The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-17 00:00:00

THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

PLYMOUTH, Wednesday.

The Union Company's steamer, Cambrian, arrived
here to-day, from the Cape on the 14th ult., St.
Helena on the 22d, and Ascension on the 26th. She
brings 21 passengers.

Hostilities had broken out between the burghers
of the Orange Free State and the Basuto chief,
Moshesh. Since the settlement of the boundary line,
the Boers, by their overbearing tone and harsh con-
duct, had irritated the Basutos and provoked hosti-
lities. Demands were made upon Moshesh and his
son, Mollappo, which were considered to be unrea-
sonable. These demands were disregarded, and the
immediate result was the proclamation of war by
the Boers. The Basutos were prepared, and, not
waiting to be attacked, became the assailants, and
by their inroads upon the Free State one of its dis-
tricts had already become devastated. Ever, farm-
house in the neighbourhood of Smithfield had been
burnt down and many Boers were killed. A large
body of Basutos were within 5 miles of Snithfield
town, which, if attacked by them, was expected to
fall into their hands. 100,000 sheep and large droves
of horned cattle had been captured by the Basutos
and driven across Caledon into Basutoland. Though
war had been deliberately proclaimed the inhabitants
of the Free State seemed ill prepared for a severe
struggle. Moshesh was said to be able to summon
20,000 warriors, and, if defeated, could collect his
tribes in the comparatively inaccessible ravines of
the Maluti range of mountains, not far behind
his capital, Thaba Bosis, where, from the nature
of the ground, he might bid defiance to any
force brought against him, and, watching his op-
portunity, send forth guerilla bands to retaliate
upon his enemies. Moshesh had issued a mani-
festo giving his version of the quarrel. He
throws the whole blame upon the Boers, and pro-
mised to give strict orders that if the victory were
given to him no Englishmen who remained on
their farms in the Free State should be molested,
and that their property should be respected. He
did not wish to fight with the Queen or any of her
Majesty's subjects, but only to protect his people
from the aggressions of the Free State Government.
Upon the proclamation of war by the Boers reach-
ing Cape Town the governor warned the colonists
against taking any part in the struggle. A body of
Basutos, under David Masoefa, son of Moshesh,
had murdered all the men and male children of a
tribe of bastard half-castes under a flag of truce,
taking away a large number of women. They left
67 women and the female children without food or
clothing. The Basutos had shown the same spirit
to the Boers, massacring all the men and male
children who were captured.
The President of Transvaal had urged his men to
proceed to the assistance of the Free State, and a
great many were going, together with a large num-
ber of Dutch farmers from Cape Colony.
The night before the Cambrian left an express
had arrived stating that the Basutos had invaded
Natal, and that the British troops had been moved
to the frontier,
The latest news received from the Free State
announced that the Boers had routed a large body
of Basutos, and recovered a considerable quantity
of stock. The day before the Cambrian sailed a
motion was made in the Legislative Council to
assist the Free State. Mr. Wicht said that the
Basutos were in the wrong, and it was impossible
that the colonists could sit by with their arms
folded, and see the inhabitants of the Free
State, men with whom they were connected by
so many ties, crushed by the combination
of the native tribes. He hoped that the principle
of non-intervention advocated at home would not
be sufficiently powerful to cause this. Mr. Wood
said that the amount due from the Free State to
the colony was not less than £2,000,000. There
was not a bank, he said, which was not more or
less involved in the consequences of the war by its
transactions.

Mr. Godlonton thought they must be compelled
to grant that the Free State Government was justi-
fied by the circumstances in going to war. He had
no hesitation in saying that the proclamation of
Moshesh was one of the most transparent produc-
tions that had ever been cooked up. If necessary,
aid should be given to the Free States, whether
Dutch cr English, for it was not in accordance with
the traditions of the race to see their brethren
crushed without going to their assistance. The war
had arisen, he said, from the mismanagement of the
Colonial Government. He would, however, move
an adjournment of the debate to the 17th, as further
information might then be in possession of the
Government. This motion was then carried.

The annexation and Representation Bill had been
introduced by the Government, and had met with a
determined opposition from the Eastern members,
who claimed equality of representation for the east
and west provinces. A resolution in favour of
that equality had been carried by a majority of one.
The Diamond Company's steamer Eastern Pro-
vince was wrecked on June 24, within 18 miles of
l'Aguilas, on a voyage from Algoa Bay to Table
Bay, through a change in the variation of the com-
pass. The wreck had been sold for £2,500. The
barque Fleetwood, from Glasgow to Mauritius, was
wrecked off Dassen Island, on June 20. No lives
were lost in either ease.

Five thousand pounds had been raised in the
colony for the relief of the sufferers from the late
terrible gale in Table Bay.
The wool season had been late, and the know-
ledge of an unsound position of affairs at Port
Elizabeth had caused a comparatively small amount
to be offered on the market.

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.—We are informed
that some of the shareholders of that company are
uneasy at the mode in.which the plan of removing the
works to Oxford is to be carried out. The site chosen is a
swampy piece of ground, which, for some part of the year
is under water. It is proposed to take gravel out of the
river, and to use it far the purpose of raisingtho ground
four feet, and so bringing the surface above water. This
will be expensive. And as the water must percolate
through the gravel the ground will be damp and the
buildings subject to decay. This will render a further
outlay necessary after very few years.
The extension of the Chatham and Dover Rail-
way crossing Ludgate-hill to Smithfield was this
morning officially inspected by Colonel Yolland of the
Board of Trade. The gallant officer expressed his satis-
faction at the manner in which the works had been carried
otit.