THE WEST COAST.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 655, 11 February 1869, Page 2

THE WEST COAST.

By the s.s.. Ahuriri we have laid files from "Wellington and WanJ nui, as well as-a letter from, our correspondent.. We append full par. ticulars of operations on. the Wes{ Coast..

NARRATIVE OF EVENTS; Erom 14<th' to 31st January. . fFROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT;)

Ttus s.s;. Ahuriri and the p:S. Sturt arrived in Wanganui on the- 14th wit., the former with Major Roberts and his for.ee,, and the latter with the. detachment under Major Fraser. Colonel Whitmo re arrived next day by the Wanganui, and at once pro. ceeded to Wesbmere; where the troops had already been sent.. Here the incessant hurry of the past three months had. caused an immense deal of detail work—arrears of accounts, dead men's estates to he administered, ai*ms to be repaired, and the troops to be clothed. The correspondence had' also fallen, far in arrear, and there was many a hole to; patch, for the great deficiency in number of the Colonial officers, and of training to their duties in the non-commsssioned officers, render it hard work to keep up, in time of war, with the documentary part of military duties.

The men- being- three months in arrears of gay, it is not surprising that when they got so much money in a lump, they went " on the spree," and this complicated the difficulty of arranging their wardrobes. A great many of the recruits", too, had to he sent about their business—men wio were physically 01 morally unfit fV the service; and by the 21st, whifc Colonel "Whitmore moved on to the Kai-iwi, a great deal of necessary work had been done, which could no longer been delayed. The Colonel resolved on moving forward this time by the inland road, for many reasons; among which, it is understood is included a desire ta accustom his very raw recruits to the bush, of which so much horror i& entertained by most. Many of the men> too, being still "on the spree," were returning by ones and twos,, or were being looked up by escorts;, and the field train and ammunition could be more easily and- rapidly got up by the bush road than by thebeach. Add to all these reasons that the bush was Titokowaru's was absolutely in his-possession, and it will be seen how desirable it was to make sure that no nest of canni l bals was left behind to harry the district when the troops had moved forward..

The march was intended to keep pace with the repairs of the roads and bridges, and as the troops moved forward little breastworks were to be erected in. front of their tents, to* prevent any loss-through a midnight volley from the enemy's scouts. On the 21su, !No. 2 division of the Armed Constabulary crossed the Kaiiwi and intrenched itself. On the 22nd, Colonel Lyon, with Nos. 3" and 6 divisions of the Armed Constabulary, and Wirihana's mounted natives, took post between the bush oS the Kai-iwi and Okehu, and threw |up a small redoubt, which.was named' Fort Lyon.. Colonel Whitmore's new corps of guides ma e an expedition at night,, and recovered 5 head of cattle, which they drove in on the 23rd. On thi3 day the Kai-iwi Cavalry, some 20 inall, came up, and while searching for a suitable camp the enemy showed himself in force. A skirmish, resulted, from the Cavalry taking off under his nose a herd of Mr Moore's cattle,, which he i had evidently come to steal. The enemy was driven off' at once by an equal number of the Armed Constabulary recruits. In the evening, Captain Finnimore's gallant troop of scarlet cavalry came up and took post on the Kai-iwi. The road work was now pushed on, and by the night of the 26th the Kai-iwi bridge was completed, and the road up to the Okehu bridge made practicable.. | On the 25th, Headquarters were in the act of striking camp to go on to the Okehu, when a sharp skirmish

