, 1885-01-28
South africa.
Durham, Dec Goth.

It is now certain that the point at which
the British flag has been hOisted on the
coast of Zululand is st. Lucia. Sir Henry
Bulwer has asked the Home Government
to approve this step.
The military preparations for the Bechu-
analand expedition are vigorously proceed
ing along the line of march between Cape
Town and Kimberley and the recruiting of
volunteers goes on actively in both places,
there being no lack of eager applicants for
employment.
The intentions of the Beers remain in
Scrutable.
General Smyth addressed the dragons
prior to their departure for the base Of
operations, i'll a calm and moderate speech.
He said that he hoped the task OF the AK.
petition would not take very long or be
very troublesome to accomplish if its OBJ.
iects were rightly understood and common
sense prevailed. Those objects were nei-
Their more nor less than Sir ChaIleS War
rem had set forth in his memorandum.
December Goth.
A congress of delegates of the Trans
vaal and Free State branches of the Afrik-
ander Bund met at POtchefstrOom last
Wednesday. Mr. Dutoit presided. Resolu-
tions were passed strongly favOuring the
union of both Republics, the former hind
rance of British rule having vanished with
the Convention. The question is to be sub
mitted to the Legislatures of those cOun.
tries with a view to a conference of depu-
ties. A customs union and defensive and
offensive alliance are suggested as imme-
diately feasible. Two political parties
now exist in the Transvaal, one headed by
Messrs. Kriiger and Dutoit and the other
identified with Mr. JOubert.
A new fort is to be built at Newcastle.
Two troops Of Hussars are ordered up
the country. The HighIanders have arriv.
ed from Zululand.
December 31st.
The year closes amid profound uncer.
tainty concerning the immediate future.
The apparent prospects favour hopes OF
peace, but latent possibilities forbid undue
confidence.
There may be significance in the report Of
a meeting of Transvaal field comets to be
convened at Richtenburg next saturday.
Whispered reports are circulated that the
Beers are generally preparing for a SUI
preme effort to shake off the British yoke,
but there is no overt evidence to justify
these lumOurS.
Berlin, Jan. /.
Herr Ltideritz, of Bremen, declared yes.
terday that he had received the contracts
by which he acquired a large tract of land
around ST. Lucia Bay. On the 10Th OF
December, he said, he had minated to the
German Foreign Office that, according to
newspaper reports, the Cape Government
had hoisted the British flag at st. Lucia
Bay AS we'll as at Port DnrnfOrd. But as
this bay had already been made over to
him by the legitimate Zulu King on the
18th of November, the English were scarct-
ly entitled to regard the territory there as
no mau's land. He had, therefore, beg
ged that his lawfully acquired property
namely, st. Lucia Bay, with the adjacent
territory, might be placed under the pow
erful protection of the German Empire,
and the English Government notified here-
of. Herr Liideritz further said that he
meant to leave shortly for st. Lucia Bay,
in order to superintend the delimitation OF
his territory and other matters.
All this may be very well, but surely it
does not imply the principle that if a Ger
man subject acquires a portion of territory
over which the British flag has been hoist
ed such territory ipso facto becomes Ger
man.