THE BASUTO DIFFICULTY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5803, 24 September 1880, Page 3

THE BASUTO DIFFICULTY.

Read in connection with the cable messages which appear in another column, the following extracts from English papers on the Basuto difficulty will be found interesting:—

News was received in London on July 21st that the Baautos were in open rebellion, that the European women and children had been sent out of the country, and that the reeidency of Colonel Griffith, at Maseru, was threatened. The telegram wound up by saying that a body of 200 troogs had been despatched to quell the disturbances. The Daily News aeks "of what use would be this handful of men in the presence of a general risicg of the natives? The responsibility of war—if war there is tj be —rests with the Caps Miniatry, who, ia Janu»iy last, were solemnly warced by Colonel Griffith that, by makiug so many demands on the Basutos simultaneously, they were subjecticg native loyalty to too eeve<e a strain. Mr Sprigg and his coileitjues ref';hed to listen to the Resident's prudent aivice; and when Lord Kimberley, at a Ja er perio:!, earnes'ly counselled them to abandon their expressed intention to deprive the Basntos of Morosi's territory, they replied by plaiitig b< fore the Colonial Legislature resolutions ia favour of their confiecatiiig policy, and by proceeding with the survey of the disputed Und. Tbe public will be anxious to know what steps the Colonial Office has takeG to prevent the catastrophe which appears to ba impending over a once loyal and triba. Itcoinotbe alleged that we have been taken \.y surprise ia this matter; for it is oniy by vtry giadual steps that the present ciuical p;>eif.iou hai been reached. We hope that tbe Government will be able to announce t> Parliament that such instructions have been tcleg-aphed t j Sir Bartle Frere ac will be calculated to strengthen the hands of the moderate party at tbe Cape, and to prevent tbis country from being drawn iuto another inglorious native war." The Morning Post thicks that " probably those who are preventing t.ie surrender of arms are under p«>mj misconception as to the ultimate in. tendons of tbe Colonial Government but every tbiog should be made clear at once. Delaye are dacg; roa3, and a collision might occur leading tomu«e legretable results. Aβ it is, tbe excitena-.tit Betm3 widespread and has penetrated to tbe Ora:g* River Free State, 07.ing to its pr< ximity to Basutoland. The President ia reported to have telegraphed to the Cape for protective, and to have sent his family out of the S-ate. The whole matter indicates the necessity of South African union, and adds a freth argument in favour of federation. If federation ctinuo. be establichdd as yet, something ought to be done to Eet the qu-retion of g«'Kr.r»l il fsnea on a satisfactory footing, aod it might ba well during the ensuing Pariiaineutary recess to invite representatives of various South African Governments to discuss the matter here in London with the Secretary of State, bo that he may be in a position to know, by personal communication with responsible authorities, what line of policy, ia matters affecting Imperial interests, it would be well to adopt in South Africa. We are very much afraid that so long as the communications beHome Government and the polonies are confined to the interchange of dispatches between the Governors and the Secretary of State unavoidable delaye will ooour, with possible misapprehensions, and that there will be great difficulty in arriving at any correct conclusions." The Standard says :—" It is clear to us, whilst allowing that it might have been convenient to have the Basutos in the same condition as the other tribes, that the orders of the Colonial Government were harsh and injudicious. Doubtless injudicious will they find them to be, should their action bring on a fresh petty war. We cannot be always aiding them in these squabbles, powerlees as we are to shape the policy that causes the disturbances in the settlement of which we have to take the lion's share. This Basuto difficulty is, moreover, only one of the many recent proofs of the absolute necessity for the African Coloniesjto decide upon some means for a common defence. The Cape Parliament has for the time being rejected the confederation proposals. Sh'-uldthe vote of 'no confid «ice' with which the Ministry is at l r* cut threatened result unfavourably for < ■ .'., to ia possible that the next Government may be more willing to Tsten to Lord Kimberley's counsel. But, whether or not, confederation, or something akia to it, cannot long be delayed." _____________