The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-01-15

putting tle army as a whole before the
iingle fighter was capable ~ further
development He bided his time. and
when he was appointed chief OF the
then weak and enervated Zulu tribe ne
went Co work and made his poonle am
efficient and mobile fighting organisa-
tlon. Some time later the old chlef
umtetwas died. and Tahaka at once
declared the absolute independence OF
the Auius and upheld his declaration
by force.
This Tshaka was sort of black faced
Napoleon in his way. and soon started
IN TO make the Zulu power supreme.
When ne had vanquished any neigh
boring tribe, ne straightway killed of
the Ola men and women and absorbed
the young warriors into his own ever
swelling ranks. Ills army grew so that
ne round u necessary 20 divide his
young warriors into regiments The
diherent regiments he gave differently
colored ssields, and any particular reg
lnent mat distinguished itself in action
ne promptly rewarded. and so estab-
hshed the competitive spirit among his
men There was also instilled in them
most rigid discipline. Any warrior
round returning from a fight with a
wound I'M the back was peremptorily
killed as a coward. The same punish
ment was meted out 20 him IL he came
back Without shield or assagai. SOL
diers were not allowed to take wives
until they had httingly distinguished
themselves m the field Officers always
Kept the destination of any particular
expedition a profound secret-at least
until the time TO make the attack had
arrived. Solid formation was also
made use of. a new and unique thing i'm
the history OF savage warfare. In at
tacking their first forward movement
was always in solid formation. support
ed on either side by flying wings Of
skitmishers. They understood the ef-
fectiveness of a well executed flank
movement, and when the final hand to
hand conflict took place they did not
know what such thing as fear meant.
In fact, TO die on the battlefield was
the source OF perpetual glory and the
promise Of perpetual happiness.
was IL any wonder these acute war
riors swept down and rode over nearly
all the undisciplined savages south of
the Zambezi river? When the Dutch
came up across the Vaal into Ma
tai, they kept up the fierce fight.
IL is true the man with the rifle
got the better OF ii in the long
run, but IL was no easily won VIC
tory. Today broken. but not crushed.
these savages wait for the chance TO
avenge past disgraces. A few years of
quiet may have somewhat subdued
their pristine ferocity. but IL could new
er make the leopard OF Zululand change
his spots. The Zulu is a born fighter.
and Will never be happy until he Is
fighting once more. He has i'm many
instances, forsaken his assagai for the
rife OF the white man. but with his new
weapon he has proved even more expert
han with his famous broad bIaded
spear.
So perhaps when these things are
understood IL will be realized what Is
meant when the black menace" is
spoken of. Up to the present time IL is
/ menace and nothing more IL peace
AN again come to South Africa with
lut the actual fall of this sword OF
Damocles, both the Britisher and the
Boer will, or should. utter devout
prayer of thanks.
WILLIAM ]. RUDOLPH.