•prith Colonel Lyon's force took place, rphe guides in scouting had discovered the enemy in the bush, and fired at them. It is to be regretted that they had not availed themselves of the darkness to retire behind the pickets, for it was daylight when they fired 0 a the enemy, and being some two 0 r three hundred yards in front ui the night picket, they had to run for their lives. In doing this, Trooper jtl'Kenzie stumbled and fell, and bejng pursued was at once tomahawked. Hfr Williamson was also slightly wounded in the leg. The troops turned out readily,, and the enemy was forced to- retire. He is believed to have lost some men, for the guides iired first on him at a few yards' distance, taking deliberate aim, and two large pools of blood were found, as big as if a sheep had been killed. The Arawas undertook afterwards to make a search, but as a pouring rain came on, -they did not carr) this out. Colonel Whitmore came up just as the firing was over, and at once pushed on with the 50 Arawas in pursuit. No. 1 division followed in support. Hurrying on to the Okehu, the Arawas found it barricaded and set on fire, but with some little trouble extinguished the flames. The enemy made off too quickly to be caught, however, though as Kemp with his natives had been sent on the evening before, it was hoped that the Hauhaus must have fallen into our hands. A very disagreeable feeling about men was very generally experienced among the troop. s '. It seemed that if they had done their duty, the enemy could not have pushed a party so close to Colonel Lyon's camp unperceived; and as Colonel Lyon had been ordered to push on after Kemp at it struck many that Kemp's men must have betrayed our intentions, and induced an ambuscade against Colonel Lyon. It afterwards appeared, however, that Kemp had not marched by the main road, and was so far separated from his picket outside the bush while he was trying to get back to the dray-road himself at daylight, that the men on picket were afraid to fire on the Hauhaus, who were ten to one, and might have cut them up before Kemp could support them.

Colonel Whitmore encamped at Handley's farm, and No. 6 division joined him there. The road to the Kai-iwi was finished, and that to Okehu begun, on the 26th and 27th. During this time the weather was very unfavorable

On the 28th Colonel Whitmore took up a new line to the Front, moving Nos. 1 and 6 divisions under Lieut-Col.. Fraser to a position near Pakaraka, and the Volunteer Cavalry to Mr John Handley's, on the Okehu, where they wer<: supported by Col. Lyon and 150 men. He himself, with the Arawas, took an intermediate position at Cleary's. Here the weather and state of the bush road compelled a farther halb of a day or two. The rains continued to pour, and the carts, which never ceased to work, were buried nearly to the axles in mud. The posts to the rear were moved on, Fort Lyon given up, and nothing remained in rear when the mail was made up except some few stores of the contractor, and the camp equipage of No. 2 division, and the hospital, which Lieut.-CoL M'Donnell would bring on as soon as possible. Before loner the enemv, who is only three miles distant, must come to blows with our troops, who are steadily approaching. His numbers include the whole male population from "Warea to Kai-iwi, but are represented very differently according to the politics of those who estimate them. Some say they are 200, some 800 strong ; —the usually believed number is 600. Our own force likewise is estimated, not by the numbers actually paid and fed, but by the complexion it is desired to put on the operations. The true numbers are : Armed Constabulary 650 Volunteer Cavairy 100 Kemp's men ... 70 Total 820 This is called 1,500 to 2,000 by the rabid organ of Lieut.-001. MacDoanell, the Wanganui Times. Two

hundred of the force, being mounted, can take no part in the fighting, for it is certain to be in the bush, and if apa exists, there will be nothing to spare to invest it, or to attack it in rear. The excitement and anxiety of the public is now becoming very great.

CAPTURE OF NUKUMARTT.

YERY LATEST NEWS.

We (Wellington Independent) have received the following letter from Mr Henry Anderson: —

