The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-24 00:00:00

THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

By the arrival of the Indiana we have received
our regular files of Cape papers to the 12th of
August inclusive. We extract the following from
the Cape Town Argus of that date : • • •

. _
" The chief matter of interest which has occurred in Cape
Town since our last is the departure of Sir George Grey on
his Free State mission.
" The Governor left Cape Town on the 27th of last
mouth to enter upon his duties, with the consent of the
Cape Legislature and at the earnest request of the belli-
gerents, as mediator between the Free State Government
and the powerful Basuta chief Moshesh. Strangely enough,
upon that very day 10 years Sir Harry Smith left the Cape
to reduce the insurgent Boeis over the Orange River to
submission, and to commence, or rather to continue, that
series of blunders which led to the unfortunate abandon-
ment of the Orange River Sovereignty in 1853, and subse-
quently, in 1858, to the war which has completed the ruin
of the Free State, and materially enhanced the power of
Moshesh. If anything more were wanting to prove the
absurdity of abandoning the country and electing it into a
free and independent state, it is the fact that, after five years
of precarious and anarchiehal existence, its Government
has been compelled to implore the assistance of a British
Governor to intercede for it with a native Power, with which
it was not able to cope either in arms or in diplomacy. But
it is not alone the power of Moshesh which threatens the
Free State. The policy adopted by it and the neighbouring
Transvaal Republic, to overawe the native tribes by whom
they are surrounded, has been one combined series of dis-
simulation and cruelty, the co-existence of the natives being
apparently. considered incompatible with their. safety. In
the dilemma in which the Free State people now find them-
selves all eyes have been turned to this colony, since the
failure of an attempt to amalgamate the Free State with the
Republic, for the purpose of mutual support and encourge-
went. It is understood that Sir George Grey declined to
treat with the Free State on the basis of any proposition to
that effect, on the ground of its being contrary to the orders
of the Home Government. It is now confessed, both by
those who are favourable to the British Government and
those who are adverse, that the only hop for the future
safety, nay, for the very existence of the Free State, consists
in its reunion with the parent colony. It is felt and acknow-
ledged that the systematic want of good faith practised
towards the natives has produced this melancholy state of
things ; and that the prestige of British rule, which still
conveys to the native mind, in spite of many gross errors
and wrongs in times gone by, the idea of gOod ith to keep
engagements and strength to enforce them, can alone ,
remove.the distrust which has produced dislike and resist-
ance, and restore- the confidence which, if once gained, is:
not easily lost.
" The Governor has not yet arrived at the scene of his
labours, of which we hope the adjustment of the boundary!
question between the Fiee State and ,Moshesh will be but a.
preliminary Great hopes are entertained .throughout the
country that a happy issue will result for South Africa
from these negotiations, for it cannot be denied that its
future happiness is bound up in the successful solution of a
question which has threatened -the peace and good under-;
standing between blacks and whites for so many years.
" Owing to the changes rendered necessary, in British
Caffraria by the alteration of policy of the new Home
Government, and to the awkward circumstances in which
the settlers of the British Legion and other German immi-
grants are placed, the Governor has. decided upon giving
out 200 farms, of 1,500 acres - each, to. farmers
..with some
capital from this colony, in order that employment may be
furnished for the Gerthans, some of whom are deserting
daily from the Legion. The proposed measure seems to
giVe tolerable satisfaction to all concerned, except the .Go-
vernor himself, who expected greater things from the
eighty-acre system at a high price. .
" Some difficulties between the British end Portuguese
authorities in the Mozambique Channel have rdeently
arisen. It appears from the accounts which have reached
us, that a small cutter, named the Herald, had proceeded
from Natal on a trading expedition to the native tribes on
the east coast near King George's, or Manakura, River.
This cutter was seized by several Portuguese, on the plea of
not having paid duty at Delagoa Bay. The expedition
party were held in custody at Delagoa Bay until a Portu-
guese brig arrived, and conveyed themto Mozambique. At
the latter place they. were taken charge of by the British
Consul; Mr. MhLeod, who demanded the boat and cargo froth
the authorities, holding, we understand, the view enter-
tained by the promoters of the expedition, that King
George's River is not Portuguese but native territory. The
Portuguese proceeded to a. secret trial of the case, but did
not inform our Consul or any of the party of the decision
they had come to until the arrival of her Majesty's brig
Persian, when they announced their refusal to give up
either boat or cargo. Shortly after the steamer Lyra (which
had been sent from the Cape station), arrived at the Mo-
zambique, and took off the Consul, together with the mem-
bers of the Herald expedition. The treatment of the British
-Consul by the Portuguese at Mozambique was anything but
satisfactory ; in fact, so powerful is the slave interest there,
that the Governor was unable to protect the Consul from
personal insult and annoyance. The Consul has proceeded,
via the Mauritius, to England, in order to represent these
affairs to the Foreign-office authorities.
"During the voyage of the Lyra to Moiambique she fell
in with a ' dhow,' or Portuguese coasting cutter, having on
board 11 slaves, evidently being conveyed to some slave
depot on the coast for shipment. The 'dhow' was burnt,
and the captain and two of the crew, together with the
rescued negroes, were brought to this place for examination
by the Mixed British and Portuguese Commission. The
Commission is now investigating the matter.
Admiral Sir F. Grey, accompanied by Lady Grey, left
Simon's Bay on the 27th ult., in H.M.S. Bosphorus, for the
Mauritius. It is understood that the Admiral will after-
wards proceed to the Mozambique.
"The 'Meguura, Commander Purvis, arrived in Simon's
Bay on Tuesday. She has come to embark troops for
India.

" The Hermes and Lynx are now in Simon's Bay,
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