had, therefore been prac. in certain special cases, compensation out of the public Population of the province of Albert and Victoria, and. the
tieed upon him, for that he could not have signed it, because purse to persons who had suffered from Katir depredations. territory keown as British Kafraria. And if they bought
it purports to have come from cephatonia, whereas With regard to this policy he (Sir W. Molesworth) must uP this Population ten times over, and transported them in
in reality, h
oe was all the time in the Hodse of mention a fact well deserving of attention namely, that the carriages and four from the provinces they now inhabited
Correction at Corfu, Having thus taken the trouble of interest of one-fifth of the sum which a year of Kafir war to a' Position'of security, the expense of so doing would not
ascertaining-the truth of this charge made against Sir H. would cost; would more than cover the average annual loss amount to one-half or one-fourth part of that which
Warde he trusted that the House would agree with him in from Kafir depredations. For Sir George Napier had stated they were expending in the Kafir war. And for what
thinking that the source from whence the Hon. Member that during the six years of his government the average an- conceivable object? He was not arguing the pecuniary view
derived his information was quite enough of itself to vitiate nual loss from Kafir depredations had not exceeded 36,0001. of the question, to induce the Committee, on account of pa-
every other charge and allegation that could be made against a year. The Committee knew that a Kafir war now costs cuniary losses merely, to forego the conferring some great
the H. Ward.—(llciar, hear.) In respect to the exercise of about 1,000,000/. a year, andle (Sir W. Molesworth) found benefit upon Africa; on the contrary, the system they
lue high police power under which he imprisoned editors that the statements of ir George Napier were confirmed by were now pursuing conferred on Africa no benefit whatever,
and writers of newspapers, he (Mr. Peel) could assure the official returns. For the ten years of Sir George Napier 's for it insured the recurrence of these Kaffir wars with a,
non. Gentleman that Sir H. Ward was as staunch an advo- government there had been no Kafir war. ' Sir George was regularity that was becoming absolutely astonishing What
not
needless went a t homeon
this shouldocine a s i pursue?o
ba rrtt ioeu
la r
hoefledl t
quarrels.c toh nadtuci tt
of wasbT entirelyetyhi
were
orre e
cate of a free press as the Hon. Member himself, and that an old soldier—he knew the evils and the cost of war, and then was the course which the Parliament and the Govern_
ha had as correct an appreciation of what the rights of the would not rashly engage in it. He thought that neither meri
discussing
press were as any person could have. But Sir H. Ward felt the honour nor the dignity of Great Britain required it toHete
that it was only by this exercise of the high police power treat savage tribes as civilised nations, nor to engage in re-
that he could punish those slanderous, immoral, and seditious gular war with Kafirs as with a European community, for that governor, or of this or that minister—ex-
publications, that had disgraced the columns of the lonian violation of treaties and for offences against the law of cept that, in justice to Sir Harry Smith, he must
newspapers; and he was entitled to credit for so doing. nations. The policy of Sir George Napier had not been say, with his Hon: Friend (Sir W. Molesworth), that he
Until two or three years ago there was a strict censor- followed by his successors. In 1546 Sir Peregrine Maitland was not aware of any valid grounds of censure upon his
ship of the press, and Lord Seaton proposed to remove involved us in a Kafir war for the loss of one axe. In 1847 military character.—(Cheers.) He (Mr. Gladstone) set
it. - Sari Grey ultimately' assented to its removal on one Sir Henry Pottinger renewed that war for the loss of two aside all retrospect of a recriminatory nature, but he did
coadition namely, that a law of the press, punishing goats—Great Britain had about a couple •of millions to pay, hope that he might be permitted now again to pronounce
sedition, immorality, libel, and slander—similar to the and the consequence was that the British money abounded in this House words similar to those which he had taken
one in this country—should be passed. Lord Seaton did in Cape Town, and commerce flourished. The present war the liberty ( f using on a former occasion; for when the last
procure such a law to be passed, but experience had ' would be more expensive than the last, for we had now in Kafir war was about being brought to a termination, and
shown that that law was utterly futile and ineffectual. South Africa half as many troops again as we had 'in the they had one of these votes proposed to them,s he followed
Sir 11. Ward found it impossible to obtain a verdict war of 1846. The present war had been produced partly by the Right. Hon. Gentleman the Member for Northampton
