The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-30 00:00:00

LONDON-, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 30, 1853.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

TERMINATION OF THE WAR.

[A summary of the following appeared in The
Sun of yesterday.]
The General Screw Steam Shipping Company's
steamer Calcutta, Captain J. V. Hall, arrived at
Plymouth yesterday morning at half-past five.
Her dates are :—Outward—Left Plymouth on the
15th of October at 5 p.m., arrived at St. Vincent's
on the 26th at 10 a.m., left on the 29th at 7 p.m. ;
arrived at Ascension on the Bth of November at 10
a.m., left the same day at 7.30 p.m. ' • arrived at
the Cape on the 23d at 10 a.m., left on the 27th at
5.30 a.m. ; arrived at the Mauritius on the 11th of
December at 5.45 a.m., left on the 17th at 2 p.m. ;
arrived at Ceylon on the 29th at 1.45 p.m., left on
30th at 9 a.m. ; arrived at Madras on the 2d of
January at 9.30 a.m., left on the sth at 5.30 p.m. ;
arrived at Calcutta on the 10th at 5 p.m. Home-
ward—Left Calcutta on the 20th of January at
1 p.m. ; arrived at Madras on the 24th at 5.45
p.m., left on the 25th at 10.45 p.m. ' • arrived at
Ceylon on the 29th at 7 a.m., and left at 9 p.m. ;
arrived at the Mauritius on the Bth of February
at 10 a.m., left on the 9th at 6 p.m. ; arrived at
the. Cape of Good Hope on the 19th at 4.30 p.m.,
left on the 24th at 6.30 p.m. ; arrived at St. Helena
on the 4th of March at 6 a.m., left at 4 p.m. ; ar-
rived at Ascension the 7th of March at 1 p.m., left
at 10.30 p.m. ; arrived at St. Vincent's the 15th,
at 6.20 p.m., left the 17th at 10.30 p.m. ; and ar-
rived at Plymouth at 5.30.-tmn. .on the 29th of
March. Amongst her passengers are—

From Calcutta—Lady Gilbert and servant ; Mrs. J. R.
Worcester; Captain and Mrs. Colt, child, and servant ;
Dr. Donovan ; and 10 seamen, invalids from her Majesty's
ships Rattler and Winchester.
From Madras—Colonel and Mrs. Hollis ; Dr. and Mrs.
Smith ; Miss M`Gregor, two children, and servant ; Colo-
nel and Mrs. Inglis, infant, and servant ; Lieutenant 0.
Mayne ; Rev. W. Otteley; and Master Butler.
From Mauritius—Mr. Lewisson, Mr. Keate, and Master
Bartlett.

From the Cape of Good Hope—Colonel and Mrs. Eyre,
child, and servant; Colonel Napier, Colonel Sparks, Mr.
and Mrs. Egan, Lieutenant M`lienzie and servant, Mr.
Roebuck, and Mr. Johnson.
From St. Vincent's—Messrs. J. S. Warren, J. Sampson,
and J. Birch.

Her outward voyage to Calcutta occupied 77
days, her passage homeyard has been accomplished
in precisely the same period. She sailed later from
Calcutta than the previous ships in order to have
less detention at Galle for the overland mail for
the Mauritius ; and the run from that point to
the Cape averaged 9i knots per hour the whole
way.
The Calcutta met with considerable adverse wea-
ther on her outward passage. Between the Cape
and the Mauritius she fell •in with a hurricane,
which caused some detention, but she sustained
no injury—a sufficient proof of her admirable
seagoing qualities and excellent management.
So prosperous a voyage both out and home has
not failed to give great satisfaction to her pas-
sengers.
The Port Louis Gazette, writing on the passage
of the Calcutta from India to the Mauritius,
says :

" The following particulars have been kindly commu-.
nicated by a passenger on board this fine vessel, which
we readily publish. The Calcutta is the first of the
Screw Company's vessels that has experienced a hurri-
cane, and she has proved her qualities as a good sea-
boat. Captain Hall has also had his experience,
science, and skill fairly tested, and has been found well
up to the mark.
" The Calcutta left the Sandheads on the 21st of
January at 10 p.m., and had an exciting race with the
Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Pottinger
down to Madras, the Calcutta taking the lead and
beating by some hours—all the time fair steaming—no
wind.

