THE GOVERNMENT AND LORD CHELMsFORD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5496, 28 June 1879, Page 3

THE GOVERNMENT AND LORD CHELMsFORD.

A home writer Bays : — Next to Colonel Pearson and his gallant little army, trho were cooped up by the Zulus in Ekowe, no one can have been more glad of. Lord Chelmeford'a successes in the first week in April than Her Majesty's Government. Signs were not wanting that the tide of public opinion had threatened to turn against the Ministry, and the change seemed not unlikely to be a rapid one. The Liberal papers already profess to believe that the Government are going down with a run. If yon accepted auch statements as appear in the Daily tfeios and, the Spectator, you might conclude that the Government were _ sdmost on their laat legs. Bat all snch notions are mere bounce—"the wish is father to the thought." The Government are undoubtedly treading on dangerous ground ; they have topped the hill of their popularity, but I am alow to believe that they have got any sub-

abantial distance along the downward road. Another disaster in Zululand would certainly have done them immense harm, and_ i£ Lord Chelmeford had hud a hand in it it might even have hurled the Government from office, Many circumstances hare contributed to shake the position of the Ministry, aa, for instance, the deficiencies of the budget, the badness of trade, the prolongation of the Afghan war, and the endless diffi culties of tbe Turkish question, but the chief cause of all others was their retention of Lord Chelmeford as commander of the forces in South Africa. Now that Lord Chelmsford has succeeded in relieving Colonel Pearson, both the noble lord himself and the

Government have somewhat retrieved their positions. The newspapers will give you fall accounts of the incidents oE that success, but a word or two rsspecting public opinion upon it may not be out of place here. The patriotism and the bravery of the Zulus are universally acknowledged, but even their courage had to yield before the deadly breechloader. The fight at Gingihlova shewed more valour on the part of the enemy than British soldiers have ever realised in civilised warfare. Such an enemy is not to be despised, and the indifference with, whioh he wbb regarded by.; Lord Chelmsford and Colonel Palleine at Isandula, and by Oaptain Moriarty at Intombi, stands jout in greater condemnation than .ever of the shameful neglect of those officers. After the. lesson which has been juet taught to Cetewayo, a very prevalent opinion exists that the next"mail or two may bring news of the Zulus having sr.ad f or*peace. There are already indications that the/King is prepared to take that course, if the young men mill permit him; and, as.they were chiefly young warriors who suffered disaster at Gingihlova and at Kambula, Colonel Wood's place, even their hot blood may now be tamed to accept the. inevitable. . •