THE ZULU WAR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 57, 7 March 1879, Page 4

THE ZULU WAR.

(Pall Mull Guztltc, December 29.) Natal contains a norive population estimated at, 300,0000 f Zulu nationality. while its European and Coolie iulinhitants number together some 40.000. On the south, in its immediate neighborhood, ere the Basutos, who are British subjects living under the jurisdiction of a chief rofljMsirate Bppoi&ierl by the Caps Government. Between them r,nd ihopeaon theN/ifa) boundary the country belongs to the aoroerous Amapoodo trihe, for the preset friendly, but believed to be in coromunication with the disaffected natives nnd i watchmsr the course of events. To the bor»b, ftd/ofniojr the Colonial Jinunilary for nearly 200 mile', is (ho Zulu country. The Zulus are (he most warlike tribe w[(h wnich we aro lik;ly to have any encounter in South Africa 'Jbey are subject to a military dee- i potism as grinding in its tyranny as any existing in Europe. They are a Datton of Boldiere, and from the tira« each man becomes capable of bearing firms until disqualified by old Bge, their ' lives are ruled by military considerations. To work is beneath a warrior's dignity, unless it be in furtherance of ' a warlike object. The fields are cultivated by the women; the occupation of their men, when not engaged in drill, is hunting. Cetewayo, the Zulu J£ii»e, can, it is said, put into the field froya 40,000 to 60,000 warriors, armed more or lees with guns, organised in regiments, and accustomed to execute concerted movements. The orgaaisehon itself, due to the skill and genius of Chaka, the present King's deceased i uncle, and founder of the nation was necessary to prevent their annihilation, while yet a younger nation, by the | neighbouring tribes, whom they afterwards conquered one by one. But now i tbe necessity which called it into operation having passed away, it is Bimply a machine for the generation of power, whoße energy, now long pont I up by the presence of the British, has had no outlet, and therefore threatens to force the King into war or subject hia country to a revolution, j Cetewnyo ia a really formidable potentate; and if tbe war breaks out as ifc probably will, the skill of Lord Chelmsford will be severely taxed to enable the small forces at his disposal, scattered as they are over a large extent of country, to withstand the Zulu onset. Secocoei, Cetewayo's vassal, who in 1876 proved too powerful for the late Boer Bepublic, has for some time been engaged m hostilities against us in the Transvaal, and has kept the troops and volunteers available there iully employed. On one occasion, with the aid of superior numbers, he even succeeded in driving back the Colonial forces. But for the great part he has confined himself to the night-attacks and cattle -lifting; while with the 10,000 warriors he can command, he has entrenched himself on one ot the in-accessible mountains which abound in the south-eastern part of the Trans- ' vaal. His retreat is upon certain large I caves situated in a steep mountain, tbe sides of which are defended by parallel stone walla, increasing in strength as the top is approached. To storm the position is impossible without a greater loss oji life than with small forces is advisable. To starve him out will be tedious, as he is reported to be well supplied with food and witer. The Commander-in-chief is said to have lately suspended all operations against Secoccsni until he has settled the impending Zulu difficulty. fa The danger, however, does not lie exclusively in the amount of damage Cetewayo may be able to inflict, as that is. The South African native ■worships visible power, and the greater cause for anxiety is tbafc a combination of all the disaffected tribes may be formed under Zulu leadership. Such a combination has been hitherto made impossible by petty tribal jealousies, and many have affected to disbelieve its possibility. But the better-informed men of the Colony have considered that the danger might become a reality in the event of Borne occurrence that would deeply stir native feeling. They have observed that a great change has come orer native opinion— that the collapse of the Transvaal Republic soon broke the spell which the invariable victories of the colonists have established. A notion, moreever, has got abroad among the natives that their inferiority was simply due to their want of guns aad ammunition. Hence for many years they have been accumulating firearms ; and not only have they acquired them, but a fair understanding of their use. These far from unintelligent savages saw, too, that much of their weakness arose from one tribe being played off against another. For some years, therefore, they have been and are now attempting to bring about an alliance of the native races. Messengers have been and are constantly passing between Cetewayo and other chiefs with the hardly concealed object ot bringing about a combination hostile to the supremacy of the white men. Events are being watched by all the dieaffected tribes, and one serious disaster may bring about the conflagration, to avoid which every sacrifice ought to be made. On the other hand, if tbe impending struggle is once successfully ended, it may by the execution of a firm and fearlessly just native policy, lead to the final establishment of our power and the beginning of a prosperous era for all ' South Africa.

Here is a horrible one from the fiend of the i New Haven Reqister-. " Don't venture on the thin ice just yet, boys, if you should break through, yon might take a bad cold *' and perhaps hare a coffin fit."