under it from an lonian jury. It should be borne in mind causes similar to those which had produced former Kafir (Mr. V. Smith) in beseeching and entreating Parliament
' that Sir H. Ward had shown a great readiness to be re- wars—partly by three special causes. Those causes were— to proceed seriously to consider the question of our
lieved of this power. He did propose in the last lonian Par- First, the -conduct of .Sir Harry Smith in making himself in frontier policy, and of our colonial policy in general
liament to divest himself of this power, provided the As- 1847 the Mkori Mkalu, or great chief of British, Kafraria ; at the Cape, at one of those golden opportunities when
eembly would substitute for it a better law for the press. secondly, the 'frontier policy of Sir Harry Smith, which had the public mind was smarting under the sufferings that
That proposition was, however, rejected by a majority of 22 consisted in perpetual and vexatious interference with the had been entailed by our past proceedings, and subjects
to 18—a majority that was opposed to the policy of Sir H. affairs of the Kafirs, and in a continued and galling attempt which were connected with the welfare of a remote de-
Ward. He certainly considered from 1817 to le4B that the to destroy the authority of their chiefs; thirdly, the igno- pendency were no longer dry or uninteresting to it.
lonian people did not enjoy the full measure of independent ranee of Sir Harry Smith of the feelings which the Kafirs en- There was one passage in a dispatch addressed by the late
and; constitutional government which was guaranteed to tertained towards him and his frontier policy. He ( Sir W. Secretary for the Colonies to the Gallant Officer who had
them by the treaty of. 1815. They had only the appear- Molesworth) had proved these positions at length last year. gone out to assume the goverhment or the Cape, to which
ance of an electoral body, because they were only permitted He would not do so again, for they had not been contra- he (Mr. Gladstone) could not help referring at the present
to choose one out of two names that were submitted to them. dieted, and, in fact, they had been admitted in the last dis- moment, because it was a passage which had the character
Inethe course of 1849 an adequate reform measure was car- patches of Lord Grey. He thought that Sir Harry Smith of being eminently prospective. He would not answer for
rigid, and the electoral body was increased from 1,500 to ought never to have been appointed governor of the precise accuracy in quoting the terms used; but he
about 6,000, and most important rights were conferred upon Cape, and ought 'to have been recalled long ago. He spoke thought that General Cathcart had been instructed in the
them. A people who were now possessed of a constituent only of the civil proceedings of Sir Harry Smith. He did first-instance to address himself to the conclusion of the war,
assembly, fairly chosen by themselves, had the power of not feel competent to pronounce a decided opinion upon the that he had been instructed to expedite the operation of
working out commercial representation, legal, or other re- military proceedings of Sir Harry Smith. He must, how- the constitution ; and that he had been instructed, lastly,
form, provided they only showed themselves qualified to ever, say that he could not discover any essential difference to consider fully the question of the frontier policy,, and
exercise and enjoy, in a proper manner, the liberties wbich between those tactics and those for which Sir Harry Smith to make a report upon that question, to be submitted to
we conferred by a constitutional government.—( Hear.) had acquired great renown in the Kafir war of 1835. Those (thAeir. British Government
spnpmreontecat thus openednd was by Parliament. N
no means
Now to him
The motion was then agreed to, and the House went into tactics had been to starve the Kafirs into submission, by in-
a Committee of Supply. wading their fastnesses and sweeping off their cattle. For satisfactory. He was perfectly convinced that debates
THR KAFIR WAR. the success of those tactics, it was indispensable to prevent in this country between one system of frontier policy and
On the vote for 460,000/, to defray the expenses of the the Kafirs from simultaneously invading our colony and another were, in the main, idle, futile, and mischievous in
Kafir war being proposed, sweeping off the cattle of our colonists. For these purposes their results. They would proceed upon the false assumption
Sir W. MOLESWORTII said he would not at present two armies were indispensable—namely, an invading army that the regulation of the relations between our European
discuss' the causes of the present state of South Africa, nor and a protecting army, Of one of these armies Sir Harry settlers and those barbarous natives of Southern Africa were
what should be the future policy of this country towards Smith had been deprived by the discontent of the Dutch, and matters to be settled only bygentlemen sitting herein London.
