The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-10 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY

THE KAFIR WAR.

(Froth the Times.)
PLYmounr, TUESDAY.—The General Screw Steam
Shipping Company's steam-ship Hellespont, Captain
William Watts, arrived here about midday.
Her dates are—Cape of Good Hope, August 1 ;
Sierra Leone, August 16; and St. Vincent, Au-
gust 24.
Her accounts of the state of affairs on the frontier
are far from satisfactory.

Sir Harry Smith appears to have made no move-
ment of consequence during the previous month,
while the Kefirs and Hottentots are spreading them-
selves through the eastern provinces, and penetrating
settlements previously considered secure from danger.
Just previous to the departure of the steamer news
reached the Cape of an attack upon some English,
between Fort Beaufort and Graham's Town, when
five were killed by the rebel Hottentots. Strong
patrols were sent out immediately, but with what
success is not known.

It 2ppears that while Sir Harry Smith has been
checking an enemy on the frontier, the Kafirs and
Hottentots have been invading and ',Waging the in-
ttrior.

Our correspondent at the Cape, under date Aug. 1,
says—" From what I can learn, Major Warden hat:,
been defeated in the Sovereignty, the Kafirs are
within five miles of Uitenhage, and the war, conse-
quently, in the heart of the colony."
About the 20th of July, on the return of a patrol
under Colonel Mitchell, from Kieskamma, they were
unsuccessfully attacked by Se 3 010, who stated that
as he had lost his country and cattle, he did not desire
peace. The news from Krell is pacific, and he pro-
fesses to have discovered his error. Sandilli is said
to be dejected, and to be contemplating removal be-
yond the Nye. Pato continues 'attached to British
interests.

No further supply of troops had reached the Cape
subsequent to the arrival of the Vulcan, but the Go-
vernment dispatches, forwarded by the Hellespont,
were sent to the frontier by her Majesty's steamer
Hermes, which was provided with sufficient fuel to
go on to the Mauritius, where there are spare troops.
On the 25th of July, during a strong northerly
gale, the merchant ship Vimeira, Lawson master,
parted from her anchors and went ashore in Table
Biy; crew saved. On the 29th the brig Fanny,
Bristow, parted from her anchorsin Table Bay during
a N.E. gale, and ran ashore under the battery; crew
saved ; all the cargo expected to be saved. On the
19th the William Foster, from Table Bay to Algoa
Bay, struck on Cape Receife, and immediately went
to pieces ' • crew and passengers saved. The fine ship
Randolph, 700 tons, belonging to Duncan Dunbar,
from Calcutta, with Coolies, was lost on a reef off the
Mauritius • one passenger, Lieutenant Scott, two
seamen, and 27 Coolies drowned.
Her Majesty's steamer Alecto, which arrived at
Sierra Leone about the 12th, was left there on the
18th of August, and her Majesty's ship Dolphin was
signalled on the 18th, standing into the river. The
Birkenhead and the Cyclops called at Sierra Leone,
with troops for the Cape, all well. The rainy season
was nearly over, and Sierra Leone generally healthy.
The Brazilian mail steamer Tay left St. Vincent,
Aug. 24, at noon, for Pernambuco, Rio, and Bahia.
Her Majesty's steamer Dover, having on board the
Gave: nor of Gambia, was at anchor at St. Vincent
when the Hellespont left. The Cyclops, Sydon, and
Retribution touched at St. Vincent, on their way to
the Cape, with troops.
Spoke on Passage—Aug. 25, in lat. 19.20 N.,
long. 24.10 W., a screw-steamer, supposed to be the
mail-packet Bosphorus, Captain Hall, bound to St.
Vincent and the Cape of Good Hope; Aug. 26, in
let 21.10, long. 25, the Highland Home, bound to
the Cape of Good Hope ; July 22, in lat. 32.45 S.,
long. 16.26 W., signalled the ship William Stewart,
homeward bound ; Sept. 3, in lat. 41,44 N., long.
19.17 W., signalled the brig Fanny, from Liverpool
for Barbadoes; Sept. 7, in let. 48.15 N., long. 10.40
W., the schooner Eagle, 63 days out from Constan•
tinople. _ _