Sunday evening, Jan. 31. I have obtained some additional information to day, which will probably not reach you from any other source. Mr Chadwick and another trooper of the Wanganui Cavalry came into town this forenoon. They report that Colonel Whitmore has made another advance, and that we are now within two miles of'Titokowaru's position at JNukumaru. The Wanganui Cavalry occupy the position on the left flank of the enemy, near the sea ; while Colonel Fraser, with the Arawas and some of the East Coast forces, in the centre within two miles of the pa, occupy the advanced post. Colonel Whitmore is about a mile arid a half in his rear, but slightly towards the left in the direction of the position occupied by the Wanganui Cavalry. I have reason to believe that a further forward movement was made to-day, and that our forces, at the time I am writing, are now still nearer the pa. Judging by my own knowledge, by private letters from the front, and by semi-official information, I think there must be a very strong force of Hauhaus collected in the pa at Nukumaru. Whitmore seems to think that there are about 700, all the native villages adjacent being des» rted, while other persons, w ho are in a position to be well informed, state the number at from 500 to 600. Anyway there is serious work for Colonel Whitmore to do, and if he achieves success, he will deserve the gratitude of the Colony. It is a terriblo piece of work that ho has before him. The pa on the outside of the bush, at JS T ukumaru, is only a blind. It has palisading and rifle pits, by means of which many a gallant fellow of a storming party could be cut off; but after those had been assailed and carried, there would still be another difficulty to be encountered. The real stronghold is not on the edge of the bush, but in the busk. That is where we have to fight Titokowaru. He may make a defence of his outposts, ana kill a number of our men, but the real fight will be when we approach the bush citadel. It will be a terrible business, though I doubt not we shall gain the day. Still it is hard ro say. Ttiose West Coast Maoris are unmistakeably the host fighting natives in tfew Zealand —far better fighting men than the East Coast lot —and therefore there will be all the more difficulty in encountering them. On our own side we have a large force —some 800 men, which swells to 1000 when the local forces are included, but I don't believe that more than 500 are thoroughly up to their work. These Maoris who are fighting against us have had many years of experience in war, while three-fourths of" our forces are composed of raw- levies, utterly unaccustomed to bush work. It will take months longer yet to make tho3e men efficient " bushrangers" —men who can cope with the Maori in his own fashion —skirmishing from tree to tree—and successfully displaying the tactics of the men who on more than, one occasion have out-generalled us.

We are on the eve of most momentous events. I now believe that Titokowaru will make a stand at ISukumaru, and that there will be a series of desperate battles before he is beaten. He has had two months to fortify hi 9 position, and I doubt not has made it strong enough. Besides this, he will no doubt plan many cunning ambuscades in the rear of the pa, which we cannot possibly know anything about; so that in the event of the outside shain pa being taken, we Bhall then have to attack the rear one in the bush, and if we take that, then we shall have the pleasant job of following up an enemy through bush country with which they are thoroughly acquainted. In the pursuit we shall be placed at a terrible disadvantage. I wish to G-OD we had 500 Arawas hero instead of 50. They are up to bush work, while the bulk of our own men are not. There certainly is a proportion of our forces who have had experience and would do anything. Such for instance as the Wanganui and Kai Iwi Cavalry, together with some East Coast men. But the bulk of our new levies are still raw, and will require some more training yet, and a little experience under fire before they can be thoroughly depended upon. Colonel Whitmore has been weeding out the " dirty birds" for the past few weeks, but his tutk is not yet completed. It is amazing what a lot ol " degraded tapsters " one sees about Wanganui, with bloated features, black eyes, and disfigured faces. These fellows are the black sheep of the Colonial forces They are mutinous and drunken when on service ; they are drunken and disorderly when out of service. I think Whitmore has weeded his force to some purpose, and that by and bye he will have a body of men under his command on whom dependence can be placed. But this task is not the work of a day, and indeed Col. Whitmore has not had very long to accomplish it, when the time ho has been absent on the tfast Coast is t taken into the consideration. JL day or two will tell what success will attend Colonel Whitmore and his ijoroe. Doubtless many a brave and gal-

lant fellow on our aide will be slain, still I fervently wish that our operations may be successful, and that the pa may be taken. Let us pray that the God of Battles may defend the right. I am off to the Front again on Tuesday, by which time I expect the real business will commence.

COLONEL WHITMORE'S DESPATCH.

Titokowaru's Pa, Turangaika, 3rd February. 1869. Sir, —I have the honor to inform you that this pa has this morning fallen into the hands of the Colonial Forces under my command, the enemy having during the night and early this morning retreated towards the Waitotara river. I bad arrived before the place and opened my attack yesterday, but from the difficulty of ascertaining the exact features of the ground, could not invest it before dark. This morning, however, I should have done so, and indeed had ulready given directions with that object, when some scouts discovered that the enemy was in small force inside. I therefore directed an advance, and the enemy's rear guard evacuated it before we eould overtake them. The pa is exceedingly strong and as Titokowaru must have had plentiful supplies, it is dfficult to imagine any reason except for his abandoning it. His preparations for defence were of the most complete description, and no gateways except underground holes were left in the pallisades I shelled the pa with apparently some effect, both yesterday and at daylight this morning, and it is possible that Titokowaru felt that his defences did not protect his men from that kind of fire and made off in consequence.