South Africa. He should confine his observations to the the disaffection of the Hottentots. Therefore, when Sir They also proceeded on the false principle that the moving
question now before the Committee, namely, our expendi- Harry' Smith invaded the fastnesses of the Kafirs and swept power of the operations in our South African policy was in
• tore on account of South Africa. He wished to call the off the cattle, the Kafirs turned our flank, invaded the colony, this country, and not on the spot, and that the responsibility
attention of the Committee to the great and increasing and carried off the cattle of the colonists. And when Sir for every depredation ,committed on the frontier rested on
amount of that expenditure, as shown b 7 returns which Harry Smith returned from the fastnesses of the Kafirs, that House, and not on the inhabitants of the frontier itself.
had been lately presented to Parliament. 'That expenditure bringing along with him their cattle, the Kafirs returned It was not in the present century that that question had to
had gone on steadily and rapidly -increasing for the last to their fastnesses, bringing along with them the be considered for the first time—(Hear, hear)—they were
twenty years. On the average of the three years ending cattle of the colonists. htherefore, for the ill-success not without the light and teaching of experience, although
1850, it had amounted to halt a million a year, or to about of Sir Harry Smith's tactics, ,th°se persons were they had unfortunately chosen to reject them. Their co-
three times the average of the three years ending 1836; or chiefly to blame who had produced discontent amongst lonists in North America had had aborigines to deal with, •
t 0 about Si. a head for every European colonist in South the Dutch, and dissatisfaction amongh the Hottentots,'lnto and had they troubled the mother country for armaments
.Africa ;or to about 20s. in the pound upon our exports to the cause of that discontent and disaffection he would not and votes—for half- millions and millions of money, and for
South Africa. Those exports rose and fell pretty much as inquire •
at present. He must say 'that when he considered the lives and blood of their gallant men, in order to obtain a
our military expenditure increased or decreased, and were the position of our gallant troops in South Africa, in the defence against the barbarians on their frontier ? No ; they
frearat immediately after. a Kafir ware The reason was midst of a population one-half of whom were hostile, and had known well how to defend themselves and they had
imp e ; our exports to South Africa consisted chiefly of 'the other half were in about equal proportions discontented, at the same time 'regulated their affairs infinitely better
onion for merchandise
for our troops, with some muskets and ammu- disaffected, and doubtful—when he considered that those than they could have been regulated by this country, even
rilWra the Kafirs ; and during er immediately after a troops bad not suffered one positive defeat, had not lost one though we had expended all our national resources in the un.
war there was abundance of British gold in South single convoy, but had accomplished many gallant feats of dertaking. He wished, therefore, to avail himself of that op-
A.frichttaand commerce flourished. Therefore, if we could arms—he thought that they deserved great credit for'them- portunity of entering his respectful protest against the funcle-
Wand w our troops from. South Africa, and as a selves, and reflected credit upon their veteran commander, mental principle of the policy that appeared to him to be in-
compensation for so doing were to make the coin- whose health had been worn out in the service of his coun- volved in the instructions to General Cathcart. He said that
fists a present of all our merchandise which they try.—(Hear.) A high military authority had expressed his it was not for the Government and the "Parliament in this
, . actuallye consumed, we should make a most excellent bargain- Opinion in another place that when, the fastnesses of the country to devise a new system of frontier policy ; and
t great increase in our South African military expendi- Kafirs were stormed by our troops, they ought to be de- he was amazed that a nobleman of great ability, who had
ore had arisen chiefly from two causes—namely, from the stroyed, and roads ought to be made into them. With the had long experience as a Secretary of State, should have
great
increase in the extent of our South African dominions, utmost deference to that high authority, he (Sir W. Moles- stated gravely that he was convinced the time had come to
and from the abolition of the old and cheap system of self- worth)doubted whether those things could be done by any consider the necessity of some change in our frontier policy.
protection by the colonists. In the course of the last ten amount of military force which we could send to South Africa. Why, they had been considering little else in our frontier
'years the' British empire in South Africa had been more The fastnesses of the Kafirs were of two kinds—either steep policy for the last 25 years; and every change seemed only
than doubled. In 1842 it covered an area of 110,000 square mountains, capped with sandstone, resembling vast fortifi- to have made matters worse than they had been before.
