THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1879.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3118, 14 February 1879, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1879.

It is very much to he feared that a terrible reverse has befallen British troops at the Cape. A message came through last night, amplification of which, made it read thus: —

Cape TWtf, February 10. Six hundred natives have almost completely annihilated 20,000 Zulus. Sixty British officers and 200 soldiers were killed.

Subsequently a message came through to correct the above as follows :—

"In Renter'B message" this evening please read • Capetown, tenth. 19th Hussars, 600 natives.' "

The only construction we can put upon this message—and it is a sad oue—is that: —"The 19th Hussars and 600 natives have been almost completely annihilated by 20,000 Zulus. Sixty British officers and 200 soldiers were killed." The subsequent news published to-day, the urgent demand for reinforcements and the prompt response to the same in consequence of the threatened position of Natal, and the reference by the first Lord of the Admiralty to the "Zulu disaster," all go to confirm our view of the affair. We sincerely hope that it may turn out to be not the case, but we fear the wont, considering the odds opposed to our troops, and the character of the opposing force.