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

trijto
,

THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.
The Cape Town Mail of the 12th September gives
the following summary of news :
" During the six weeks which have elapsed since
the departure of the Hellespont, few events of a
cheering character have occurred, and the aspect of
affairs in the colony and beyond the frontier is as
gloomy as it has been at any time since the com-
mencement of the war. Our last summary left the
Commander-in-Chief, on July 20, at King William's
Town, engaged in sending out detachments of troops
t o traverse British Kafraria in various directions ;
while within the colony every frontier district was
overrun by the enemy, who had swept off many
thousands of cattle and sheep, bad burnt numerous
farm-houses and had completely devastated some ex-
tensive tracts of country. Since that time the same
system of operations has been continued with little
variation. Patrols have been passing to and' fro in
Kafraria, occasionally crossing the boundary into the
colony ; while the depredations of the enemy have
been carried on with as much activity and success as
ever, in spite of the efforts of the colonists and some
detachments of the troops to check them.
" On the 21st of July two patrols were sent from
bead-quarters,lin ler Lieutenant-Colonele Michel and
Eyre, the first for the puose of surprising the chief
Se-yolo, in the Keiskamma Kloofs, and the second to
clear the poorts of the Buffalo. The first-named at-
tempt was not successful ; but the latter resulted in
the surprise and dispersion of a party of the enemy,
some of whom were killed, and in the capture of
netrly 200 cattle, taken out of the kraals of the Kafirs.
" On the 29th, the same officers again left King
William's Town, and after conveying supplies to
Forts 'White and Cox, swept round the Amatola, and
captured altogether about 250 head of cattle, killing
on one occasion seven Kafirs, who were drawn into an
ambush.
" On the 7th of August, Lieutenant-Colonel Michel
was sent with a force of about 900 men to clear the
extensive Fish River Bush, between Trompetter's and
Committee's Drift, where a number of marauders had
established themselves. Colonel Michel traversed
these fastnesses fir five days, and destroyed several
of the locations of the enemy. Oa one occasion,
during a night movement, the enemy fired from an
ambush upon his column, and killed two men of the
Clanwilliarn Levy ; but the assailants were beaten
off, with (as was believed), considerable loss.
"On the 15th of August Sir Harry Smith, after
repeatedly declining to accede to the urgent solicita-
tions of the Graham's Town Board of Deience, en-
treating that a portion of his force might be sent into
the colony for the protection of the inhabitants, at
length consented to dispweb Lieutenant-Colonel
Eyre, with half of the 731 Regiment, and more than
100 horse, into Lower Albany. This move inexat has
been productive of some advantage to that part of the
colony.; but in spite of the activity displayed by the
troops, the mauraudecs have continued their ravages
in the close vicinity of the patrols and within a few
miles of Graham's Town.
" About the same time a detachment of 152 men
of the 45th regiment, under Major K 1 le, while
patrolling near the Seven Kloof Mountains, had a
shero conflict with a body of Kafirs and Hottentots,
losing one man killed and three wounded, but in-
flictiog, as was believed, a considerable loss in both
killed and wounded on the enemy. Another skirmish
took plane near the Debe Neck on August 19, be-
tween Captain Vialls of the 45th Regiment, with
about seventy men, and a number of Ketirs, of whom
several were shot, with no loss to Captain Vialls' de-
tachment.
"Oz the 21st ult. Colonel Mackinnon, with a
force of 850 men, was dipatchcd to convey supplies
to Fort Hare; and bring back the fifty Hottentot
rebels, convicted and sentenced to transportation by
the court-martial. This service was duly accom-
plished, aad.on the 27Lh the column returned to head-
quarters without hiving encountered an enemy,
either in going or in returning.
" On the Ist instant Lieutenant-Colonel Borne,
of the 2i Regiment, who was engaged in patrolling
the Fish River Bast), near Committee's Drift, had a
severe action with a body of Kafirs and Hottentots.
The particulars arc not fully known. The fight is
described as ' a sharp affair,' and the casualties were
rather heavy, three soldiers being killed and twelve
wounded.
" Some other operations within the colony require
to be noticed. The Tambookie marauders having
been very troublesome on the north-eastern frontier,
a party of 200 Albert and Colesberg burghers, under
Comtnandants Olivier and Joubert, assembled to
chastise them. The party made a patrol into Tam-
bookieland, and captured about 200 head of cattle.
On their return, they were surrounded by a very
large force at' Tambeukies, estimated at about 2,000
strong, and were for a time in a critical situation.
They were rescued by the advance of Commandant