" The trifling accident to the fittings of her %crew
which caused the delay (so vexatious to her commander)
at this island on her outward voyage has given no
trouble since, and her machinery is in the highest state
of efficiency. She has had no assistance from the wind
since leaving Calcutta till yesterday, when she met thd
S.E. trade wind. Still she has made an excellent run
down.

" She encountered a hurricane three days after
leaving Mauritius (December 2O), but by the judicious
management of Captain Hall, who is well versed in the
cyclonic theory both by experience and study, the more
dangerous part was avoided, and the Calcutta rode
nobly through it, not sustaining the slightest accident,
though it caused her some detention."
The Great Britain screw steam-ship, Captain B.
Mathews, left the Cape of Good Hope on the 20th
of January at 4 a.m., four days before the depar-
ture of the Calcutta.

Her Majesty's steam-ship Dee left Simon's Bay
for Algoa Bay on the 18th of February. She is
expected to bring a portion of the 73d Regiment to
Cape Town.
The ship John Bartlett left Table Bay for London
on the 20th of Febrnary, and the Albatross on the
same day for Port Philip.
The schooner Mary, which arrived in Mossel Bay
from England on the 14th of February, was driven
ashore during a heavy S.E. gale on Wednesday
the 16th. She parted two anchors, and, after
dragging the third, she slipped and went on shore.
One of the crew was drowned, and the vessel was
expected to become a total wreck. (A letter, dated
February 19, states that she still held together,
and that she was not insured. Her cargo has been
advertised for sale.)
Her Majesty's ship Polyphemus and the Austra-
lian Royal mail steamship Adelaide were at St.
Helena on the 4th of March. The Adelaide had
been detained there seven days for coal, and was
then filling up with wood.
The St. _Helena Herald of the 3d of March con-
tains a long letter from Mr. Robert Young, one of
the passengers by the Royal Australian Mail Com-
pany's steam-ship Adelaide, Captain Jackson, which
sailed from Plymouth on the 3d of January, arrived
at St. -Vincent's on the 17th, and, after a delay of
yry days, left for the Cape. On the 10th of
February she crossed the Line, and, on the 16th,
it was found that the coal was insufficient to take
her, to the Cape. Mr. Young writes :--
" The screw of the Adelaide cannot be lifted, and, in
consequence of some peculiarity in her construction, she
will not steer without steam while the propeller is in the
water. Being therefore dependent upon fuel, and not only
for progress, but also for the supply of fresh water by mean
of condensed steam, the captain unquestionably adopted
the most prudent course. We reached this port on the 20th,
and again were we destined to meet with disappointment.
We found no coal in the market, and are necessitated to
do the best we can to obtain wood. Ido not like, with-
out good and sufficient cause, to express any censure on
a public company ; and it is but justice to the company
in question to state, that several coal vessels had been
dispatched to St. Vincent's, but that the heavy and
continuous gales in the Channel had prevented their
timely arrival ; and also to state that the Adelaide has
been found to consume a much larger quantity of coal
than the directors were taught to believe would be suffi-
cient But, while I readily make these admissions, I
nevertheless have a very strong opinion that more care
ought to have been taken to provide for contingencies.
Had less merchandise and more coal been received on
board at Plymouth, we might have avoided the delay
and expense incurred at St Vincent's and St. Helena.
When as passengers we paid our money, we were told
very confidently that in 75 days the vesssel would reach
Sydney. But 77 days have already elapsed since the
14th of December, and we have performed only about
one-third of our voyage. This unexpected delay is truly
vexatious to the captain and his officers, highly incon-
venient to the passengers. and to some of them may even
be ruinous.
The General Screw Steam-Shipping Company's
steamer Queen of the South was steaming out of
Ascension on the 7th of March, when the Calcutta
entered.

the rivers Indwe and Kei as the boundary between
her Majesty's territories and his own. Reductions
in the various forces hitherto engaged in the war
were immediately to take place.
We subjoin the following details from the Cape
papers :