The pa is a formidable place, and 1 am satisfied that with so much at stake I should not have been justified in attempting to take it in any other way, than that which [ followed. No troop 3in the world could have hewn then* way through a double row of lifie pits, and flanked by two storey erections such as were constructed in this fortification, and defended by excellent shots, and desperate men. Though as yet no bodies have been found l have been shown considerable traces of blood, in several spots, in, and about the work. My own loss, owing to the cover of our trenches, and in spite of the welldirected fire of the enemy, only amounts to one man wounded.

The enemy is in full retreat, followed by the cavalry and natives, and as soon as possible the whole forces will cross the Waitotara on his trail.

The men are in excellent spirits, and evidently delighted with their success, while I am assured that Titokowaru will lose in prestige and in followers by his failure to carry out his boastful promises. As there has been no real, or rather serious, fighting, I think it out of place to mention individuals, and therefore confine myself to acknowledging the cheerful cooperation I have met witli from all ranks and corps throughout n.y operations. Lieut.-Colonel Gorton, however, whose particular duties aro not altered by the resistance of the enemy, does deserve that I should specially record the great assistance I have derived from his zsalou9 personal exertions, and excellent arrangements.

I trust the Government will be satisfied with this success, which, though less complete than I could have wished, has, I trust, regained possession of the Waitotara block, and removed the scene of operations further from the settled districts.—l have, &c, Gr. S. WniTMOKE. P.S.—I forward this despatch by Capt. Finniinore, commanding Wanganui Cavalry, in recognition of the willing and zealous services of his corps during the late critical circumstances of the district. I commend this officer to your kind protection.

' (From the special correspondent of the Wanganui Times.) Before Turangaika, Feb. 2, 6 p.m. Yesterday evening Lieutenant« Colonel St. John's division A.C. moved on from Pakaraka to Head quarters, and orders were giren for an early breakfast this morning, as it. was the intention of the Colonel Commanding to reconnoitre the enemy's position. Early this morning the forces were astir; and about half-past seven the Wanganui and E:i Iwi Volunteer Calvary came up from their camp to Head-quarters. Shortly after the men were under arms and moved off in the following order: —The Wanganui and Kai Iwi Volunteer Cavalry under Captain Finnimore and Lieutenant Bryce, and detachment No. 3 Mounted A.C. under Captain O'Halloran, (the W.V.C. in skirmishing order) advanced direct toTuranga ika by the road running past Lomax's supported by No. 6 Division A.C. under Major Hoberts. Tho Wanganui natives (dismounted) and No. 1 Division A.C. under Lieut.-Colonel Fraser, accompanied by the Commanding Officer, Brigade Major Herrick, and Captain Swindley, aide-de-camp, advanced from the right flank to take pos session of a ri?e near the great Northern road, a short distance beyond Shuttleworth's which was being held by the rebels as an advanced post. No. 2 Division A.C, under Sub-Inspector M'Donnell, in skirmishing order direct from their camp ; No. 3 Division A.C, under Lieut. Colonel Lyons, advancing from tho left centre to take up a position for the guns in front of the pa. The Cavalry being mounted, were the first to get within range of the enemy in the pa, and although Capt. Finnimore advanced his men to within 500 yards of the palisading, the rebels reserved their fire for a rush ; subsequently they fired slowly on the Cavalry. In about twenty minutes Col. Whitmore had reached the rise held by the

rebel picquets, about 300 yavds past Shuttleworth's, and their seeing the Cavalry would be enabled to cut off their retreat should they stand their ground, they discreetly fell back on their position at Turangaika, and Wanganui natives immediately took possession of their post, which is a very commanding one. Nos. 2 and 6 Division then advanced in skirmishing order till they reached a line between'the Wanganui natives and the cavalry. By this time the Arawas who had made a detour from the left centre arrived on the right flank and accompanied by the Wanganui natives and Lieut.-Colonel Fraser's division, they advanced under the personal command of Colonel Whitmore along the Great Northern Road, under a steady fire from the rebels, till they reached a ditch and bank fence within about 200 yards of the left flank of the pa under which they took cover.