Joseph Read, with his mounted troop, to their as-
sistance. The milted colonial farce then attacked
and routed the Tambeckies, killing 129 of them.
" Alvj or-General Somerset, with the first divison of
tho army, has been moving between the Somerset and
Albany districts, but has been able to accomplish
little for the protection of the inhabitants. In the
latter part of July he made an effort to expel
Macomo from the Watexkloof, which that chief, with
several hundred of his people, has made his strong-
hold. General Somerset was unsuccessful in this
attempt, and he soon afterwards withdrew from that
neighbourhood, leaving the inhabitants to defend
themselves. This they have done as well as their
numbers and resources enabled them, but with only
partial success.
" On the 4th ult. a party of 12 mounted men,
beaded by Messrs Ainslie and McGregor, with about
30 Fingoes, encountered a large body of Macomo's
Kafirs, estimated at not less than 600, whom they
defeated and drove before them, killing no less than
20 of them. This easy victory of so small a body of
colonists renders General Somerset's failure the more
unaccountable. That officer has recently been en-
gaged in patrolling is Albany, and has succeeded in
re-capturing some cattle taken by the enemy.
" Numerous other skirmishes of military and colo-
nial patrols with the enemy have taken place, but it
does not appear that any material effect has yet been
produced in restraining the activity or diminishing
the boldness of the enemy. Every post brings ac-
counts of fresh depredations and ravages committed
at various points within the line of the frontier. At
the latest accounts from the Somerset district, many
coloured servants (Tambookies and others), who had
hitherto remained faithful, had joined the enemy, and
aided in driving off their masters' cattle. The
burghers of Graaff-Reinet, Cradock, and Z wagers'
' Hein were to assemble on the 4th instant at Somerset,
to endeavour to expel the enemy from the Raga
Mountains.
" In the Orange River Sovereignty, the British
Resident has made no movement since his repulse by
Molitsane, on the 30th of June. He has, however,
pubqshed a Government Notice Extraordinary,'
in which the people of Moshesh and Molitsane (the
Basutos and Bataungs) are denounced as enemies,
And the settlers in the Sovereignty are summoned
to enrol themselves for military service. The inha-
b'tants have generally refused to obey the order,
alleging that they have no desire or motive for
quarrelling with those chiefs. A public_ meeting of
landowners and merchants
Fontein, at which has been held at Bioem
the
conductofresolutionsth were passed, severely
censuring
chiefs, as impolitic antdbeuniu.hslttesiAdenfterctoe,wacredussitshtiousge
of two companies of Regiment, with some
has bezdtoispthateched from Natal by
native auxiliaries,
tize
Lieutenant-Governor P
and it is said to be
12th Lancers
of the
`Warden,assistance of Major
to the
Commander-in-Chief to send the 1
same province. The latest rumours from
ata chiefs
the Sc)ve-
ng
li
raignty, received through Kafirland, are of a
eosletifls,
nature. It is reported that the two denounced
Moshesh and Molitsane, were about token the h
Kafirs with all their forces, numbering 8,000
or
10,000 fighting men, but the report needs confirmation.
" During the last month the 2d Regiment of Foot
(Queen's Royals) has arrived from England, and the
12th Regiment from Mauritius. About 460 men
have also arrived from England in the troop ship
Sumner and s. Cyclops, to reinforce the various
corps already in the colony, and nearly as many volun-
teers have been sent to bead-quarters from the western
districts. Tne frei ht ships Berkshire and Charlotte,
aced
ao thee e
rsat(efaQr
ras Retribution and Olin, with the 12th
L whom a full complement of horses has
been purchased),„„ and the 2d :Battalion of the 60th
e now dailin consequence
Orange ltiver So
y expected. It is rumoured that,
of the unfavourable news from the
bably be clizptehe‘rietreigntY, two steamers will pro-
nothing is pesitieei 0 India for reinforcements. But
knownomr-nocniYef, of the intentions of the
relative to the affairs of the
Sovereignty?'
Times gives the fellowin f
The Fronlier Tim
tien concerning the orma-
" The whole of theP proposed
gaii'inPectitt tny, he
Town will proceed to "
Hare.
the We believe that the ifoi,oweiftndg-TlRtel'a at PortahHaam's
Graham's '
the troops at present intended-.21--the
r"erane."Tnnann of the
12th, with head-quarters,
Town, two companies will relieve aal at
Cog
will
Lower Albany, and the remaining three EYre
at the disposal of the Major-General. be placed
go to Fort Hare, and Forts White and
garrisoned by the 2d. The 12th Lancers amrnlo fie
to the Sovereignty, and the 60th Rifles to joie
Major-General division." the

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.
Arrived at Table Bay, on the sth -Sec tester, chip
Tcken, schooner Louise , and Abel, r.r, cl ship liornan
Emperor; 6th, brig Louisa Fredcrika; 7th, barques Pro-
tector and Griteahead-pirk, and her Atajuty'o steamer