The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-11 00:00:00

oN DON,

on a :mall scale, had excited the attention of all the in•

" SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK.

" The events co this week are of a checkered character
—the dark squares, however, having greatly the predo-
minarce. Two more colonists have been murdered by
110(tentot bandits, and a third seriously wounded. One
or them, an Enlishman, was waylaid in Olipbant's
Holt, stripped naked, and had his brains beaten out
with a blungeon. The other, a man of colour, was shot
dead whilst resting in his own cottage in fancied secu-
rity after his day's toil. The wounded man was return•
ing to his home, and was shot from an ambuscade, but
mey, possibly, escape with life.
It the information from Uitenlisge be correct, which
computes the rebel banditti in the Zuurberg at from 250
to 300 strong, then it follows that the main body of the
Hottentot rebels on the Buffalo must have been when
attacked by Colonel Eyre and the gallant men of the 43d,
weaker than usual, though then estimated at from 500 to
600 men. Shauld this be so, then it very plainly marks
the formidable character of the rebellion, and the itn-
povauce of the whole country being .ar,used to a sense
of the necessity of the inimedia,e aid effectual suppre3,
sion of the insurrection. It this be not done with a
strong hand, the safety of the whole colony will be
jeopardized, and the most disastrous consequences may
sos

The spirited attack on the rebel camp on :he
Buffslo, by Colonel Eye e and the 43d Regiment relieves
the ("ark fi arures of the pic are, and by exciting hope
effirds matter for coegra ulatiou. The attack was well
d -signed, and would, there can be no doubt, had tae de-
c(f,eunir er
iann,
:t
nictil:3,ll,u„iniini lamas
successfulari
irl. vh et timßaaitirtet hhite,
icint,i,ii,airic eed(r,ittilefidi,
country, to
rim., have .
it;
)1 st,sivtuesr:t?i et:ecan.
movement of exiraordinery thtficulry, and especia'ly
where there are men who -,ould coesider it as a mietur-
tune to be last, and indeed it repro:act" cot to tie first, in
the presence of the enemy."
asi
si s consistent stills taetn ti
swi
hopedth residence
fur by
a uponlargae
barbarian
iafer.Tbaseahure:dtaic:pear,
opbpeoerr2dt
accompanied'
property
burden,
n Mail,
by isnileahle
securityacliog
dangers ay s :
—to
body of the colonists from the present unhappy
hostilities. Such is also the sole aim of the
British Government, who, on the colony's behalf, are
at this time incurring the vast expense of these hos-
tilities. Both bodies, the Imperial Government
and the colony, have to co-operate in endeavouring to
attain this object. Without their perfect 00-operation it
seems impossible that anything final can be done; and
before they can co-operate cordially, each must know
the policy which guides the conduct of the other, and
both must see clearly what measures are best to be
adopted before the great end in view can be attained.
" How, then, are they to work together under present
circumstances? How can the British Government corn-
reunicate with the colonists? War was declared, and
the Qaeen's+ representative called on the colonists ' to rise
en masse, and exterminate' the enemy. From the very
manner in which the object of the war was stated doubts
arose. Was it right to exterminate the Kafir'', in the
ordinary sense of the word used in the proclamation? If
they deserved such a fate, was it necessary? Or, to
propose a third view, was it necessary but not right? if,
indeed, God will ever permit human beings to argue
anything to be necessary that is not right.
" What the war arose from is of less importance than
the question—how must it end? The intended eater-
miaation, originally proclaimed, of the enemy, has since
been diminished to his banishment beyond the K-i. Is
this indispensable? If indispensable to the extent ot
security which we think to be necessary, has it bten
rightly earned by the Kafir people at our hands? It
indispensable for our present security, if just, is it safe
f;ir the future? Will not the new colony between. the
Fish River and the Kel—for the country between the
Fish River and he Keiskansma, although nominally a
colonial district since 1848, is scarcely in a different
position from British Ketraria, in fact—will not this
new territory in future years suffer as tearfully from the
Pei: Elits:Asilbbl Albany
entoy
tribes who then will border on the Europeans,
and Somerset do now from their present neighbours?
If, again. it be alike indispensable for the present in-
terests of the colony, safe for its future interests, and
right as far as the Kstirs are concerned,
' extereeleate' them from their present homes, and com-
pel them to emigrate beyond the Kei? The colonists
alone, even if they were agreed upon answering all the
questions above in the affirmative, cannot do it. A large
British army has been trying to succeed in this during a
year and a-half, and have hitherto made but little progress.
" A more modified view, even of the idea of the ex-
pulsion of the Gaika nation from their present country,
has lately seemed to gain ground. It is saidthaptoGliteinc,eroarl
Cathcart wishes only to expel the individual Kafirs, if
they can be singled out, or the individual chiefs, 'who
have taken part in the war. But will this be
even possible, in the case of a people holding their chiefs
in so much honour? The war arose scarcely so much,
as Bishop Gray is said to have stated in England, from
the incurable cattle-stealing propensities of the Kafirs,
as from the partisanship of the pas pie with their chiefs,
enemy9l,BK:taharsn
Sir
whose power it was the avowed policy of our Government
to endeavour to undermiue and destroy. We established
British rule fin Kaftans, and persuaded ourselves that
the people were more contented and prosp-rous under
that rule, than under their former native institutions of
government. So, perhaps, they may have been for a
time. The Government of the day persuaded itself also
that the colony was more free from cattle-stealing visits,
tt,.d more sate from a chance of their recurrence. So
stated Sir 11. Smith's dispatches and public declarations,
