The Sun.
London, England, 1828-10-23 00:00:00

FXTRACT OF A LETTER. FROM' THE CAPE OF GOOD

HOPE, DATED JULY 22.

" We have nothing but preparations for war,
and marching of troops. The day Major Dun-
das was out of office (the Ist inst.), he set off
with about 30 armed burghers to have a confe-
rence with Chaka, by desire of the Lieutenant-
Governor ; indeed he volunteered to do so.—
By the last accounts he had got to Hinza's
Kraal, and was recruiting his horses before pro-
ceeding. Chaka himself was on the Ensemfoo-
boo river ; but a detachment of his troops, who
are coming on in eight divisions, of from 3,000
to 4,000 each, had crossed the Omptada
river, and had entirely routed the Chief, who,
as I before mentioned, is descended from the
white woman, taking ail his cattle. Their
mode of fighting is novel, being by close
action, and generally by attacking at night, firing
the houses, and murdering all as they attempt to
escape. In this battle Chaka's people pretended
to fly, and by this means drew their oppo-
nents into an ambush, and killed them all,
and then returned to secure their booty. Mr.
Shaw, thQ missionary, who was travelling with a
party, visited the field of battle two days after it,
and gave a horrid account of the killed. Major
Dundas is to go to Chaka in order to ascertain
his real intentions towards us. There is some
apprehension that he and his party may be taken
and kept prisoners until Chaka's ambassadors
return ; they are still at Uttenhage. Major
Cloote has been sent up to confer with them ; he
advises, I am told, conciliatory measures ; others
again recommend those of intimidation. Time
ambassadors are complaining of delay, and they
have attempted to steal off: Our little army had
been collected at Fort Beaufort, not much ex-
ceeding 600 men : last week they had orders to
advance, and are now marching into Cafferland,
and will take up their rsition on the Buffalo
River, about 80 miles from Graham's-town, from
thence to liinza is about 90 miles, and from
thence to the Ensemfooboo about one hun-
dred and fifty more. Colonel Somerset
has amongst his troops the 55th Foot. The
remainder consists of the small detachment of
artillery and engineers, and the mounted Hot-
tentot Rifle Corps, a force very inadequate to
oppose to such an antagonist as Chaka, with
about 30,000 troops. Now, and for ever, will
be seen the absurdity of not following the Com-
missioners of Inquiry's recommendation of having
a Lieutenant-Governor resident on the frontier.
Our Commandant (Col. Somerset), permanent
as he has lately been made, has no discretionary
power ; before he can move a step, an express
must travel 1,500 miles for orders, on the most
trifling occasion ; an extra post is obliged to go
off to Cape Town, and, by the most expedi-
tious travelling, a whole fortnight must elapse
before a reply can be obtained."

The following letter contains an interesting
account of a Sof,iety for the Redemption of
Slaves at the Cape of Good Hope :

" Cape-town, Aug. 2.
" A philanthropic society for assisting deserv-
ing slaves and slave children in purchasing their
freedom, has just been established here, and pro-
mises to be well supported. In order to con-
ciliate the slave proprietors, no slave is to be
emancipated by this association without the
owner's consent, although by the late Govern.-
ment ordinance aNy slave can demand his free-
dom on paying his master his purchase-money,
estimated by a fair appraisement. Still, though
the new, society has refrained from availing itself
of this law, it is violently opposed by those who
love slavery in the abstract, and are determined
to uphold it to the last. Several liberal-minded
slave proprietors, however, both Dutch and Eng-
lish, have become members of the institution ;
and their example, it is hoped, will be gradually
followed by others, when the beneficial operatio❑
of the society has been practically demonstrated.
Already there are about eighty annual sub-
scribers on the list, besides a considerable amount
of donations.

" Young female slaves will have a preference
to others, because the children of a free woman
are free, although their father be a slave ;
whereas the children of a free man are slaves, if
the mother be in bondage. In order to render
their funds as extensively available as possible, it
is the intention of the Committee to assist adults
in the way of loan only—to purchase as many
female children as possible (apprenticing them
for a certain number of years, as an indemnifica-
tion for their support during infancy), and to
give the Society's bonds to such slave-owners as
may be disposed to take them in payment, re-
deemable at certain proposed periods.*
" Among the members of the Committee are
the Rev. George Hough, Colonial Chaplain ;
the Rev. Dr. Adamson, Minister of the Scotch
Church.; the Rev. W. Wright, the Rev. Mr.
Miles, Messrs. Wilberforce Bird, Stockenstrom
(member of Council), Hawkins (East India
Company's agent), Rutherford, Pillans, and
several others of the most respectable British
merchants.

" Without effectual support from home, how-
ever, the operations of this association must be
but limited. It is hoped that some arrange-
ments may be made with the Home Govern-
ment for facilitating and extending its influence ;
and by thi. means ultimately, though gradually,
attaining the consummation so devoutly to be
wished for—the extirpation of the, curse of sla•
very from this fine and improvable colony."
# By the ordinance of June, 1826, the property
of slaves dying intestate
.is to go to a fund for re-
deeming female slave children by fair appraisement."

BLESSINGS OF GAME LAWS.--A friend has
lately estimated upon a moderate calculation, that the corn
destroyed by game in the county of Hants alone, in one
year, would be sufficient to support 100,000 people, and
that the number of persons confined in prison, in the same
county, for offences against the Game Laws, are sufficient
to employ a capital of 160,0001. in the manufacture of
wool, cotton, or silk.

COA Ls..—( From a Correspondent.) —As
many persons are now laying in coals for the winter, they
should strictly examine the sacks ; and, indeed, demand to
have them measured. Let them examine the vender's
ticket, and conform to the regulations therein prescribed.
They should also make themselves acquainted with the
Acts of Parliament ; for it is notorious that there is shame,
fnl and almost shameless roguery practised in some depart-
ment of the coal-merchant-business. In passing through
Brunswick-square a few days back, the writer of this
paragraph saw
some coal-beavers measuring a sack of coals,
by order of the cook, the family being out of tows. This
ceremony attracted a crowd, some of whom humanely and
properly urged the cook to persevere in her duty, and
these, as well as the honest servant, were consequently
much abused by the gentlemen with black faces and white
stockings. I could only wait to see one sack measured,
which did not produce two bushels and a half! Conse-
quently, if there were five chaldrons coming in, there
would be a deficiency of at least 311 bushels. This tran-
saction should be made known to the public, and every
sack or ehaldron of coals should be measured at the house
of the consumer. If the famous Captain JOHNSON, who
is so laudably watchful after public morals and the public
good, would direct his reforming and inform/hp eye to
this evil, he would deserve and receive the thanks of so-