miler. In the course of the next six years 120.0J0 square cations, with huge masses of sandstone rising several feet They had changed it already, and they were proposing to
Toile's had been added to it, and it was extended to nearly from the surface of the ground ; or deep, narrow, gloomy change it again ; just as a sick man in his bed, weary of
e! 27th degree of south latitude. If a line were drawn in ravines, called kloofs. Both mountains and ravines were lying on one side, thought it better to turn on the other not
y,.about that latitude right across South Africa, from the covered with the peculiar bush of South Africa. In that because he had any hope of relief, but because the excessive
.-
nman to the Atlantic Ocean, it would be about 1,000 miles bash, and behind the masses of sandstone, the Kafirs lurked weariness and disgust created by his position rendered him
long, and would constitute about the northern boundary of and skirmished with impunity—retreating as our troops ad- wretched and impatient. Let them not again enter on the
the British dominions in South Africa. The territory lying vanced—advancing as our troops retreated. Our troops could question of changing their frontier policy in a spirit like that.
to the south of that line might be called British South Africa, not occupy these fastnesses, for they could not live in them. They had already seen that benevolence, ingenuity, and
because u nine-tenths of it were British dominions, the re- To open roads in them, over the mountains and the kloofs, courage had been exerted in that mattertothepuertimodo,stu,nalensds
Maining tenth was the territory inhabited by our Kafir would be a task of immense engineering difficulty, and would had been exerted in vain; and the result was that. they. had
enemies, and which was now surrounded on all sides but cost an immense sum of money both in making and repair- worse prospects before them than at any former
the seaside by British dominione. The area of British South ing. And when the roads had been made, unless the bush they changed their whole method of Proceeding.' If he was
Africa was 260,000 square miles, about the same as that of on both sides were destroyed, the roads would be only narrow right, it was to the colonists themselves they should look for
the Austrian empire. Its population amounted to about defiles, and the Kafir lurking in the Bush would shoot with the regulation of their frontier relations.—(Hear.) And he
700,000 persons; of these one-seventh, or about 100,000 were impunity at our passing troops. But to destroy the bush should add that, in that case, they should look to the colo-
'oet European origin, and the greater portion of whom were would be a task of herculean labour, for the bush would not nists also for the determination of what that frontier was to
' discontented; about 150,300 were Hottentots and mongrel burn. It was composed of plants of so juicy a nature that be; they should not send out gentlemen from this
races, generally disaffected; about 350,000 were Kafirs flame would not communicate from one plant to another. country, with commissions and with treaties, to disport
and kindred tribes, most of whom were our avowed enemies; An European could not make a single step in the bush themselves in the wilds of Africa, by adding once a week
and the remaining 100,000 were Zoolahs in Natal, of doubt- without cutting his way, except in the paths made by wild or once a fortnight some district once or twice as large as
ful'allegiance, In the midst of this discontented, traitorous, beasts. But the Kafirs, with wonderful dexterity and Great Britain to the dominions of the Cape. Whatever
or hostile population, we had about 10,000 British troops, agility, crept through the bottom of the bush like snakes was done there should be done under the responsibility of
who, alone and unaided, were, according to Sir Harry Smith, and other reptiles, and none but Hottentots could Jolley., representative inetitutiona; and they might rely upon
carrying on a war over an area of twice the size of the them. To destroy this bush it must be cut down by' it that if they gave to the colonists the boon of local
United, Kingdom, with tribes as fierce as the Circassians or the hand of man, and it must be kept down or it.would liberty—subject,- of course, to the maintenance of imperial
eaigerinen He thought, therefore, the state of South Africa soon spring up again. To cut it down an army of la- unity—without stint or limitation, they would find no
was critical, and it was no wonder that our military expen- bourers would be required, and whilst doing it an army disposition to --grudge the sacrifices and the efforts
e
hature on account of it had greatly increased of late years. would be required to protect the labourers; and when defile necessary for the selfedefence of the colonists.