(From the Monthly Summary of the Cape Monitor, Feb. 23.)
Since our last summary little has occurred on the
frontier which could in itself be regarded as an omen of
our success. The war has, hoWever, long been virtually
terminated, and most of the rebels would doubtless much
prefer the ingleside of a settler's kitchen to the most
romantic adventures and hair-breadth escapes to be en-
countered in the defiles of the Amatolas. Still, a few
are determined to die hard, and consequently keep the
police continually on the alert ; but their depredations
have not been either formidable or frequent. We regret
most to have to report the death of Lieut. William
Currie, of the Somerset police, who was wounded some
time ago while pursuing these wretches. Every atten-
tion was paid to the sufferer which medical skill could,
dictate, but in vain. He gradually sunk under the lotEi
of blood, and, at length, " one of the bravest hearts
among the sons of the British settlers of Albany ceased
to beat."

The month of January was spent by a party of 156
Fingoes, who, commanded by Commander Cyrus
and Lieutenants R. and W. Forrester, patrolled the
country about the Fish River. On four or five oc-
casions they discovered the spoors of Kafirs, which
they followed, as hounds do the trail of foxes, and
succeeded in shooting a few of .the marauders and
capturing some arms and horses. The difficulty of
pursuit was considerable, requiring the exercise of much
practical sagacity, as, in the more open places, the
Kafirs attempted to mislead our men, by walking back{
wards, and by giving to thekyestiges across a dusty
road the appearance of babobn--traeks. But,eur men,
under the able guidance of Mr. P. Koester, were liofto
be baffled by tricks as old as the days of Cacus. On
the 18th January Piet Koester was severely wounded,
but was carried off by his companions a distance of 18
miles. On the same day was wounded, at Koester's
Drift, J. M. Ferreira, the son of the lamented Field
Cornet Ferreira, who was shot a few days before by
Brander's Hottentots. An examination of the fallen
rebels led to the conclusion that they had formed a sort
of rear-guard of Brander's gang. On the evening of the
same day occurred one of those unexpected successes
which serve to show that the battle is not always to the
strong, nor the race to the swift. John Klaas' a Hot-
tentot in the service of Mr. W. H. Daniell, of Sidbury
Park, had proceeded with two waggons as far as Howi-
son's Poort, when be saw ts+o Kafirs driving eight
oxen. Unable to answer his interrogations they ran off,
leaving the oxen behind. Shortly after, he captured 14
more, and at daylight the following morning found 16
oxen with their reams on, mixed With the 14. Either
a panic seized the thieves, or they may have intended it
as a ruse to put the Albany farmers off their guard.
The execution of Job David, the condemned rebel,
took place at King William's Town. From a letter
written by his spiritual attendant on the occasion, we
learn that he had deserted with others from the Cape
Mounted Rifles, because Laverlot (of Kat River) had
written letters persuading them to make a speedy escape,
as the English had made preparation for making all the
Hottentots slaves.. He fled to the bush, and was in the
mountains about a year ; but getting tired of such a
sinful and miserable life he repaired to Pato's location.
On - this narrative some obvious reflections may be
made. First, the efficacy of Kat River messages upon
the minds of men who bad nothing to complain of. Kat
River seems to have been regarded as a sort of mis-
sionary sanctuary, from , which every lie issued forth
clothed in the garb of gospel truth. Secondly, we may
note the mental grouping of ideas in the deserter's con-
fession: His life of want and hardship in the mountains
is identical with a sinftil life—indicating that, in Hotten-
tot parlance, plenty and righteousness, hunger and sin,
are convertible terms. We must infer that the system of
instruction adopted by the London missionaries at Kat
River must be both dangerous and. injudicious, since it
has fostered an influence over their proteges so unwar-
ranted and so liable to abuse. _

