The War.

THE DEFEAT BY THE ZULUS.

(Special to Press Association.) Capetown, February 10th. The 24th Regiment and 600 natives have been almost completely annihilated by 20,000 Zulus. Six British officers and 200 soldier were killed. Natal is in great danger. The Governor and High Commissioners have demanded instant reinforcements. The Zulus have losb 5000 men. February 11th. The 24th Regiment was decoyed into an ambush of 20,000 Zulus, and though ove> . whelmed by numbers fought bravely. Thirty officers and 570 men fell. The Zulus are believed to have lost 5000. It was a regular massacre. It has been decided to despatch five large swift steamers with reinforcements. (Reuter's Speoial to Press Association.) February 11th. Reinforcements for the Cape, consisting of 600 infantry, two cavalry regiments, and two batteries, leave immediately. These reinforcements are sufficient to terminate the struggle. They start within a week. At a banquet, the First Lord of the Admiralty said ho deeply deplored the disaster which had befallen the British troops in the Zulu country, and announced that reinforcements sufficient it terminate the struggle would start within a week. The Premier has made a statement similar to that made in the Commons, calling upon England to wipe out the disaster in Zulu land, and that the Afghan expedition has achieved the object of protecting the frontier and the independence of Afghan. (Special to the Star.) Sydnet, February 18th. The news by the Garonne confirms the Zultt disaster, but removes auy anxiety as $> the safety of Natal. The British reinforcements have occupied the field, recovered most of the bodies of their dead comrades, and kept the Zulus in check, The 24th Regiment and their

lm L , . _^ allies fought with desperate valour, but it was a t vain struggle, the Zulus gaining in numbers till, 25,000 strong, they swept down on the gallant band of soldiers and irregulars with the result that has been already told.

Auckland, February 17th. The following aocount of a New Zealand colonist's visit to Cetewayo, the Zulu King, is supplied by a Herald correspondent :— "From letters received by the last San Francisco mail, we have a very interesting account of Natal affairs, from a gentleman who was there some months ago, and who was at Oefcewayo's (pronounced Ketchewayo) place only a month before he left, having gone on a huntiDg expedition. During his stay at Court he was well treated, and be describes Cetewayo as a very pleasant savage, but terribly cruel, after the manner of all Zulu kings. One of his royal freaks is to send a part^ of young men, if they have offended him, to_ bring him a live lion. If they come back without the lion, they are killed themselves. It is not wonderful under such conditions that many have preferred seeking refuge from the tyranny of the Zulu King by crossing the border. His army is described as being wonderfully drilled, and went through some manoeuvring at which our informant was very much surprised, such as an immense line of warriors wheeling on the centre with perfect precision. There are many of them armed with the best breechloaders, which they understand perfectly. They say they have plenty of ammunition, but will probably break down on this point. Our informant says that the breech-loaders most in favour <ire those which can be loaded from the muzzle if need be. For some time past there has been free trading in arms and ammunition from the diamondandgold-fields atDelagoaßay, the fruita of which '-are now to be gathered. The men are drilled to move in masses, and their plan of attack is to send one cf these masses in close column of about 2000 men, with twe other bodies of about the same number n successive columns at a few hundred yards interval. If the first column be checked, it is urged by the rush of that behind. It is seen clearly how artillerly can deal with such masses, Zulu, the territory of Cetewayo, is hilly and bushy for the most part, with few roads or settlers, and is very difficult for military operations, except for Zulus, who, with a little bag of Indian corn meal can move from 70 to 100 miles a day on foot. Their plantations of Indian corn are / in narrow strips extending many miles along the river. The Zulus themselves Are honest and industrious, but very warlike, and they obey to the death. A short time ago 80 ambassadors—lndunaus—were sent to Natal by Cetewayo to give his answer to the Natal Government. After receiving their ultimatum these Indunaus made no secret of Cetewayo's intention, which was to drive out or kill the white people in Natal, except the coffee and sugar planters. These he would keep to grow sugar and coffee for himself. Let us hope that his Majesty will find it one thing to entrap and shoot a few hundred soldiers, unable probably even to see the foe by whom they were being slaughtered, and another thing to face the power of England, which will now be exerted against him, and that his lofty expectations will very shortly be abridged,"

The following are the names of the officers of the 24bh Regiment (2nd Warwickshire), which appears by the cable messages to have been the regiment engaged in the recent disastrous battle with the Zulus :—: —

Colonel of the regiment— General Taylor, K.H. ; lieutenant-Colonels — Richard Tabs. Glyn, Henry James Degacber ; Majors — Henry Barmester Fulleine, William Mathew Dunbar, Wilsone Black, Walter Bernardino Logan j Captains — William Richardson Bigsby Ohamberlin, John Moore Gurnel Tongue, John Fletcher Caldwell, William Maxwell Brander, Henry Albert HarrisBon, Hugh Backhouse Church, William Degacher, George Patoa (D.A.A, and Q.M.G., (Cape of Good Hope), Harry Richard Farquhar (Adjutant Brecon and Radnor Militia), William Eccles Mostyn, Russell TTpoher, George Vaughan Wardell, Charles James Bromhead, Farquhar Glennie, William Thomas Much, Thomas Rainforth, Alfred Godwin Godwin - Austen, Reginald Younghusband, William Perm Symons, Frederick Carrington, Herbert Belaayse Moffatt (H.M. Vice-Consul at Sebastopol) ; Lieutenants— John James Harvey (Adjutant), Herbert Michael Williams (Instructor of Musketry), Teignmouth Melvill (at Staff College), Levett Holt Bennett, Archer Anderson Morßhead, Francis Pender Porteous, William Sugden, Charles D'Aguilar Pope, Gonville Bromhead, George Stanhope Banister, Francis Tollemache Halliday, Edward Stevenson Browne, Edward Witherden Curteia, Charles Walter Cayaye, Nevill Josiah Aylmer Coghill, Edgar Oliphant Ansfcey, Henry Germain Mainwaring, James Patrick Daly, George Frederick John Hodson (A.D.O. to Sir Bartle Frere), Wilfred Heaton, Ralph Arthur Penrhyn Clements, Charles John Atkinson, William Edward Day Spring, Quentin M'Kinnon Logan, Hon. TJlick De Rupe Burke Roche, Henry Julian Dyer, George Champney Palmes, Frederick GodwinAusten; Sub- Lieutenanis— Courtney Yon Trower, Thomas Llewelyn, George Griffith ; Second Lieutenants — Edwards flopton DyBon, Reginald William Franklin, William Weallens, William Whitelocke Lloyd, Lionel Gore Lennox Dobree, Arthur Barre Phipps, Charles Emilius Curll j Paymasters— Fra. F. White and John Mabony ; Quartermasters — Edward Bloomfield, James Pullen.