The
oe,"e other cause of the great increase in our military ex en- the round would be so sterile and arid that it could not be (Hear, hear.) He was not so visionary as to say that they
"tnreehe account of South Africa had been the abolition in applied to any useful purposes. Therefore, he thought it could expect at once to'put an end to our military establish-
-18330.0 of the old, cheap, and effectual system of self-protection probable that the bush of South Africa never would, nor meats on the frontier. What he wanted was to see the
my_wehchionists. With regard to that system he must oh- ever could, be destroyed, and would continue to afford hiding centre of responsibility and action, which had been wrongly
setae that it was similar to that which had been used by places for Kafirs as long as Kafirs should exist. He was placed in this country by a modern and vicious policy, in
nor colonists
• .silvitnsl 11l South Africa it had originated with the Dutch. believed, however, that the commencement of the termina- was to see the centre of responsibility. carried back to the
eft: the Dutch and Kafirs first met on the eastern frontier nation had begun. 1t was a most important question, what place from which it. ought never to have been removed.
le ec*.e'°nY of the Cape, the superior cattle of the Dutch had should be done to prevent the recurrence of similar wars? (Hear, hear.) He wanted to see the the colonial community
oireears'ataretbly tempted the cupidity of the Kafir—a petty (Hear, hear.) He should not discuss that question at pre. in full recognition of the principle tkat with themselves lay
hone"- had ensued, like that which had raged in sent, except to repeat a warning which he bad given the the first duty • and responsibility of their own defence. He
_ att tunes On .
`Be linen e„the borders between England and House four years ago—nail:43'y, that if our present S ,uth was convinced that in urging that view he was urging that
called, had
et)..ne
~.e. Boers, as the frontier Dutch were African policy should be adhered to, -there would be a Kafir for which they would themselves be the most ready to con-
e regular systaTemed for mutual assistance, and formed war at the end of every four or five years; unless, indeed, tend. 'Parliament and the Government had only to give
system. vetaehnt,Of irregular defence, called the commando we were to attempt to prevent a Kafir war yinpg "'them the freedom which the American colonists had enjoyed;
' his -16aded rousket7 cattle of a Boer was stolen, he seized a large military force permanently stationed South and with the enjoyment of that freedom they would, he felt
gather, went off to, persuaded,cheerfully accept the burden of its responsibilities.
mounted his horse, called his friends to- Africa. He thought that, under the present system, at
himself with a stroirgurit of of his property, and righted least 7,000 British troops would be required to be perma- What was the duty which the British Government and
much the better if he ahal aif he recovered his property so nently stationed in dominions Africa to preserve peace and order Legislature owed to them Their first duty was to protect
R himself. In these experitiuollet he had nobody to blame but within the British-4,000 men on the eastern them against those enemies, if there should be . such, with
' 'and marauding savage utthi the Boer classed the prowling frontier of the colony of the Cape, 1,000 at Natal, 1,000 in whom they could not 'themselves cope—against civilised
• -with equal zest the cattle-stem-re beast of prey, and shot down I Orange territory, and 1,000 for a garrison and reserved force powers, if any attack, which he did not see any reason to
African savages, who, like
aileg lion and Kafir. The South I at Cape Town. Those 7,000 men would cost in effective apprehend, should be directed against them by those powers.