During the month, 18 or 20 rebel Hottentots were
tried by court-martial, and sentenced to two years' im-
prisonment, with hard labour. Such a sentence, or one
even more severe, has been often passed on natives con-
victed in the Supreme Court of larceny or attempted
burglary. Rebellion, which by implication contains the
elements of every crime, is by this sentence exhibited to
the.coloured people as scarcely more • heinous than the
theft of a sheep 1
Reference was lately made to the numbers of coloured
people located in the precincts of Graham's Town, who
were found to be living unsupervised, and in a semi-
lawless state. A census has been made, and their num-
bers found to be $,OOO. "-
Witchcraft has been manifesting itself among the Fin-
goes at Graham's Town and Fort Peddie. In the latter
place the magistrate has detected and punished two witch
doctors, and has latterly committed a Fingo to prison
on a charge of wilful murder. It appears that a child
was sick, and the native saga having pointed out another
man as the cause, the father was instigated to shoot the
imaginary offender. At Graham's Town, the headman
of one of the Fingoe kraals has deposed before the clerk
of the peace to curious facts, which prove at once the
extent of native credulity and superstition. A woman
was alleged to be pregnant with snakes, and serious con-
sequences might have ensued had not the headman fined
the husband 50 rix-dollars. The husband, however,
evades payment, and hence the application of the Fingo
headman to have the penalty enforced by the British
authorities.

A sawyer, named Ward, who was wounded some time
ago in Oliphant's Hoek, has died. The victim in this
instance was a man in humble life, but the result of rebel
treachery would have been the same though the object
had been the noblest of England's aristocracy. Reviewing
the past, let us count up the costly nature of the price
which we have paid for our philandering policy towards
the natives, and no man of common humanity can fail to
be struck with its unfortunate issue, and the consequent
necessity of altering the system completely.
During a severe thunder-storm Mr. Munford's kraal
was forced by the enemy, and 50 head of cattle were
stolen ; but through the activity of the police all were
recovered except one.
By a notice, dated Jan. 25, 1853, a board has been
appointed "to investigate and report upon all claims for
losses of cattle, or waggons captured or destroyed by the
enemy, while in the eisloy of Government during the
war.'
Flying rumours have been rife respecting the demean-
our and intentions of Kreli and the deposed rebel chiefs.
According to some parties, Sandilli [and Macomo are
desirous of peace ; according to others, they are watch-
ing the • course of events, ready to take advantage of
any false or faltering movement on our side. Again,
Kreli is reported as intensely afraid of another com-
mando, yet evading the payment of the fine imposed by
Sir H. Smith. By last post, however, it seems he has
sent an instalment of 100 head, and some assagais.
Scores of mounted men, however, are said to be passing
Clarkebury.
A meeting of the chiefs at King
.William's Town is
spoken of, but General Cathcart maintains a prudent
silence regarding his ulterior measures, and the rumour
is so far unauthenticated by official announcement.
Lieutenant• Colonel Eyre, of the 73d, being about
to proceed to England, for the benefit of his health,
several addresses have been forwarded to him by those
who have long been spectators of his heroic gallantry
and valour.
Lieutenant-Colonel Napier, being appointed to a
higher command in Canada, has been entertained by the
officers of the Cape Mounted Rifles in the most enthusi-
astic and respectful manner.
Nothing seems clearer than that Moshesh, having
been convicted of a theft on a great scale, was properly
fined ; and that his having resisted the payment by force
of arms only aggravates his former offence. That his
Excellency has forborne tolpress his claims is by no means
tantamount to saying that the claim has been satisfied
or remitted.

The Trans-Vaal Boers have taught us a lesson which
we should have known long ago. They strike no hesi-
tating blow, nor allow their humanity to be abused by
the machinations of political missionaries. Their attack.
upon Secheli, and their expulsion of two London mis-
sionaries, are marks of a promptitude and decision which
we look for in vain among the annals of our own South
African policy. A well-informed correspondent to' one
of- the frontier papers remarks upon these events, and
states that " a complete gunsmith's shop was found on
the premises of one of the missionaries (near Secheli's
place), with guns in all stages of repair ;" and then very
properly asks if such an establishment is necessary for
the conversion of the heathen ?
The commission which has been sitting to take evi-
dence on the state of the native tribes, and the best me-
thod of dealing with them, has finished its sittings. The
recapitulation of evidence will be interesting ; but the
whole of their proceedings have not yet come to hand.
Since the above was written, intelligence has been re-
ceived of, the proclamation of peace with Krell, and a
report that thip proscribed Kafir chiefs, Macomo and
Sandilli, have retreated across the Kei, and Kreli's
having sued for peace. The notices and proclamations
which announce this welcome news will be found in an-
other column.

