The herald., 1896-04-18
by Boer command and led by old King
I.obengula or his son.


I.obengula or his son.
Although the modern Buluwayo is
some slight distance away from the old
chief kraal or connection Of huts which
composed the headquarters about two
years ago of the ruler of Matabeleland,
to the Matabeles it is a sort of Mecca,
place to their minds they and nobody
else should possess, and which, if re-
captured, must certainly bring them
back their old historic glories. This
feeling has been steadily encouraged
by the agents of the Beers, who have
everywhere been preaching covertly but
EFFECTIVELY a crusade against the Brit
1sh. 1t is this crusade which is at the
bottom of all trouble and 1t dates from
the time of DIR. Jameson's f1libustering
raid and the bad whipping administered
by the Beers to his freebooters. To bring
about the invasion of the Transvaal the
territory of the British South Africa
company was depleted of mounted po-
lice, arms and ammunition. These were
all either captured by the Beers and
shipped out of the country or are now
in the hands of the burghers. Here was
the opportunity of the Boer leaders and
they grasped it quickly and firmly.
1t is believed the arrival here of Sir
Richard Martin, the newly appointed
ommandant-general of the Chartered
companys forces in South Africa daily
expected, will be the sigral for an ener-
getic pushing of the campaign against
the Matabeles. Over 500 volunteers
have been enrolled and several detach-
ments are now on their way to Bulu-
wayo
1t is reported that the volunteers and
police at Buluwayo are contemplating
making sortie to the railway to take
the Matabeles by surprise 1t is pre-
dicted here If this be done, the British
force will almost certainly be annihi-
lated and that Buluwayo will fall into
the hands of the enemy. The towns only
change of safety is believed to be in re-
naming strictly on the defensive until
all the reinforcements it is possible to
send there have reached Buluwayo. 1t
is reported that the rebellion has been
checked in the Shiloh district, where
1000 Matab beles are said to have asked
for white protection. Old settlers. ia
milar with South African warfare, say
this is only a ruse de guerre.
REINFORCEMENTS GOING.
LONDON, April 17.-In the house Of
commons this afternoon Mr.. Chamber
lain said that the government had de-
cided to replace the troops withdrawn
from Natal and Cape Town. Therefore
a battalion of mounted artillery would
be dispatched to these places as soon
as possible. This arrangement, lie
said. was connected with the decision
of the government to permanently in
Cape Colony, step which had been
urged by the military authorities.
This announcement of Mr. Chamber
lain was Sreeted with loud cheers and
was looked upon as meaning that the
government has finally decided to send
adequate reinforcements to South Af-
RIGA.
Mr. Chamberlain added however,
that except in the greatest emergency
the imperial troops were not suited to
the work of quelling a native insurrec
ton, which, in the governments opin-
ion can best be dealt with by the local
forces. There was, he also said, an
ample number of men and a sufficient
supply of arms for that purpose In
South Africa. The only difficulty ex-
perienced was that of transporting men
and supplies from one point to another.
Finally Mr.. Chamberlain said that
the government was prepared to au-
thorize the recruiting il necessary, OF
colonial troops for the suppression OF
the disturbances in South Africa. But
the chartered company would have to
bear the expense.
ROBINSON NOT SCARED
LONDON. April 17.-Sir Hercules
Robinson governor of Cape Colony,
telegraphs to the government that there
is no sign that Buluwayo is endangered,
and that precautions are being taken to
keep the road to Buluwayo open in or
der to supply it with food.