Shortly after Lieut.-Colonel Lyons took up a position to the left front of the pa, at about 100 yards distant. Nos. 2 and 6 Divisions now passed the Cavalry and took cover under the ditch and bank fence before alluded to, and which extends upwards of a mile in length. The W. and K.I. Cavalry on being relieved, returned to Camp Lyons, and brought up the . guns which were placed under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Lyons. The mounted detachment No. 3 Division came round aud took up the position taken from the rebel picquets, where on the arrival of the guns the W. and X I. Cavalry joined them, to protect our right flank from being turned. Shortly after the arrival of the 6-pounder Armstrong they opened fire. Splendid shooting was made, every shell appearing to burst in, or very close to, the pa. Sergt. K. Harper, late Royal Artillery* who marked the guns, deserves great praise for his accurate firing ; after the guns opened fire the rebels in the pa kept very quiet and from shouting, which could be neard occasionally at the distance, numbers of them had evidently retired to a position further back in the bush. The remainder kept up a desultory firing on our skirmishing the whole day, and which grew heavier towards the evening. Col. Whitmore having obtained a good front commenced getting up the stores from the other camps. The mortars and shells arrived about 5 p.m. and will be got into position for use the first thing to-morrow morning. About the same time a man of the A.C. named Hassard, (brother of the late Colonel Ha - isard, 57th Regt., who was killed at Otapawa, during General Chute's campaign) received a severe scalp wound in the head whilst in the trenehes ; it was cansed by his own carelessness, as he kept standing up, although repeatedly recommended to keep under cover; Dr Brown apprehends no fatal results from the wound. I forgot to mention that last night and this morning when the force advanced, the rebels tauntingly shouted out to them " Come on Pakeha and be food for the Maori; we are waiting to eat you, send all the fat ones in front," and other like expressions. Pleasant anticipations for those inclined to corpulency; but there is not the slightest probability of the fiendish appetites being appeased, except with an ounce of lead. During the day the rebels in the pa amused themselves by occasionally putting up a dummy to draw our fire, and it was some time ere the ruse was discovered.

At 2 p.m. No. 7 which formed the reserve relieved No. 6 Division in the trenches who retired and took up the position they vacated in the morning, No. 7 is under the temporary command of Sub-Inspector G-udgeon. Col. Whitmore speaks in high terms of the behaviour of the force to-day, both European and Native. To-morrow he intends«advancing on the right flank by the rifle-pits and a sap if necessary ; and he will also take up a position on the reverse flank of the pa. « The advanoe to-day was a splendid movement, and although the rebels turned out very pluckily in the morning to dispute our progress, the Military tactics displayed by Colonel Whitmore in the disposal of his force compelled them to retreat to their pa. With the fore under his command I have no hesita f ion in saying that a few davs will see Titokowaru food for the worms, or himself and followers scattered in the bush. Feb. 3, 6 a.m. I have just been up to the trenches. The rebels kept up their fire till 3 a.m. this morning which was steadily returned from our rifle-pits. lam happy to state that up to the present, there are no further casualties on our side. One of the mortars has just been got into position on the right flank of the trenches, after firing four shells they found the correct range, and the remaining mortars are being brought up.

7 a.m. An advance from the trenches will be shortly mad 9; the remainder of the force are getting into position. I have to close this, as it has to be taken to Head-quarters Camp to catch the orderly if possible. Woraroa, Feb. 3, 5 p.m.

A smart skirmish took place this afternoun between Weraroa and Papatupu, which resulted in the loss of one man killed, three wounded and two missing. Alter the Wanganui Cavalry took up Weraroa this morning, a number of rebels came on to the ridge on the roud to Papatupu, and fired several volleys at them; shortly after Kemp's natives came up and gallantly crossed the gully, up the opposite side and drove the rebels across the flat to the edge of the ridge going down to Papatupu ; here the enemy were reinforced and the Wanganui natives who only numbered 30 had to retreat, leaving one man killed in their hands. Kemp's men behaved splendidly, five of them got amongst tho rebels, killed two and wounded another; two other wounded were seen carried away. Shortly after Lieufc.-Colt Icons' division

