THE ENGLISH IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Kumara Times, Issue 1099, 8 April 1880, Page 4

THE ENGLISH IN SOUTH AFRICA.

The Berlin correspondent of the Times states that Baron von Munchausen, Captain in the Prussian General Staff, delivered a lecture before the Association off Science, entitled "The English in South Africa in 1878-9 " The speaker began by giving a minute description of the theatre of war, and then continued somewhat iu the following manner : " England is accomplishing in South Africa a great work of civilisation. No power in those parts of the world is able to resist England for any length of time. With unrivalled skill England has accomplished her task of culture, both in the Cape and in Natal. England has in this work been ably supported by German missionaries. But the Caffres have up to this time resisted any attempt at civilising them, asHihey imagine that to be Christianised is the same as being conquered. England, however, 'tries more and more to surround the Caffre tribes. In 1868 Basutoland, and in 1877 the Transvail were annexed." The lecturer then described the struggles with the Caffres in 1878, and said that the war had been undertaken with far too small forces. Only the circumstances that a famine broke out among theCaffres, and that Cetewayo did not, owing to jealousy, take part in the rebellion, saved the English from a defeat. But the English Government has recognised that it was urgently necessary to crush the supremacy of this formidable m litary despot. A casus belli was soon found, as Cetewayo drove away the missionaries and refused to receive an English resident into Zululand. Here, again war was undertaken with insufficient troops, the operations were too far extended, the commissariat was bad, and materials for the construction ot pontoon bridges was absolutely wanting. The lecturer next described very minutely the military operations and the battle of Isandlana, in which he fully acknowledged the bravery of the English troops. The ill-success of the first attack was aue to the fact that it was not well conducted* and that sufficient troops were not prepared. Reinforcements from home had |to be waited for. However, Cetewayo committed the mistake of not following up his victory. The English were ithus enabled to Bend out two columns under the command of Lord' Chelmsford and Colonel Wood respectively, from the Tugela river. Though a fourth part of the troops was composed of boys of from 18 to 20 Lord Chelmsford was lucky enough to win the decisive battle of Ulundi. Baron von Munchausen then, in a'few words, mentioned the death of Prince Napoleon, with whom the only hope of his mother and of the Bonapartists fell. The lecturer finished by remarking that new struggles would be necessary, as the independence of the Caffres was still mtact. la spite of |the intrigues of the Dutch, and in spite of all other difficult, ties, England would successfully carry out her programme on the coast of South Africa. All the Bcientißc bodies which were trying to explore Central Africa accompanied the advance of the English forces with the greatest sympathy.