Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-08
A S ERIOUS AFFAIR
The Anglo-Portuguese Engagement on
the Zambesi.
Dispute Over the Construction OF q
Telegraph Line-CannOn Used-No
Loss of Life Reported.

PORT NATAL. Africa, March S.-Some
particulars in regard to the collision be-
tween the British and the Portuguese have
peen received and show that the matter
Is much more serious than at first supposed.
IL appears that the collision was COM
menced by the firing of two cannon shots
from the Portuguese fort as a warning to
the British party to stop work and leave
the banks Of the Zambesi river These shots
were hred after long exchange of COM
munications between the official in charge
of the construction party and the Portu-
guese authorities, the former claiming that
he had perfect right to continue the con-
struction of the telegraph line through
the Portuguese territory. as an understand
ing to that effect existed between Great
Britain and Portugal.
This is denied in substance by the Portu-
guese officials who insist that the tele-
graph line will not be allowed to proceed
any further until this matter Is settled to
the satisfaction of the Portuguese authori-
ties.
In spite of this notification the British
party continued work, whereIpon the two
shots were fired from the Portuguese fort
and a number of boats, loaded with Portu-
guese native soldiers and police under the
command of Portuguese officers, shortly
afterward put out from the shore, crossed
the Zambesi river and uprooted the tele-
graph poles erected by the British The
construction party resisted this attack up-
on their work, and some shots are said TO
have been exchanged, though 10 loss Of
life is reported.
The Line I'm Dispute.
The line in dispute was to have crossed
the Zambesi river in the vicinity Of Tete,
capital of the Portuguese territory of Kill
name. The officials Of the British Telegraph
Company resisted all such attempts and
complained to the colonial secretary Of Cape
Colony. the Hon. p S. Fauer, who placed
the matter in the hands of the premier, the
Hon. Cecil Rhodes. The premier seems to
have assured the officers of the telegraph
company that they would be supported in
their protest against any unjust demands
made by the Portuguese and the command
er or the Mosquito as well as the COM
manders of other British gunboats on tie
Zambesi river, were instructed to support
the telegraph line construction party against
oppression upon the part of the Portuguese
The Portuguese, failing in their attempts
70 OBTAIN pecuniary benefit from the British
Telegraph Company, commenced series of
petty annoyances. which gave rise to a very
bitter feeling between the British and the
Portuguese. The latter commenced a sys-
tenn OF boycotting the supplies of fuel and
provisions intended for the construction
party and finally went so far as to boysott
the supplies of fuel and provisions intended
for the British gunboat Herald
The commander of the Herald, Lieut..
Allen t. Hunt. protested vigorously against
this boycott, and after succeeding in obtdin-
ing the necessary fuel and provisions by
landing his sailors the natives, by order Of
the Portuguese authorities, refusing to
handle the wood and food intended for TIE
British gunboaD, made formal complaint
to the authorities of Cape Colony who in
turn sent formal protest to the Portuguese
government and also notified the no ne gov
ernment of the treatment the British gun
boat had been subjected to-
1t is understood that the British foreign
office has the matter in hand and that COM
plants as to boycoting on the Zambesi river
have been communicated to the Portugu ese
government and are now the subject Of an
investigation.