negotiation. This condition having now been ostensibly
complied with, there seems a prospect that some kind
of peace will shortly be agreed upon., Several of San-
dilli's councillors are stated to have arrived at head-
quarters with the chief's " word," and been admitted to
an audience, but the nature of the arrangements proposed
on either side has not yet been made public.
Whatever these arrangements may be, it is now cer-
tain that General Cathcart intends to retain military
possession of the Amatolas until her Majesty's pleasure
be known on the subject. In a Government Notice re-
cently issued, he announces his intention to establish
townships and villages in th• neighbourhood of sufficient
military forts and garrisons, in that portion of the lands
formerly occupied by the Gaikas, named the Keiskamma
Hoek, and invites applications for land from the " de-
serving persons who have fought nobly in the ranks of
colonial leTies and other corps during the rebellion now
happily suppressed." As the grants, however, are of
wofully small extent, and subject to a condition of bond
fide residence, it is evident that his Excellency wishes to
discourage the system of speculating in suchlands, which
has frequently produced extensive evil in- this country.
The-first settlers are to be rationed for six months, and
provided with implements, seeds, &c. ; and in the event
of the Home Government abandoning the project, com-
pensation is to be given them, either in money or land
elsewhere.

Notwithstanding this apparently promising condition
of affairs over the border, the frontier districts have not
been wholly free from depredation. Several serious
losses of cattle and horses have taken place ; and Kafir
scouts and small parties of rebel Hottentots are continu-
ally met with, far within the more settled parts of the
colony. These circumstances naturally tend to keep up
a feeling of insecurity in the country, and many of the
Eastern colonists are, it is said, determined, if peace be
not speedily and satiikaotorily restored, to seek for hap-
pier homes in the land of the golden East.
llp to-theiirrivaliaf the last post the state of affairs in
Kreli's country,- the soene of General. Cathcart's first
"foray," was looked upon as very unsatisfactory. The
remainder of the fine imposed upon that chief for the
destruction of missionary property at•Buttervrorth had
not been paid ; and it appeared that a number of his
people, the Amagaleki, assisted by refuge rebel Hotten-
tots, have fallen upon the Tambookies and destroyed
several of their kraals. A party of them visited the
missionary station of Morley in quest of gunpowder, but
were prevented from obtaining it by the address and
courage of the missionary's wife. Subsequent reports
stated that the station had been destroyed, but of this
we have no certain information. All accounts, however,
concurred in representing the Amagaleki territory as in
'a state of dangerous confusion. _ _

Kreli, feeling, doubtless, that this was a condition of
things which might lead to a second visit from General
Cathcart, took time by the forelock and sent in messen-:
gers professing great contrition and humility. With a;
bundle of assegais, in token of submission, he also sent
about 100 cattle as a further instalment of his fine, plead-
ing poverty and that the Boers had plundered him of
great numbers. He admitted that he had been severely
punished, and begged for a remission of the remainder of
the fine and for peace, and the hand of peace was at once
held out to him. A proclamation issued by the Gover-
nor on the 14th instant, at King William's Town,
announces that peace and amity have been restored
betiveen Majesty and her faithful friend Kreli, who, on
kis part, promises to be true and faithful to all his
engagements, and to regard the rivers Indwe and Kei as
the boundary between her Majesty's territories and his
own (thus, by the way, sponging Kafirland from the
map.) He engages to keep his people from disturbing
the Tambookies, and to be responsible for the lives and
property of British subjects within his territory—they,
however, making their own agreements with him as to
the terms on which they shall be permitted to reside
there; and he further engages to recover and restore
stolen cattle, horses, or other property traced into his
country, and to punish the thieves ; and also to deliver
up murderers, robbers, &c.,. who may escape into his
territories from her Majesty's dominions.
These events are in some degree satisfactory to the
colonists, as they hold out a prospect of a cessation of
those miserable hostilities which have entailed such
heavy calamities upon them. For further and more com-
plete relief from their long continued sufferings they
look with confidence to the speedy establishment, under
a Reform Ministry and a Reform Parliament, of those
free representative institutions which would prevent
hereafter what is now found so difficult of cure.