THE ENGLISH IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 249, 1 April 1880, Page 2

THE ENGLISH IN SOUTH AFRICA.

The Berlin correspondent of TheV Timet states that Baron von Munchausen, Captain in the Prussian General Staff, delivered a lecture before the Association of Science, entitled " The English in South Africa in 1879," The speaker began by giving a minute description ot the theatre of war, and then continued somewhat in the following manner :—"England is accomplishing in South Africa a great work of civilisation. No power in these 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 Natal. England has in this work been ably supported by German missionaries. But tie Oaffres have up to this time resisted any attempt at civilising them, as they imagine that to be Christianised is the same as being conquered. England, however, tries more and more to surround t>e Caffre tribes, -In 1868 Basutoland, and in 1877 the Transvaal were annexed, The lecture then described the struggles with the Caffres in 1878, and said that tho war had been undertaken with far too smali forces. Only the circum • stances that a famine broke out among the Caffrcs, and that Cetewayo did not, owing to jealoußj, take part in the rebel !io:3,"avcd the r.n.rlish from a deft at, Cut the English Government had recognised that it was urgnntly iseceßsary to crush the supremacy of this formidable military deposit, A cuasus belli was B>on found, as Qetewayo drove away missionaries and refused to receive 4m English resident in Zululand. Here, again, war was undertaken with insufficient troops, the operations were too far extended, the commissariat was bad, and materials for the construction of ponto- n bridges was absolutely wanting. Th« koturer fcext described very minutely the military operations and the battle of Isandlana, in which lie wholly acknowledged the bravery of the English troops, Tho ill-succcßJ of the first attack wa due to the fact that it was not well conducted, and thai sufficient troops were not prepared. Reinforcements from home had to be waited for. . However, Cetewayo committed tho mipjtoke of not following up his victory; tne English were thus enabled to send out two columns under the command of Lord Chvlmsford and Colonel Wood respectively, from the Tugela river; though a fourth part of the troops was composed of boys of from 18 to 2£, Lord Chelmsford v. as 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 fall. The lecturer finished by remarking that new struggles would be necessary, as the independence of the Caffreg was still intact. In spite of the intrigues of the Dutch, and in spite of all other difiicuj- . ties, England would successfully carry^' ; out her programme on the coast of I South Africa. All the scientific bodies which were trying to explore Central Africa accompanied the advanco of the English forces with great sympathy.