repeatedly and positively. When rumours of war came
Sir 11. smith summoned one of the former chiefs before
him. Tee chief set the newly-sstablished authority in
his country at defiance. The people chose the side
of their natural sovereign rather than that of the
foreigner. We have a.tempted in vain, during 18
months past, to bring these alleged rebels to submission.
If this be the history of the war, and it it be true that a
national feeling unites the Kafir people, even though
they were fur a time happy and contented under our
rule, to resist any intrusion upon them of what they
must needs think a foreign yoke,—are not the questions
respecting their expulsion, extermination, destruction,
and so forth, which we have described above, such as
must naturally suggest themselves to the mind of every
man of civilized feeling? At present there are no suffi-
cient means of thoroughly ascertaining pnblic opinion
in the colony on a subject of such intricacy and difficulty.
Whenever the colonists meet in an organized represen-
tative Legislature, they can say for themselves what they
mink is best to be done for the attainment of the sole
object of the present, as of all wars,—peace. They will
deliberately judge, and will consult with the authorized
servants of the Queen's Government, what evils which
may new be allayed have caused alike the Kafir war and
the Hottentot rebellion ; and what can be done to lessen
or remove these evils. Until then all parties continue
in the dark, and too sole sounds which relieve the ge-
neralthereiegingorrlnncdesocflithhee rweaarl, object of
aordf
fromthe ceounrteisrt
j,
uarnel
border.celonists, whose many sufferings naturally prompt
th, mto think of the enemy as mere bloodthirsty mis_
crean ts, & lighting in ravage
ihe
heann
a,andhuer i murder;
erof
utter
our
enemy
un buti
hwi
Eh* who in
ohi a:
this judgment may be wrong.
noitioln'atehlvneorythviniegwsleosfs
The enemy,
they must choose
could restore peace, and that they do not deserve to
exist—the proclamation that the object of the war was
their extsrmination—have retarded toe close of the con-
of sad
Illesotttemnit'reetst,hhrarit
between confirmed resistance and their destruction.
a anythingga iaaenlds ea. g a Tnh,
Yet if comparative peace, not the safety of London and
York, but such comparative peace as borderers mast be
Harryset isfis cl
Smith'swih, can be
proclaimedi ttain ed
objectby
at
anythingtheopening
war, neither Britain nor the colony has any true interest
in seeking that object; and, to say the least, it is tar
from certain that either of them has the right, any more
than it possesses the interest.
" A commission of inquiry into all the causes of con.
test, sent out last year, might have saved Great Britain
many thousands of pounds. A similar commission, even
now, would be of the highest value. The establishment,
in addition, as speedily as possible, of representative itt-
atitutions,
having public confidence, and through which
ete cat
n 1 yd— t
ot o
co decide
operate
sincerelyathe real opinion ot the colony could be clearly heard,
would enable all the parties concerned to understand
each
other Pri.'
rlyupotnowwahradts was
best to be do
restoration of peace on a permanent basis."
From the South African Commercial Advertiser
we extract the following :
" Though General Cathcart has not been remiss dur-
ing the past month, his dispetches by the present mail
will carry little consolation to the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer. His predecessor, Sir Charles Wood, last year
uslesd only 300,000/. for the Kafir war, under an impres-
sien that the contsst was drawing to a close. Mr. Dis-
raeli now (April 30) requests an additional 660,0001.
But Sir Cheri, s Wood ' thought the Right Hon. Gen-
tleinan would find himself very much disappointed in the
estimate which he had formed of the probable expense
of the Kafir war. The probability was that the 460,000/,
which he had first named would be pretty nearly ex-
pended by the Ist of March, and it was going on at the
rate of almost 50,000/. a month.' Four months have
elapsed since the Ist of March, which, according to the
estimate, will account fur the additional 200,0001., while
the state of the war is pretty nearly what it was on the
Ist of January, 1850. The prospect of its drawing to
a close has not improved, and the necessary arrange-
ments in progress for the protection of the colony and
the annoyance of the enemy
imply an increasing
rate of expenditure. Higher
mot •
with
than
hill aner°
economy no doubt inspire all parties wit
conflict to
ardent desire to bring this savage .
is a sufficient .reason
for end; but even economy alone a
for demanding of Ministers something more than
just enough to ' maintain the honour of her Ma_
been accomplished.
jesty's arms.' Nothing more has yet..
bands within the
There are Kafir camps, and rebel . .
boundaries of the colony. Beyond it, nothing is held
safe th it is not within the range of musketry or cannon.
Simply to ' maintain the honour of her Majesty's arms'
for 18 mouths against the border tribes. has cost, accord-
ing to Sir C. Wood's estimate, about 960,0001, with the
loss of many brave officers and men. The losses of the
colony in life, property, and time are not less appalling,
It is a most ruinous affair.
' A summary of events and operations during the
month is given elsewhere. But the details of assaults,
robberies, murders, pursuits, shirini'lles' and personal
feploits, ire which colonists have been distinguished
ace ors or suff rers, would fill maw; more columns 1.):s-
-order and danger, es well as actual war, have become
L.. 01.61111. fer 50 mail. a or more on both sides of a border
line some 100 0 150 miles in length. The latest re-
p ,rte give reason to fear that strong parties of active
marauders have already established themselves among
he mountains and forests not far from the towns of
Ueeuhsge and Poet Edzsbeth.
" Such is the field which General Cathcart has to
coreemplate and opt, ate upon, against an enemy adroit,
active, d, sperisee end w, if stele d.
" otter romovieg heit-l-quareers to Fort Beau'ort, he
made 3 visit to Graham's Town, in consequence of a dis-