The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-03-01
FOREIGN e

By the arrival of the p. NJ. 5. S. City of Neu
York on Wednesday evening, we have San Fran,
cisco Dailies to the 18th February, and telegra.
phic dates to the 18th. The most important items
of news are a disaster to the British forces in
South Africa, and the passage by the u. S. Senate
OF the anti-Chinese bil. We compile q summary
LONDON. Feb. 1.-THE following communica-
ton has been received at the War Office from Lord
Chelmsford " L regret TO have 10 report a very
disastrous engagement on the 22d OF January, be-
tween the Zulus and a portion of No. 3 column
which was left to guard the camp, about ten miles
in front of Rorke's drift. The Zulus came down
in overpowering numbers, and in spite Of the gal
liant resistance by five companies of the 6rst bat
talon of the Twenty-fourth regiment, one COM
pany of the second battalion of the Twenty-fourth
regiment. two guns, two rocket-tubes. 164 mounted
men and about SEQ natives, they overwhelmed
them. The camp, containing all the surplus am
munition and transport of No.. 3 column, was
taken, and but>few of its defenders escaped. Our
loss, l fear, must be set down at 30 officers and
about 500 on-commissioned officers. rank and 6ie
of the Imperial troops, and 700 non commissioned
officers, rank and file of the Colonial troops. 1t
would seem that the troops were enticed away from
their camp, as the action took place about a mile
and a quarter outside of it. The remainder of
Colonel Gyms column reoccupied the camp after
dark the same night, having been with me twelve
miles away, all day. On the following morning
we arrived at RoTke's drift, a post which for
twelve hours had been attacked by from 5000 to
4G00 Zulus. Its defense, by some eighty men Of
IL iulCuLs was luOSJ Rulidni
Three hundred and seventy bodies lay close
around the post. / compute the Zulu loss at one
thousand here alone. AT the camp where the dis
aster occurred, The loss Of the enemy is computed
at over 1900. Colonel Pearson, commanding No.
/ column, had been attacked, but he repulsed the
Zulus." 1t is reported that the guns were spiked
before they were captured.
were issued this morning for a
Cabinet council to celebrate on lie reverses TO the
British troops in Zulu land, and at the meeting
this afternoon it was decided to Immediately send
six battalions Of infantry, two regiments of
cavalry, two batteries Of artillery, a company of
Engineers, three companies of the Army Service
Corps and a company OF the Army Hospital Corps
to reinforce Lord Chelmsford.
LONDON, Feb. 1.-THE Times, commenting ON
the news from Cape Town, says 1T would be
useless to deny either the sadness or the extreme
gravity of the catastrophe. Whether there was or
was not any want of vigilance on The part of our
own force, it is clear the Zulus are even more for
midable than our military authorities expected
them to be. We now know how large a force they
can mass at one point. Sad as the loss Of our
troops is, still graver is the peril which must arise.
With our defeat the Zulus will be emboldened, and
colonists will be exposed to fresh and formidable
dangers. In these circumstances the duty of the
Government cannot admit of the slightest doubt,
and it is, to send ample reinforcements to the
Cape without the needless delay of a single hour.
LONDON, heb. EI.-Later kilograms from Ma
deira give news from Pietcrmaritzburg South
Africa. 1t is stated that at 0 O'Clock on the morn
ing of the 9th Of January. Lord Chelmsford was
at MAJ III COHicItHCG Will OH bdItlt II IeTt.
All was quiet at the front. and the feeling was
mucl calmer. The Zulus had been repulsed from
a fort on the Lower Tugela. The report that Lord
Chelmsford retired upon Helpmakaar is inbound
ed. Captain Stafford and Lieutenant Davies. Of
the Natal contingent. who escaped from the dis
aster at Col. Gyms camp, speak highly of the con-
duct of all engaged. and the courage and frmness
of the native contingent, thus disposing of the re-
port OF mGtiny and massacre of officers by native
soldiers.
The Times says 1t is probably that a brigade Of
all arms will be despatched from India to rein
force Lord Chelmsford. The Fiity-seventh Foot
will leave colombo, Ceylon, tomorrow, and may
be expected at Port Durham. Natal. March, 10Th.
In the meantime. Lord Chelmsford has already
been reinforced by one company and so men OF
men of the second battalion Of the Fourth from
Cape Town. This will bring mp bis infantry force
to nearly the same strength that it was prior to
the disaster of the 22d ult.
February 15.-The Z. S. Senate passed the
House Anti Chinese Bill, With the following
amendment:
Sec. 6. That this act shall not apply to persons
officially connected with the Chinese government,
or any embassy thereof. or to persons rescued
from ~shipwreck during the voyage of and by the
vessel seeking o harbor in stress OF weather within
the Jurisdiction of the United States, or to persons
who may only seek n temporary residence for
educational purposes, and who shall have q ceTti-
fcate from The Chinese government for that pur-
pose.
Blaine. called attention to hefact that the pend
| ing bill does not apply 10 Chinese now in this
is only designed to prevent the influx of hordes of