.came up and Kemp fell back to Weraroa to get ammunition. Col. Lyon advanced his division but the fern was so high that it waa impossible to get a view of the enemy. Shortly after three of his men were wounded and he fell back about 200 yards to get them conveyed off the field, which was a difficult matter, having a deep gully running into the Waitotara to cross. By this time several of the other divisions were up, but the men being very much fatigued with their exertion of yesterday, all last night and this morning without rest, they were sent back to Werazoa where they are at present encamped. The casualties are as follows:

Horri (native) known as longfellow, one of Whirihana's men, killed. [The Maoris shouted out they had got him and would eat his heart.] Fenry Roach No. 3 division, gunshot through right shoulder and arm (severely). David Murray, No. 3 division, gunshot wound in thigh, (severely. [Bullet just; extracted by Dr Brown. 1 William Timms, No. 3 division,, gunshot wound through right leg, (severe). The missing are Sergeant Charles Keeford and Private Hawkesiey. Weraroa, Feb. 3, 6.30 p.m. It is with great satisfaction I am enabled to inform you that the two missing men (Sergt. Keeford and Private Hawkesiey) returned to camp a few minutes ago* unscathed, their arrival caused quite a sensation in camp, and dispelled the gloom which their absence had caused to fall on every one. I forgot to mention in my last w eport that their absence was not noticed till the return of their Division to the catnjj. Shortly after the whole of their Division (No 3) volunteered to go out in search of them, the detachment mounted A.C., under Captain Newland prepared to accompany them dismouneed. Just as they were starting, the absenteesreturned.

Tromtlie New Zealand Advertiser, Bth February.)

Our information from Wanganui by the Blanche is to the effect that Colonel" Whitmore has taken up his quarters at Weraroa. Nukumaru pa and Pukutupu have been destroyed by our troops, and of either place very little trace exists. The Hauhaus came in sight of Nukumaru on Friday, and, finding the place destroyed, danced the war dance, and retreated into the bush.

A rumor has reached us by the Blanche to the effect that the Wanganui Cavalry was disbanded on Saturday afternoon by Colonel Whitmore, in consequence of some conduct on their part which at the present time we do not deem it advisable to mention. Wo cannot but think that. this rumor must have arisen from mistake or error of some sort, and we should exceedingly regret to learn that it was true. The iuformation to hand on the subject is by no means conclusive, but no doubt there is some foundation for the rumor.

Colonel M'Donnell was slightly wounded: by some straggling Hauhaus at Wanganui the other day, as he was riding along near a place called Okehu. Happily the bullet only grazed the leg, and did very little injury.

Adelaide. —A telegram, dated Jan. 27,, says : —The corn market is active. Flour isat £ll to £l2 j wheat is offered at 4s I'd. The Advertiser, Feb. 8, says : Major-G-eneral Sir Trevor Chute, accompanied by Colonel Page, left yesterday evening forMelbourne by the Gothenburg. Resignation.—The Hon. Mr Hall has* resigned his offices of Postmaster- General and Electric Telegraph Commissioner, but remains a member of the Executive Council.—Wellington Independent, 6th Feb. Mutilation. —The body of Hori, whowas killed m the last skirmish, has been.since found ; but it was frightfully mutilated, the hands, feet, and head, having been, cut off, and the heart cut out. It is against barbarians guilty of such outrages our forces are now contending, and we trust, that they will inflict the chastise.xent such, brutality so richly merits. —Independent,. 6th Feb. Capture.—The s.s. Wanganui brought down yesterday morning the only living thing that was captured by our foreea when the Maoris evacuated the pa at. Nukumaru. It is a puppy, and having, become the property of Mr J. C. Crawford, the Resident Magistrate's son, who is now on a visit to the Front, has been sent down by him to his father.—lndependent* 6fch Feb. The Wanganui Chronicle says that a sick man was brought into town on the 3rd iust. from Eangitiitei. Drs. Gibson, and Earle having seen him gave it as their opinion that he is laboring under an attack of small-pox. The patient is a negro and a stranger in these parts, but he must be properly cared for \ while, at the same time the utmost vigilance should be exercised to prevent the spread of the epidemio (supposing it to be small-pox) in this community. Pkomotion. —Captain Finimore, of the Wanganui Cavalry, the bearer of the important despatch from Colonel Whitmoro which is published elsewhere, and in which his services are so highly commended, has. been promoted to the rank of major as a recognition of his useful servicesintho organization and subsequent management of the gallant corps under his command. Ha bad yesterday the honor of lunching with his Excellency the Governor, who heartily congratulated him on his promotion. We> are sure that this information will be gratifying to every colonist in New Zealand, and more particularly to the people of Wellington, where the greater portion oi his life has been spent. —Wellington In&Q* pendent, 6th February,

