The Jersey City news., 1899-11-11

ZULU W A6R1On-
The Zulus yielded to the sway of Eng
land through force indeed but the fight
they made then was one to keep alive the
hope Of a better ending for renewed
struggle.
The secret Of the Zulu power lies, first,
In organization and, second, in the tradi-
ton of victory Organization under the
great chieftain Tshaka at the beginning
of the present century gave them their
first superiority over other savage tribes,
and an unending series Of victories for
half century or more produced race of
rare courage and warlike prowess. The
story of 1t describes the Zulu of today.
What Is now known as Zululand, q
wild country, bounded on the north by
the Trangvaal, on the south and west by
Natal and on the east by the sea, was
then divided among several savage tribes,
Of which the Zulus were one of the weak
est. The chief Of neighboring tribe, the
Umtetwas, plotted the murder of his two
sons, one Of whom, however, escaped and
In his wanderings fell In with the British.
the organization of whose forces he noted
with shrewd understanding. After his
fathers death he returned to his tribe,
was made chief and proceeded to organ
ize his warriors into brigades, regiments
and companies, British fashion, and had
remarkable success in warfare.
One of his heutenants was q youth of
fierce and restless energy. He was the
son Of conquered chieftain, and his
name was Tshaka. He studied the organ
ization Of the Umtetwa army zealously
and saw in it wonderful things not ac-i
compiished by his wise but mild chief
tain He mae up his mind that some
day his own chance would come.
Winning consideration, Tshaka was
finally, as reward, appointed chief OF
the weak tribe of Zulus. He organized
them perfectly, and when the chief Of the
umtetwas was killed in battle Tshaka
announced the independence Of the zuius
and upheld 1t by force.
This done. Tshaka started in to make
the Zulu power supreme. He attacked
his weaker neighbors and with every vic
tory absorbed the young warriors into his
own army and destroyed the old men,
women and children. In this way his
own army grew marvelously, and his
conquered neiehbors lost recuperative
power and eventually identity.
He divided his young warriors into reg
iments, distinguishing each regiment by
different coiored shields, and established
with rewards competitive spirit among
regiments. He trained them to advance
and attack in solid formation, something
new In South African savage warfare,
and he developed the close quarters at
tack with the short stabbing assagai or
spear so generally used among South At
rican tribes.
Theh he established an inviolate law
that any soldier returning from battle
without assagai or shield or with a
wound In the back should be executed as
coward. By another law young soil
diers were forbidden wives until after
long service unless meantime. they earned
them BY distinguished bravery in the
field
Absolute discipline was inculcated An
expedition never knew its destination and
purpose until far from home. In attack
ing the first onslaught was always in
solid formation, supported on either side
by wings Of skirmishers. Flank move
ments were a regular maneuver and as
effective in savage as IN civilized war
fare.
It can easily be seen how the zulus un-
der such system swept all before them
The undiscipIlned savages Of the plains
and forests went down like grain before
the reaper, and every new tribe subju-
gated was ruthlessly amalgamated into
the victorious nation.
The zulus swept the coast, subjugated
Natol and pushed their fierce, bloody
sway far inland. The terror Of their
name passed far north and far south.
Nor was there limit to their ravaget un-
til the Dutch settled ii Natal Then BE-
gan series of fierce fights IA which The
white man and The rims finally friund{hed