Smyrna times., 1878-04-24
SMYRNA DEL, WEDNESDAY, AFTERNOON, APRTT "a 1878
The Englishman in Africa.

he war the English are waging against
the native tribes of South Africa is not
such aone-slded affair as was anticinatod
at the outset. The savages, from their
long contract and trade with Euroneon
settlers, have become tolerably we'll sun.
Piled with firearms and are expert in tho
use of them. The great disparity in point
OF numbers which the few soldiers the
English can muster in that distant part of
the world have to contend with makes
the contest quite an even one. Thouph
there is very little doubt that the natives
Will III the end be brought to terms. tbe
war will cost large sum of money. for
which there will be no adequate compensa.
ton. The Unsuitable lust of empire which
possesses the people of Great Britain is
something hard to account for. Possibly if
arises from the narrow compass of their
lSlahd nome and the natural lOngings for
the possession OF land among population
"here such possession is restricted to a
small number of holders. There can hardly
oe Iound IN any part OF the world region
less worth the fighting for than that for
which English soldiers are now contanJin,
at the limit Of the African continent Re,
fore the discovery of the diamond faIds
there was nothing to attract even adyen.
turers unless it was the sport of precarious
hunting. Permanent settlers have rndured
every variety of hardship. They have
sayages to contend with who. to the blood.
thirsty ferocity of Sitting Bull and his
sioux braves, add the negro characteristic
OF being inVeterate thieves. Insidious dis.
eases attack the tiocks and herds of hus.
oahdmen. IT they are spared from de-
structve epldemics, the lions, tigers. hvenas
"iiu dogS and Bushmen make amends for
other forms OF ravage. Travel between in.
terror settlements and the sea coast is
eHected over eXecrable reads, across plains
iestitute OF water Ok teams furnish the
notlVe power for transportation. Such of
lHe natives as have been tanned and trainnd |
~ some sort to manual labor do not take
kindly to civilized restraint. They are
drunken, lazy, independent, insolent .trcacb. |
erous and revengeful. These are not in. |
!ucements to the emigrant.. Tho trade Of |
he country is also limited. Ivory. ostrich
Dlumes and even diamonds arc not tha
articles Of traffic for which conmorc;oI
nations seek. But the British Lion is in.
atlable, and, having planted his foot NJ
ne cape, he must move on. The anuexo.
ION OF the Transvaal Republic must be con.
lrmed by bloody struggle, kind Of red
tile page to the history Of all British colo.
nal possessions. Unless peace can ba
'atched up by Sir Bartle Frere the struoola
Promises to be tedious as well a asanguinarv
he blacks are really formidableantaronists
hey are practised hunters; they are verv
outrageous and hold life cheaplv. They
understand bush fighting, and prefer il.
he Dutch and Portuguese traders have
'een tor many years supplying them with
rearms and ammunition in exchange for
iephants' tusks and such other commo1i.
les as they choose barter. 1t is not
robable that this trade will be suspended,
ven now, unless the English make it com,
ulsory. The Independent Dutch and
,ortugues settlements ara none too we'll
iiected toward the land-grabbing English.
1en.-P&iIadeIpLia Record. -"