DISEASES OF SHEEP.—SMALL-POX.

p> [From the 'Field.'] Since the great outbreak of sheep-pox jn the summer of 1847, there have occurred less serious invasions of the disease in different parts of the country, sometimes directly traceable to importation of foreign sheep, but occasionally of mysterious origin. Besides those attacks of the affection which have been reported and carefully investigated, it is not improbable that in other instances the disease has escaped observation, or has been summarily dealt with by the owners of the diseased animal, who might desire to avoid publicity. What we know of the history of small-pox renders either supposition probable; the malady varies much in its character, manifesting itself at one time in a form so virulent that ignorance or concealment of its existence is impossible, whilst at other times it assumes so mild a character that not only may its presence be unnoticed, but if detected its nature may not be understood.

In the several outbreaks which have happened in England, the disease has teen observed in all its phases. The first recognised appearance of sheep-pox in this country was in June, 1847, and during the twenty years that have since elapsed there have been five separate outbreaks in England, without reckoning those instances of its existence among foreign sheep which have been landed in this country, and subquently stopped by the Customs inspectors. After the subsidence of the disease, which appeared at Datchet in 1847, and continued till 1850 in a virulent form, this country remained free for some years; at least, no authenticated instance of sheep-pox was recorded previous to the outbreak near Devizes in the summer of 1862. The circumstances attending the appear* ance of the disease in this district were peculiar. The animals attacked were in a comparatively isolated position ; no foreign sheep had been in the neighborhood, as far as could be ascertained, for a long period; and the presence of the affection could only be accounted for upon the supposition that the sheep had been in contact with refuse animal matters which were conveyed in barges on the adjacent canal, and among which parts of sheep were found Whatever might have been the precise manner of communication, it is certain that contact with the virus of the disease must have taken place; and, in the uncertainty as to the channel through which it had been carried, very considerable alarm was created. Associations were formed in the infected district, and at various surrounding places within a circuit of thirty or forty miles, to devise means to meet the danger, and to provide for losses by . mutual insurance. Fairs and markets were especially the objects of care; local authorities appointed additional inspectors; the services of the police were put in requisition; and altogether very energetic measures were adopted to prevent the extension of the disease. Success attended the means employed, and, notwithstanding that the affection was very virulent, its duration was short. After greatly damaging the flock among which it first appeared, and doing some mischief in the county of Berkshire, it ceased in October of the same year; and it is not unlikely that the small amount of injury which attended the progress of the malady in this second outbreak went far to lessen alarm upon its after-appearance. It was certainly very peculiar to observe the general indifference with which the two last outbreaks were regarded, in comparison with the excitement which arose immediately upon the discovery of the disease in 1862. For the third time sheep-pox made its appearance in June, 1865, in Sussex, near the town of Newhaven. Here, as in the former case, no foreign : sheep had been introduced, but carcases of sheep had previously been washed ashore near to where the English sheep were grazing; and, • having in view the known fact that ■ dead or ing animals are not unfre-.; quently disposed of in transit by being i thrown over the ship's side, it was not 1 unreasonable to suspect that the di- J sease had been communicated by means of the bodies of sheep which i have been the subject of smalUpox, and on being discovered had met with the fate which awaits such objectionable subjects. In Sussex the duration i

