The Sun.
London, England, 1851-10-20 00:00:00

LONDON,

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

PLYMOUTH, SUNDAY EVENING.

• Her Majesty's ship Birkenhead, Captain Salmond,
came in this evening With dispatches for the Govern-
ment of a most important character. She left Simon's
Bay Sept. 12, reached S. Vincent Oct. 4, and sailed
therefrom on the 7th. The Birkenhead brings the
mail due by the Sir Robert Peel, which ship was
damaged on the outward passage near Sierra Leone.
After landing the Admiralty dispatches the proceeded
on for Portsmouth.

We are informed that a serious engagement took
place in the Fish River Bush on the Ist September,
in which the British troops were defeated with con-
siderable loss; and it is said that the whole of the
frontier is in a state of alarming disaffection. The 2d
Royals, which had been conveyed out by the Birken-
head, are stated to have had four men killed and 17
wounded. We are informed that Sir Harry Smith
selected the Birkenhead because of her well-known
speed, and it is said that the has brought home a re-
quest that at least 10,000 more troops should be sent
out immediately.
The Birkenhead brings news twenty-one days later
than that brought by the Stornaway.
The Sir Robert Peel had not reached the Cape at
the time of the Birkenhead leaving, and nothing was
known there as to the cause of her protracted delay.
The Birkenhead brings home among her passengers
Lieutenant Stokes, R.E., and Mrs. Stokes, Ensign
Robertson, Mr. and Mrs. Robertson, Mr. Osborn, and
Mr. T. W. Cobb.

The Cape Town Mail of the 12th September gives
the following :
" Her Majesty's steamer Birkenhead, which left
East London on the 6th instant, brings a report that
the Basuts chief Moshesh and his ally Molitsane had
announced their intention to take part with the enemy
and had sent messages to the chiefs who still remained
neutral, urging them to join the war party and unite
with the Eaikas and Basutos in • driving the white men
' into the sea.' It is supposed that the dispatches
which the Birkenhead is to convey to England have
reference in part to this important intelligence.
" By the Birkenhead a report was also received of
a severe action which was said to have taken place in
the Fish River Bush, and in which our troops are
said to have suffered a repulse with considerable loss.
In the Graham's Town Journal of the 6th instant,
since received, we find some more definite particulars
concerning this action, which seems to have been a
well-contested affair. It took place on the Ist inst.,
near Committee's Drift. The detachment under
Lieutenant-Colonel Burne, 2d Royals, encountered a
body of Stock's, Seyolo's, and Botman's Kafirs, with
a number of Hottentots. Several desperate charges,
it is said, were made by the men of the 2d, who,
though unused to this kind of fighting, are stated to
have displayed great spirit. Two men of this regi-
ment were killed (one sergeant and one private), and
five wounded; of the Royal Sappers and Miners,
one was killed and one wounded ; in the Cape
Corps and Armstrong's Horse, two men were
wounded. In the whole, three men were killed and
eight (or according to another account twelve)
wounded. The dead and wounded were sent to Fort
Peddie, and the detachment returned to King Wil-
liam's Town. On their march the Kafirs are said
to have attacked them again ; very heavy firing was
heard at Fort Peddie, in the direction in which the
troops had gone, but the result was not known.
" On the 2d instant the Kafirs attacked some wag-
gons on their way to Graham's Town from below
Southwell, and succeeded in carrying off five spans of
oxen, worth 3001. The affair was reported to Major.
General Somerset,. when pursuit was immediately
made, end eighteen of the oxen recovered.
" •n the Si instant the 12th Regiment arrived at
Graham's Town, from Algoa Bay.
" From Lyndoch intelligence has been received
that most of the Tambookie servants, who had
hitherto remained faithful, have joined „the enemy,
and have assisted in driving off their master's cattle,
horses, and sheep. Some sharp conflicts had taken
place between the colonists (Messrs. Pringle, Scott,
Niland, and others) and the marauders, several of
whom were shot. In these actions, unfortunately,
two burghers were killed, and others wounded.
" The burghers of Graaff-Reinet, Cradock, and
Z wager's Hook, were to assemble at Somerset on the
4th instant, and to proceed on the 6th to drive the
Kafirs out of the Kaga mountains.
" The enemy had re-appeared in Oliphant's Hoek
and Lower Albany, as soon as Lieutenant-Colonel
Eyre left that part of the country. They had com-
mitted several depredations, and had kept the burgher
patrols continually active in pursuing them, though
with little success.
" On the afternoon of the sth instant an attack was
made on Mr. Goldswain's place, at Burnt Kraal, five
miles north-east of Graham's Town, and the enemy
succeeded in getting off with about 1,200 sheep. A
patrol, under Captain Carey, was immediately ordered
by General Somerset in pursuit, and it was hoped that
the flock would be recovered.

" On the 3d three inhabitants of the village of
Salem, while on cattle guard, were attacked by 15
or twenty Kafirs. One of the guards, named. Thomas
Filmer, was severely wounded by a bullet, which
lodged in his side. The cattle were, all but one,
brought safe to Salem. The wounded man was
doing well, the ball having been extracted.
" Information had been received from Farmerfield
that two houses, one belonging to Mr. Bowles and
the other to Mr. Barnes, had been fired near the Ka-
riega, and 15 head of cattle captured from Mr. Gush.
Patrols immediately started off in pursuit, but did not
succeed in overtaking the plunderers.
" Mr. Thomas Scanlan, of Graham's Town, lieu-
tenant in the Fingo Levy, a brave and worthy
colonist, who was wounded a few weeks ago -while
on cattle guard near that town, has died of his
wound, leaving a wife and four children, with his
parents eighty years of age and quite helpless, to
lament his death.
" The Clanwilliam Levy, whose extended period of
service has expired, were to march to East London for
embarkation to Cape Town on the 4th inst."

BRITISH KAFRARIA.
(From the Graham's Town Journal, Sept. 5.)
The military express yesterday brought intelli-
gence from King William's Town to the 3d instant.
We learn by this opportunity that her Majesty's
steamer Dee had arrived at East London, having on
board several officers and about 40 men of the 2d
Queen's with a number of horses. These men of the
Queen's came out in the Cyclops, with a company of
artillery, which was landed at Cape Town.
Our dates from East London are to the 2d instant,
at which date several vessels were in the roadstead,
irrespective of the Birkenhead, which was waiting
the return of Mr. Montagu, the honorary secretary
to Government. The rebel Hottentots, doomed to
trangportation for life, were on board that vessel, and,
it is said, appeared to be in good spirits until they
were put into the boats; but then a perceptible
" change came over their dream." The Kafirs, it is
said, of whom there are in general at the port from
100 to 200, wero quite astonished to see so many as
200 horses come out of one ship, besides a large num-
ber of Levies. A brisk barter, we are informed, is
carried on at East London with the Kafirs (among
whom, it is supposed, are many Gaikas) in horses, for
which they obtain blankets and other supplies. Our
informant states that little doubt can be entertained
but that the hostile Kafirs contrive to obtain supplies
from East London. This may be probably mere con-
jecture ; but, at all events, the very suspicion ought
to induce, on the part of the authorities, unslumber-
ing vigilance in protecting the public against the
machinations of the crafty enemy.