New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-12
THE BRITISH DEFEAT.


FoRcEMENTs To DE SENT FROM ENGLAND WITH
OUT UELAY--A SPEEDY TERMINATION OF THE
CONFLICT PROMISED.
An official report from Lord Chelmsford, re-
ceived at the British War Office, places the
killed OF his forces in the battle of January
%, in the Zulu Country, at 80 commissioned
officers and $40 nOn-cOmmisslOned officers,
rank and file. A Cabinet council was
called, and reinforcements numbering
1000 We're ordered to be got ready for i'm
mediate departure. The First Lord Of the
Admiralty said, Last night that within a week
troops sufficient to put an end to the struggle
will be on their way to the Cape.
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AROUSED.
RElNFoRCEMRNIs TO BIZ SENT As SOON A. POSSIBLE
A SPEEDY End TO THE CONFLICT PROMISED
IoED CHELMSFoEDs OFFICIAL REPORT.
LONDON, Tuesday, Feb. II. 1879.
Summonses were issued this morning for a Cab
met council 10 be held at o'clock this afternoon,
TO deliberate the reverses to the British troops
Zaluiaud. The council decided to send six
Datta!ions 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 in South Africa.
The re.uforrcments for Cape Colony ordered from
England number a. ort 1000 men. The Govern
mo0t is actively inquiring concerning private
steamers. Tie Assistance. which is the only troop
ship IN the harbor. Is being rapidly prepared for
service al Portsmouth.
Mr.. ". II. smith First Lord of the Admiralty
speaking az Westminster tonight. stated that
troops sufficient 10 end the struggle with the Zulns
would De on the way u the Cape within a week
z. 10 tr.1 bn hod in ri
Chelmsford.
Official kilograms announcing the defeat
ccived az the Colonial Once at 1890 o'clock this
morning, They substantially confirm the details
Of the affair heretofore given in the dispatches
The following communication has been received at
the War Office from Lord Chelmsford:
j regret to have ~ report very disastrous
engagement on the 22d of January between
tine Z1lus and a portion of No. col
umn. which left to guard the camp, about
ten miles in front of ROrkes Drift The Iulus
came down in overwhelming numbers. and in spite
Of gallant resistance by five companies Of the first
battalion of the 9th Regiment, ore company Of the
second battalion Of the oath Regiment, two guns
TWO rocket tubes, 1G4 mounted men, and about
500 natives, they overwhelmed them The camp
containing all the surplus ammunition and trans
por. Of No. 9 column was taken, and few Of its de-
Tenders escaped Our loss | fear must be set down
ar 30 officers and about 800 nOn-commissioncd Off
GERS, rank and file of tho Imperial troops, and 20
nou-comm.s-ioned officers, rank and file OF the
Colonial troops.
a Court of Inquiry has been oIderedto assemble
20 collect evidence regarding this unfortunate
affair which will be forwarded to you soon a.
received. The full particulars as far as can be OBJ
tanned, will be sent in my dispatch, which will
reach you by the next mail II would seem that
the troops were enticed away from their camp, as
the action took place about mile and quarter
outside of it, The remainder OF Colonel NlynS col
uun reoccuucd the camp after dark the same night,
having been with ne, twelve miles away, all dag.
On the following morning arrived at Rork"S
Drift nos', which for twelve hours had been at
tackled by from j. 900 20 1000 Zulus. Its defence
by some eighty men Of tie 18th Regiment was most
gallant. Three hundred and seventy bodies lay
close around the post. | compute the Zulu loss at
1000 Lcrr alone. Al tLe camp where the disaster
occurred he loss of the enemy Is computed at over
1000, Colonel Pearson, commanding No. colulAn,
has been attacked. but he repuised the Znlus'
Tie following is the fall strength of the British
column. part Of which was attacked by the Zuus;
NJ. 3 Column headquarters Al Helpnakaar, near
Rork,'- Dufl, commandaut, Colonel Glyn, Of tie
First Battalion, 9th Regiment. ArtIllcW-N Bat
terry. r,th Brigade of the Royal Artillery. with
-. NtT-uluUdrr guns luiAntrN-~cFcu companies or
tLrFr,. battalion, lth Regiment and the second
Ba...uon. 24th Reg mcut under Lirutenant-Coloncl
Drcacaer; the Natal Mounted Police and Nolun-
tecr.. the Natal Carabnccr,. BultIo Border Guard,
the Newcastle Mounted Rides, al mounted, and
averaging forty men each, and the native contin-
gent OF 900 men, under Commandant Lon dale,
late # the 74th ll.ghlanders.
The news of the defeat caused a sensation
throughout London. The demand for newspapers
at all the suburban stations greater than since
tie on, break Of the Franco-G srman war. The Timer
commenting on the news from Cape Town, says:
N.-hngcau exceed the .rIuluess or 'hc recital, .or
il clear that uotGii ha- rcen held back It would he
us.lc-. TO deny either the sadness or rXeMr griFlf NJ
the .at strrphe. Whether there vas cor Wa" h'l any
want Of vigilance on part ~ orr own force, H =
clear t4dt Zuu are even more i'IIldhb' t"u ouI
military authorities tXu.,,l f.rfu 90 De- IT was allow"
maj fnv are ", dIicd, That great lumJcis are arm
with ccu-.oadcf-. AMI That ih"S rbit u-Hl ,'I'
gcou-v, We uus know or4y TOO well 10" large Ioice
ms oh mass al one point -Id a. the loss oi our
rroofs IT, stu gravcr j. tie peril which must t- win
the defeat. The Zu.Cs VIII 0e tno0'u'utu
and t.r c0lou.sts De cXpo-cJ TO lI'sh ana
formidable dangers. In th.sc clrcumstanc's. the
,utv nj the Government cannot admit the slight
est doubt aud Il send ample reiniorcemehs TO the
Cape VII hout tue needless delay OF single nour IL may
he that they can quickly sent from Ahur!uus or
India from England; hut Al All events no euort
and no expenditure must be spared 10 save me coony
from -trr and the OF the country rom ENc
injury. /. IL a melauchol: consolation meanwhile that
me gallant troops Of the 2ith Regiment dd the!I udJ
ami Glcd Al their post like Eugl!shmen.