of the disease was short. Farmers in the neighborhood, alive' to the danger to which their flocks would be exposed, formed themselves into an association, made arrangements to insure the owners of diseased animals from loss, and then had every sick sheep destroyed and buried day by day as the disease was detected. By carefully carrying out these modifications of the "stamping-out" system, not only was the malady prevented from spreading in the country, but a considerable proportion of the flock escaped being attacked. At the end of the year 1865 a fourth outbreak of sheep-pox occurred in Northamptonshire, near Daventry. The disease in this instance was traceable to direct contact with foreign sheep, which had been purchased in the Metropolitan Cattle Market. On arriving at their destination in Northamptonshire the animals were perceived to have an eruptive disease of the skin, and were accordingly dressed for scab. It was not until several deaths had taken place, aud the disease had extended to the English sheep on the farm that its nature was discovered. While the malady was in progress, it was noticed that its advance was unusually tardy, and that the percentage of deaths was lower than had been recorded in previous attacks. At the time this was ascribed to the coldnessof the weather, but more recent experience has shown that temperature exerts but little influence,—-equally mild attacks having since occurred in the midst of hot weather both in Essex and Cheshire. Very summary measures were adopted in the treatment of the disease in Northamptonshire. The owner of the property, on becoming aware of the existence of sheep-pox among his tenaut's sheep, directed that all the remaining animals, amounting to about a hundred and forty, should be forthwith killed and buried at his expense, and the premises properly disinfected. The natural result of this, energetic system of procedure was the utter extinction of the disease.

For the fifth time in England, sheeppox appeared in the spring of 1866 in Essex, and, in consequence of the successive re-introductions of the disease, continued to prevail in different parts of the country till the end of the year. In March, 1866, it was detected at Earl's Colne, Black Notley, and Great Yeldam, and was ascertained to have been caused by contact with foreign sheep. In August of the same year it appeared at Beaumont and Oakley having been introduced by foreign sheep, and subsequently at St. Osyth, where its mode of introduction was not traced ; but, from the position in which the affected sheep were grazing, it was not improbable that a carcase of a diseased animal might have been washed ashore sufficiently near the flock to have caused the disease.

A sixth outbreak of sheep-pox was detected in Cheshire in September, 1866, and was traced to foreign sheep which had been landed in Harwich. The disease in this instance extended to seven farms, but, owing to the extreme mildness of the attack, very little loss was occasioned; the deaths never exceeded ten per cent., and were generally below that amount. Precisely similar results had been noticed in the outbreaks in Essex in the spring and summer of the same years ; and as the same breed of foreign sheep introduced the disease in all these cases, there is every reason to conclude that the affection which had attacked those animals was of a mild type, and that the insignificant extent of the loss was due to that circumstance rather than to any peculiarities of season or climate.

j Besides the instances which have been enumerated, and in which homebred sheep have been concerned, sheeppox has been detected among sheep imported into this country on several occasions.

In September, 1866, a cargo of Dutch sheep were detained at Harwich in consequence of the discovery of numerous cases of small-pox. Above a hundred diseased animals were killed and buried, and the remaining healthy sheep were slaughtered on the landing place.

In the autumn of 186? a cargo was stopped at Poplar in consequence of the detection of sheep-pox, and slaughtered ; and recently the discovery at the London wharves of cases of sheep : pox in animals imported from Har-

lingen, Tonning, and Rotterdam, has led to an order for the slaughter, at the place of landing, of all sheep brought into this country from anyj part of the continent. The uncertainty which exists as to the exact extent of prevalence of the disease abroad rendered this decisive step absolutely necessary for the protection of our own flocks.

Upon the subject of treatment we have but little to advance. Medicine has no specific for the disease, and by this time people are too well acquainted with the economy of preventive measures to need reminding of the necessity for isolotion of diseased subjects. If circumstances render the adoption of the stamping-out system inexpedient, the only alternative course is inoculation, which, if properly performed, is almost as harmless as vaccination, and, under right restrictions, need not be dangerous to the flocks in the neighborhood—certaiuly not so much so as the natural progress of the disease would be. The two methods, standing entirely upon their own merits, possess a value which may thus be comparatively stated: Inoculation is the safest treatment for the infected flocks ; " stamping-out" affords the best promises of security for the healthy flocks in the country.