THE SOUTH AFRICAN REBELLION

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2432, 4 January 1881, Page 4

THE SOUTH AFRICAN REBELLION

London. Dec. 20. The position of affairs in Soutli Africa is very critical. Notwithstanding the large number of men placed in the field by the Colonial Government and the temporary successes which marked the outset of the campaign, the situation has become one of great danger. The colonial troops are scattered over an extended area of country, and have been unable to cope with the greatly more numerous forces of the enemy. In several of the recent encounters the rebellious natives hare been victorious, and some of the more advanced posts are in jeopardy. The Government at the Cape have become convinced that the suppression of the rebellion is a task beyond the resources of the colony, and application has been made, through his Excellency the Acting-Governor, to the British Government for assistance. In view to their disapprobation of the policy which led to the Basuto war, it is considered probable that the Cabinet will insist upon attaching conditions to the granting of assistance. December 27. It is reported from Natal that the insurgent Boers are committing great outrages on those who are disinclined to join in the insurrection. Several persons have been massacred. . The officer commanding the British troops at Middleburg, desirous of communicating with the leaders of the insurgents, despatched a flag of truce, but the party was fired upon by the Boers. THE STRUGGLE IN IRELAND. London. Dec. 24. Lord Carnarvon last evening delivered an important speech at linn corn, in which he denounced in strong terms the encouragement given by Mr Bright ami other Radical members of the Cabinet to the agrarian agitation in Ireland. He maintained that the Government had incurred serious responsibility in allowing the agitation to reach such dimensions, and attributed the unwillingness of the Government to use coercive measures to the opposition offered by Mr Bright and those who acted with him. He held that the views put forward by Mr Bright were inconsistent with his duties as a Cabinet Minister, and that therefore it was incumbent upon him to resign if lie wished to give free expression to his opinions. Two important seizures of arms have been made in Ireland. The authorities are on the alert, and vessels arriving from America and foreign countries are strictly watched. Dec. 25. Instructions have been given by the Grand Lodge of Orangemen in Ireland to all Orange Lodges throughout the country to check outrages perpetrated by the Leaguers. It is feared that the effect of this movement will be to encourage encounters between the Orangemen and the peasantry. Dec. 27. In Cork a patrol of soldiers was attacked whilst making its rounds at night, by a number of disaffected persons. Shots were fired, and after a brief struggle the assailants were beaten off. Subsequent to this affray, a policeman was shot in the street. The murderer has not yet been discovered.