LATER FROM THE CAPE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IV, Issue 188, 19 August 1864, Page 3

LATER FROM THE CAPE.

OUTBREAK OF HOSTILITIES IN KAFFRARIA. (From the Cape Argus, May 28.) The most alarming intelligence to the colony at large, which has hitherto been transmitted from one end of the colony to the other by means of the electric telegraph was certainly that said to be received yesterday morning announcing that Kreli had crossed the Bashee; that he had been met by a party of the mounted police, which had been subsequently forced to retire; and had attacked and cut up a detachment of her Majesty’ 10th Regiment. The point upon which the greatest interest will turn, whether the proceeding of Kreli is to be regarded as the precursor of another Kaffir war, must be left to those better skilled than ourselves in frontier lore to decide. Not even the most unobservant but must have detected the signs of restlessness on the part of the natives which have reached Cape Town for several months past. Less than a month since Sir Philip Wodehouse in opening the present session of Parliament, announced the fact of his having received despatches from her Majesty’s Ministers, authorising him to annex the Transkeian territory to British Kaffraria ; and later still, when receiving a deputation of the inhabitants of that colony, he entered more fully into an explanation of the views of the Home Government. Now, whether the knowledge that these changes were imminent had led Kreli to take this step, or whether the movement has been preconcerted, or whether, after all, it is but one of those petty indications which show the antagonism which exists between the Kaffir and the European, for the present remains a mystery. Of one thing we may rest assurded, that his Excellency has grounds for regarding the matter in a serious light, or he would not have ordered the whole of the troops in garrison to embark at such a short notice. Sir Percy Douglas, with his staff, the officers and men of the 11th Regiment, and the Royal Artillery with the Armstrong battery, will proceed to East London to-morrow by one of her Majesty’s steamers, probably the Valorous, which will reach Table Bay to-day. That measures so prompt as these will have a most beneficial effect in convincing the rebellious natives of the character of the foe with which they have again dared to measure their forces admits of no doubt; and the colonists cannot but entertain a hope that the prompt measures of the Government will serve to nip in the bud wdiat night, without the aid of the electric telegraph, have developed itself into a wide-spread and devastating war. The following communication has just come to hand, from our telegraphic correspondent : “ Graham’s Town, 27th May. “ There was a story this morning that Kreli had crossed the Bashee with 7,000 men, and killed some of our police, and that Sandilli had joined him at the head of a large number of Kaffirs. This was not true. Kreli, on the 24th, was moving, and it is thought by Government that he means mischief. “ Sir Walter Currie is gone off to get his men together, and Colonel Bissett goes tomorrow. The troops at Fort Beaufort and elsewhere are to be moved to the front,”