brute force, considered lenien ether
o_savages, worshipped military expenditure probably half a million a year, on the He would go furtbertand say that we should not grudge our
strength—who were acccustomed t°oo weakness and cruelty average of years. This was not an extravagant estimate. money in the first instance, but that we should .continue to
their chiefs—had been appalled by
tlihe slain wholesale by For the seven years ending 1850 our effective military ex- assist them liberally, until they should be completely ex•
of the Boer, dreaded his vigour and ehe courage and energy penditure on account of South Africa had amounted to tricated from a vicious system.—(Hear hear.) He was
him aa a superior being, and feared rnoca°wesa, looked upen 3,334,000/ , or about 480,0001. a year ; and the average sure that the Hon. Member for Montrose— careful, and
with his loaded roer than a score of her
V:
amounted Boer number of British troops in South Africa during that period justly careful; ache was, for the economical expenditure of
eiplined 'troops. By these means the Boer i ety's best dis- was 4,800. There could be little doubt that, under the pre- the public funds—would feel that we could not in a -moment
Boers had
themselves as effectually on the eastern frontier of defended sent system, the military expenditure of this country on ac- cure the consequences of a policy pursued during a long
of. Good Hope as their descendants had lately (loathe, Cape count of South Africa, for the next period of seven years series of years. In his (Mr. Gladstone's) opinion, no eco-
Orange territory and Natal, and now dia_under she 11l the
,--namely, that ending 1857, would be greater than that for nomy could be more false than to put an end suddenly
of Capricorn, whence they had offered to come tnr"l't i the period ending 1850. Because the present war 'was a to our military expenditure in Southern . Africa, What
s• • assistance.—( Hear, hear.) The commando system had con
1 more formidable one than that of 1846 and 1847; because he recommended was a change in the centre of respon-
linued in full vigour up to the year 1833, when it was i Natal and the Orange sovereignty, which had been ac- sibility. Let that question be made a colonial clues-
- abolished. He asserted that it had worked well on thel quired in the former period, were beginning to become expert- tion; let it be treated as a local question, and let it
whole in protecting the lives and property of the frontier I sive; and because there could be no doubt that immediately fall within the sphere ot local liberties and local re-
farmers. He found that under that system our military after the termination of the last war Sir HarSmith, with sponsibilities. Surely that was no unreasonable demand.
arse In ,South Africa had been steadily and gradually di- view to economy, had made too large a reduction' in the Surely it was not a question of British or imperial interest
• rninished, and cease quentiv our military expenditure had ayateray . force in South Africa. Under the present whether or not the frontier of the Cape colony should be at
also been steadil andgradually diminished. He found South Ah.there was this dilemma with regard to the Great Fish River, or the Orange River, or. the Kei.
that in 1816 our g in South Africa had . minter e;
if you made too large a reduction in your Those were matters, if there were any, which the colonists
military force 3l force •
amounted to 4,500 men ; that in almost every subsequent the save es
Iv with a view to the saving of money, should be permitted to consider for themselves; and if they
la
down to 1833 it had been regularly diminished, till, ! more than the ere emboldened to disregard their treaties weee allowed to consider them, they would gladly undertake
In 18,33, it amounted to 2,000 men. In that year our effec- than your
savingUstlrY did, and then if war followed, more —and they had already made many declarations to that
. tine military expenditure had amounted to 100,000/. Since you wish to enforce tre soon spent; on the other hand, ef effect— to discharge the duties which belonged to the condi-
then it had gone on steadily and rapidly increasing, both constantly maintain intoies and preserve peace, you must tion of freemen. -The Nouse might rely upon it that in
ia•Periods of peace and in periods of war. Of the two and incur almost a year est,t;lea Africa a large military force, doing everything they could to foster that spirit of freedom
Years of peace ending with 1834 our effective military ex- that under the present systiananditure. He thought, therefore, and self-reliance, they would, on the one hand, be giving
Penditurs on account of South Africa had been 100,0001. for the Colonies should, after
the
prudent Secretary of State the most Powerfill stimulus to the growth of the colony and
,!!!"Year ;on .the averae of the three ofpeace ending ' war, undertake to preserve peace termination of the present the development of its prosperity—a far more powerful eti-
with '1846e that expenditure years pea
with less than 7,000 Britishand order in British South mules than they could give by pouring out their treasures
- Year, or ,to • had increased to 280,0001. a Africa trop
for a time do with less, an if h s Ile might per- over the sands of Africa while they would, on the other
an& lasuy nearly three times what it had been in 1833 ; haps
he ' a were 1
might ucky, and the hand, he was convinced, by contributing to link with other
ending
with on the average of the two years of peace term of his office short.get
hh some credit as an utmost possible firmness the bonds of attachment which
to 380, 1850, that expenditure had amounted economist, but in all props lay he would be
it had been i a year, or to. nearly four times what Kafir war to his successor. For initance, haaqeesarth a costly connected that colony with Englande(Hear, hear.)
