The Daily Telegraph SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 2976, 8 January 1881, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 1881.

The insurrection in the Transvaal appears to be assuming serious proportions. We say " appears," because very little seems to be really known as to the true state of affairs. As far as our cablegrams afford information, it is tolerably certain that the Boers, or Dutch settlers, up to the present time have carried all before them. In two encounters they bave worsted British troops, and although the defeated detachments may have been small in number, taken unawares, and overpowered by superior force, the fact remains that the rebels have scored a victory. The Transvaal was formerly a republic, the Dutch settlers having formed in 1840 the country into a Free State, while others of their fellowcountrymen established to the south of it the Orange River Free State. These two republics owed their origin to dissatisfaction with British rule in the Cape and Natal colonies. In 1877 the Transvaal was formally annexed to the Cape, the reason being the fear of a general war between the colonists and the natives. The population is about 30,000 whites, and 270,000 blacks. The annexation of the country was made at the desire of all the principal Boers, but there was a strong party opposed to the loss of their independent government; they were restrained, however, from any active opposition by the fear of annihilation by their powerful neighbors, the Zulus. On the termination of the Zulu war laetyear, the Boers were quite prepared to throw off the British yoke, but the time was not ripe, inasmuch as the strong force that had been employed against Cetewayo had not been removed from Natal. The Auckland Herald has lately bad a long article on the position of affairs in Transvaal, and is of opinion that the present juncture has offered a favorable opportunity to the Boers. There are few British troops anywhere in South Africa, the Home taxpajer has been disgusted with the cost and trouble of the Zulu business, the present Imperial Government ia manifestly averse to the warlike policy of the preceding one, and the Cape Colony—the most important in South Africa—is engaged in a native war which has suddenly attained extraordinary proportions. The Cape authorities decreed the disarmament of the neighboring Basutos, on the ground tbat not being a hunting but a settled people they had no occasion for firearms, which were only a menace in their hands; while they on their part insisted tbat without arms they would not be safe either from other native tribes or from the frontier whites. However this may be, the war which ensued has now spread along the whole Cape frontier, east and north — the Amapondo, the Amatembe, and the Galekas, the chief remnant of the once powerful Amakosa, having all joined the Basutos. The struggle so far seems to be sustained by the colonial forces, of whom, by late accounts, 11,500 are in the field, and ifc is expected that these local levies will quite suffice as the tribes opposed to them, although numerous and warlike, have not the formidable organisation and discipline which were possessed by Cetewayo's nation. Such is the state of things which the Transvaal men have been tempted to construe as an opportunity for taking the field. It is in every point of view a great mistake. By keeping to peaceful means it was not at all impossible that they might after a while find their wishes accorded, for there is much diversity of opinion in England over the policy of annexing that remote and unwilling population. But having thrown down the gauntlet by destroying a small party of British troops, the Boers have precipitated consequences which they cannot cope with.