The Hawaiian gazette., 1879-03-26
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26. 1879.
south African Affairs.

That the British Government views the posi-
ton Of affairs in South Africa as being very
Serious is evident by their having appointed an
officer Of such high rank aud great experience as
Lord Napier Of Magdala to the command Of the
forces there, having recalled bin from the impor-
tant post of Gibraltar Tor that purpose. When
the reinforcements now on the way from Eng
land and India reach the scene of war, there will
be a British force Of 10000 men available for
operations, aud a commander Of proved capacity
10 dealing with large bodies of men will be re-
CURED. No better officer than Lord Napier
could have been chosen. He bus seen u great
deal Of active service 10 India, and is thoroughly
acquainted with the troops coming from that
quarter; while his experience in the Abyssinisn
campaign will prove OF great value. Our tele,
grams also inform us that there has been fight.
that the Zulus have been defeated, and that the
Natal frontier has been made safe. The tele-
gram is so bald that it may mean much or little;
and we can only wait for fuller particulars.
The Cape authorities would appear to have mis-
calculated this Zulu business. They anticl pated
petty war like the late one 10 Kaffraria ; it is
more than that, and 50 reinforcements are re-
quired, These will effectuay crush Cetewayo,
but they involve heavy bill of costs. and the
home public are not IN hunor just now for war
costing couple of millions. Before the late
Cape news reached England 1000 men were
under orders TO reinforce 10 their proper strength
the six British regiments 10 South Africa
which. as we lately showed by quotation from
the Cape ArguS could not then, after the
casualties OF the recent campaigns, have exceed
ed 5000 men. But reinforcements on far
larger scale are proceeding both from England
and from India to the new scene Of operations.
Within the Cape Colony proper these wars
with lEcOCOani and f,afpwavO an IN
be at all popular. The home authorities and the
London papers say that Fl the coonists are for
the most part prosperous, and can afford to pay
for sefdelence;" but the Cape coonsts do not
seem TO regard 10 that light those wars IN the
fur North where some Beers chose TO settle
merely 10 break away from British connection
and they consider that, as the lransvaal annexa-
lion was an Imperial act. the Imperial authori-
ties ought TO bear the burden. They hold that
this Zulu affair is altogether quarrel of the
Iransvaul men which the British Government
have consented =" to take over" The Cape
Argus says: True, the Zulus are barbarOus
tribe, nut TO say that they are regardless OF
international obligations is TO say what the facts
do not warrunt. With the English they have
always adhered TO their obligations, and we
challenge proof TO the contrary. That fact is
admitted in dispatches without number which
ho'S PoeStN III tu0 SOuIec VI Tue last tSultcu
months, aud the records of history support il.
1t is now not much less than forty years since
Natal has been an English colony and in all that
long time the coloRsts and their savage neigh.
bors have not come to blows"
On the other hand it is pointed out that q
great military power is growing up in Zululand
which, if not checked will in few years not
only break down the frontier settlements but
the Cape Colony ITSELF that the collapse Of the
Transvaal Republic destroyed the spell of the
white mans lnvincibility that the natives have
been assiduOusly collecting arms that their
Tribal disputes they now regard as the cause oil
their weakness, and messengers have been
constantly passing between Uetewayo aud other
chiefs with the hardly concealed object of bring.
ing about an alliance hostile to white suprem-
acy." Finally, the opinion of Sir Garnet VOL
seley is quoted. He has had much Indian and
West African experience, and he considers that
the present situation is too dangerous and
menacing 10 be suffered He recommends that
" the Zulus should be disarmed that the King
ship OF Cetewayo should cease, aud that The
country should pay tribute and be opened up