to periode of
1833.--( Hear, hear.) Next, with regard returned to office at the beginning of last u• "I''
.- Year at Grey not Lord J. RUSSELL Bald be had listened attentively to the
his admunst • ' the finance Right Hon. Gentleman, with a hope that he would have fur-
any importance in leer. There had been no war of accounts for the last years of . . ration would have fishedthem. - • solutiondiffi I
with some o that. very cu t problem'
since 1833 there
had been three Kafir 'South Africa ; but he would have bequeathed —the government -of Southern Africa But, able and elo- I
said to have coat 500,000/. •th wars ; the first was on account of
war, There-
I f the present Kafirquent as the speech of the Right Hon. Gentleman undoubt-
2,000,000/. ; and we should b; , e second had cost nearly to his successors the who e o _
to our prese.n edly was, he (Lord J. Russell)confessedthat he had
the expense of the present e lucY if 3 000 000/ covered fore, if we were determined to adhere . t South me' wed. from '
one. For ' ' . make up our minds to pay annually tens it no new light with respect to the best sys-
. our effective military expenditure the year of war 1835 African policy, we must
European colonist iii of policy to be adopted in that colony. The question, ,
Africa, had been returned at 240,4 ea account of South about 5/. ahead for the defence of every
year. - (Ilear.) In he thought, was not that which the Ri htGentleman g t Hon.
the two years of war, 1846 and 18°91. On the average of South Africa, or about half a million a . supposed. - The •
47, it had be made in our system of middle of question to be discussed at present, in the
.860 noth. a year, or more than three times amounted to his opinion a great change ought to
to the colonists of
heath had century, was not such a question that
860 as
in 1835; and during last year it must
have
what it had been South African policy. We ought to give
the comp letest ton-,
iad arisen in North America in the 17th.—(" Hear,
1,000,0001., or fully four times what it have amounted to South Africa the freest institutions and
soon them,r9el Mn Roebuck.) The Hon. and Learned Mem-
Sheffield seemed to
Therefore, since 1833 our peace ad been in 1835. trol over their local atiairs.—(Cheers.) We ought, as
expenditure circumstances look at WhateLnded to doubt that position. But let
expenditure, on account of South Africa, had and our war after the termination of the present. war as
upon them.- first persons who ti ad been done in North America. The
increased fourfold, and our last peaceeach of them would 'permit, to require those colonists to take ' —sometimes co a gone out from England to that country nei - ,
sting of the
exceeded by fifty per cent. our former wa
expenditure
had selves the defence of their frontier against the native races— , ,
in vessels, sometimes co • . owners and crews of merchant
Therefore the year 1833 constituted an epochri expenditure. (Hear, heard—and finally to reduce the military force
out with some osisting of adventurers who had COMM' • • gone 1
n the histor of 'our South African expenditure. From the 3' South Africa to be maintained at the expense of this country
individuals singe esdsion from the Crown, and sometimes I
that year,, our expenditure had gone on graduallyofnature dirnin . .
hh- in our military expenditure.--(Hear, hear.)buccaneering
those persons "had founded
or thir
itary enterprises—
then it
: . had gone on steadily and rapidly increasing, and would whole
HUME asked whether the present vote was for the some part of the coast their own settlements
uld ' on
increase, if the present system were adhered to. In 183 ror only a portion of the year ; and whetner any
3 a yea those settlements werend in two •or three I
great change was m • years ewe t
n ade in our South African policy. The old accounts had been received from the Cape to enable the Go-
those who had been engaged inthem „ p away, and
• cheap and effectualhad been murdered
had been abolish system of self- protection by the colonists vernment to judge of the probable total expense? • by the savages among whom. theY had ' fixed their'!
' a
for it the s s abolished and the Colonial-office had substituted ' The CHANCELLOR of the RXCHEQUER—It was an
y stem of protectabodes. ,But no account of . those ,
trae„ • en'
aeons reached this
with
.......__,
....., mg the frontier by treaties -made estimatee of the expense of the Kafir war up to the 25th •country foi 'd of erhaas -t -
a pip)P wo or three years, and'
licence
~,,,,,t enforced by British troops. By those , March. With regard to future prospects, 'it . was altogether - the knowledge of alietn• might wider any elf ' '
"" 1"1"14 theoretically transformed the bola African I inilPatteible for hint to say what they atpresent; he -4 ed to a few ofoursea
were
-port towafh for

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