The Hellespont brings passengers from the Cape :
Mr. and Mrs. Serrurier, Mr. and Mrs. Rice Jones,
Mrs. Joseph and child, Lieutenant Barnes, 73d
Regiment • Mr. Greig, Mr. Baker, Mr. Maurice, and
Mr. Joseph; from Sierra Leone, M. Dury and Mr.
Lewis. Her cargo consists of wool, golddust, hides,
skins, aloes, wines, and gold specie to the value of
2,0001.
The mails, in charge of Commander Robertson,
R.N., were landed after the departure of the Bristol
train ; the letters will be sorted in Plymouth, and
sent on by the London mail train at 6.40 P.m.
Beside mails from the Cape, Sierra Leone, St. Vin-
cent, and the Gambia, there are bags from her Ma-
jesty's ships Flying Fish, Niger, Sampson, Archer,
Prometheus, Penelope, Harlequin, Alecto, Castor,
Dover, Sidon, Retribution, Birkenhead, and Cyclops.
The Hellespont left Plymouth on the 15th of June,
and arrived at the Cape on the 24th of July, at 6 A.M.,
having :nada the passage in 38 days. Toe home-
ward pAssage occupied 40 days. She did not require
coal at Sierra Leone, but it is said was detained there
43 hours for the Governor to write dispatches. In
consequence of this detention she did not reach St.
Vincent until after the arrival of the Tay, when both
vessels having to coal at the same time, each lost 18
hours through the limited staff a Ithe island. A
passenger says the Hellespont lost 61 hours through
the Governor of Sierra Leone, whose want of dispatch
is contrasted strongly with the alacrity of the colonial
officer at the Cape, who delayed the steamer only two
hours after the receipt of important papers from the
Commander-in-Chief.
(PROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
CAPE TOWN, Ave. 1.
The most important events that have marked the
progress of the past month are, on the whole, of 3 very
unfavourable nature.

A combined Amatolas,
attack on the thole suc-
cessful, has driven the enemy into the colony, where
they have committed the most frightful ravages.
Whole districts have been laid completely waste.
A short summary of the military operations and
other intelligence from the seat of war, since the de-
parture of the last steamer, will be found below.
The native levies, whose term of service has ex-
pired, have declined to remain longer in the field,have
been disbanded. This reduces the force in Kafisland
by upwards of 1,500 men.
Orders have been issued for raising a force of 1090
volunteers, but it is very doubtful whether anytling
like that number will be obtained.
The cheering intelligence of reinforcements from
.England, now hourly expected, has had a most bele-
heial effect in raising the spirits of those in the ex-
posed districts, as well as the forces in the field.
Her Majesty's steamer Hermes started for East
London on the 25th ult, whence she proceeds to oe
Mauritius for her Majesty's 12th Regiment, wilco
services have been placed at the disposal of the Com-
mander-in-Chief.
Her Majesty's steamer Rhadamanthus arrived
of
the 4th ult., after a long passage of nearly three
months, with stores, ammunition, and 100,000/, it
specie.
From the Orange River sovereignty the intelli-
gence is important, and of a nature calculated to
cause considerable alarm. Major Warden, the British
Resident, in endeavouring to quell some dieturbences
between the native chiefs has suffered a repulse. In an
action on the 30th of June the British troops were
forced to retire, and Moroko, our ally, is stated to
have lost upwards of 130 men. Major Warden was
preparing for a combined movement, at the head of
3,000 men, against the enemy, on the 20th ult.; but
all the regular force at his disposal does not exceed
170 men, principally of the 45th Regiment and Cape
Corps.
From Natal the news up to the 26th ult. is, how-
ever, favourable. The colony was perfectly quiet ;
the Zooloo contingent had been disbanded, and the
natives were returning to their work. A small force
of volunteers had been raised, and was waiting orders
from Sir Harry Smith. The collection of the native
taxes was going on without the least interruption.
FRONTIER AFFAIRS.
Tile latest intelligence from the seat of war on the
departure of the last mail wee, that Sir H. Smith
was preparing for a combined movement of the two
divisions of the army, under General S]incriet and
Colonel Mackinnon, against the enemy in the Ama-
tolas. This was carried into effect on the 2.6i1e of
June; their operations continued until the 30th, and
were attended with signal success. 2,200 head of
cattle fell into the hands of the troops, and the enemy
was driven with considerable loss from one of his
strongest positions. The casualties on oar side were,
one sergeant and eight rank and file lolled. Lieut.
Bruce, 74th Highlanders ; Captain Melville, of the
levies, and 17 rank and file wounded (2 mortally). On
the 21 General Somerset continued his operations in the
Amatolas, and succeeded in driving the enemy from
some of his favourite fastnes'es. Sir Harry, however,
warned the colonists in the general order that a result
of this successful movement might be the dispersion of
the defeated Kafirs in small marauding parties with-
in the colony, where they become, most formidable,
and fearfully has his Excellency s prediction been
verified, for although General Somerset was directed
immediately to establish posts along the line of the
exposed districts to prevent the incursion, the ravages
they committed before this could be done, owing to
the small force at his disposal, have
,been frightful.
It appears that Macomo, with the Refits and rebel
Z
Hottentots who were routed out of the Aenatolas
crossed the upper "sprints" of the Konap, and theac
precipitated themselves on the colony ; and before
they could' e checked by a sufficient force the pro-
perty swept off
and destroyed was immense. It is
stated that the whole of the fine tract of country
watered by the Barisans, the Kega, the Konap, and the
hat rivers is devastated ; the dwellings of the inha-
bitants are laid in ashes, while not less, it is affirmed,
than 20,000 Merino sheep, 3,000 head of cattle, and
300 horses have been swept away by the enemy