The Sun.
London, England, 1838-12-28 00:00:00

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

The situation of the colony of the Cape of Good Hope
is evidently becoming critical, if but a small portion of the
complaints and statements with which the papers and pri-
vate letters abound on every arrival are alone founded in
fact. The Grahm's-town Journals to the sth of October
are filled with copious details of the trials of Hottentots
and other of the native tribes, principally on charges of
marauding_ and plundering the farmers of their cattle. The
account of these thefts from the month of August only,
when there were but comparatively few cases of plunder, as
officially published by the Government there, reaches to
one hundred and thirty-one head of cattle and twenty_
eight horses. The Judge on Circuit in the Graham's-
town district on dismissing the Jury, after an unusually
long Assize, declared that it was " perhaps the heaviest
criminal Session ever held" there, which tended to show

the great " increase of crime of late, and rapid de-
moralization of the coloured classes." Much indigna-
tion was expressed among the colonists at the want of
protection to life and property exhibited by the local au-
thorities, but more especially on account of the manner in
which, as averred, " they had been accused without foun-
dation and condemned unheard" at the Colonial-office, and
by the Colonial officials in Parliament, as having " com-
mitted or connived at aggressions" upon the Caffrcs. The
accusation is declared to be entirely " false," and inquiry
challenged into the fscts " on the spot" with the greatest
earnestness. If fair dealing be intended towards a com-
munity as much entitled to protection and the benefit of the
laws as any other portion of British subjects, it would ap-
pear only reasonable that such a demand should be com-
plied with, which is but a reiteration of the Fame request
made in their behalf, as is stated, after the presentation of
the Albany petition to the House of Commons in July last
by Mr. Gladstone. Such inquiry might serve to throw some
light on the recent extensive emigrations of farmers to Port
Natal, whose misfortuues and slaughter by one of the Caffre
tribes have excited so much sympathy. It has been broadly
stated on various occasions that these unhappy emigrations
were caused by the incessant incursions and robberies to
which they were exposed from the Caffres, and the absence
or refusal of all adequate protection by the local Govern-
ment, by which their representations were treated with in-
difference or contempt. The insecurity to property and
the risk to life would seem indeed to merit the deepest at-
tention, from the following official returns, which so far ap-
pear to bear out the assertions of the colonists that the Caf-
fres are in fact the aggressive party :
Account current of losses sustained by the Caff:es and colo-
nists respectively by the irruption of the former into the
eastern province of the Cape of Good Hope in December,
1834, and the war which ensued consequent thereon in the
early part of 1835.
(Compiled from official returns.) _

. .
CAPTURED PROM THE CAFFRES. LOSSES SUSTAINED BY TIIE
Horses not stated, say 500 I COLONISTS.
Cattle 6QOOO Horses 5,715
Goats, numbernotstat- Cattle 111,930
ed, say 2,000 Sheep and goats ......161,930

BALANCE DUE TO

T/SE: COLONISTS.

Horses
Cattle
Sheep and goats

5,215
51,930
159,930

An inquest was held yesterday at St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, on the body of Philip Sparks, aged 43 years.
The deceased was carman to Mr. Dewell, of No. 16, Old-
street, St. Luke's, ironfounder. On the Gth inst. he was
assisting in getting a cylinder of a hydraulic press into
cart, when the chain slipped, and the flange of the cylinder
caught the little finger of the right hand, and severely
jammed and lacerated it. He immediately proceeded to
the Hospital and had the wound dressed, and was after-
wards admitted as an in-patient. On Wednesday week
last he displayed symptoms of locked jaw, and died on
Wednesday morning last, at eight o'clock. Verdict, " Ac-
cidental death."