CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

Otago Witness, Issue 663, 12 August 1864, Page 8

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

ANOTHKtt KAFFIR WAR.

By the baTque Eliza Sharp we (Argus) have Gape datea to the 28th of May. The South African Advertiser of 28th May has the following:—

WA.R ON THE FRONTIER.

Yesterday the Btarthng news was received by te'egraph that Kreli has re-crossed the Bashee, driven the mounted police from their position there, and xletei mined to make one last bold struggle for the re-oi'cupation of his ancient territory between the Kei and the Bashee. That this is no mere groundless alarm is evident from the orders sent down to Cape Town by the authorities in Graham's Town. The Commander of the Forces is required to proceed immediately to the front with all his >taff, and every available man in garrison. The 11th Regiment, the Artillery, with their battery of light Armstrong guns, aud any other contingents within reach, are acooroingly under orders to embark at six o'clock this morning on board the Valorous, which was to leave Simon's Bay last night, to take them on to East London. Sir Walter Currie, with all the available mounted police, proceeded yesterday from Graham's Town to the scene of war, and express messages were hourly waited for at head-quarters. The troops at King William's Town and elsewhere in British Kaffraria are placed under similar orders ; and arrangements, we believe, are being made for immediately chartering the Eastern Province steamer to proceed to Mauritius to convey further reinforcements from there.

This looks like sharp and formidable work, and a determination on the part of tb.9 Government to lose no time in striking a blow which will for ever crush the Galeka chief, and effectually preventing him from attempting any disturbance of this sort hereafter. The immediate occasion or cause of the invasion is not stated in the telegrams received yesterday ; but it may be readily inferred from the report of the Kaffrarian deputation to fir Philip Wodehouse, which we published on Wednesday last. Two months ago, when his Excellency was on his tour through Queenstown, he allowed it to leak out that it was his intention to remove the mass of Tambookies in that district to occupy a portion of the Transkeian territory. He had not then, nor has he yet, quite made up his mind to act on this proposal, as he himself expressly stated last week ; but the mere mention of the thing was sufficient to excite a ferment in the native mind, and rouse the passions of Kreli against giving bis old Tambookie antagoni»ts so conspicuous a victory as would be implied in letting them hold the lands from which he had been ignominiously driven out. The precise bearings of the case were clearly submitted to Sir Philip by the Kafirarian deputation already referred to, on which occasion the following discussion took place :— " Mr Heweston stated that there were two gentlemen from Transkei present who were anxious to tell His Excellency what they knew of the Tambookies, they being deeply impressed with the belief that if they were removed into the Transkeian country, an outbreak on the part of Kreli would follow. The Gentlemen were Mr Mortimer and Mr Spyron. "Mr Mortimer : I think that if you remove the Tambookie3 into the country where it is supposed you are going to remove them, you will have a world of trouble, because there had been great disturbances between the two tribes about that country. It you shift Mapassa's people, you will have to maintain a strong force to keep Kreli from fighting with them. But if you put a white population, then Kreli will be satisfied to stand still where he is. I assure your Excellency that if you shift those Tambookies there, you will have to keep a strong force of Europeans to protect them. " The Governor : Your objection is, that Kreli and they would fight. What is the great evil of that 1 Putting it in your view, what would be the great evil of the Tambookies and Kreli fighting as they have been accustomed to fight % Fighting is generally going on over the Bashee ; what is the great mischiet of it 1 "Mr ypron said that the great evil would be this— the Tambookies in the colony were at present British subjects ; but if they were removed to the Transkei they would be re-united with the other portion of the tribe, which would make thera much stronger, aud at some future time it would be a great deal more trouble to work them out.

•' The Governor ; Assuming that our policy is to work them out, but I am not prepared for that. The objection of one of those gentlemen is, that they will be weakened by fighting with Kreli ; and that of the other is, that they will become Btronger to fight with us. "MrSpyroa: You will have to protect them against kreli:

"The Governor: No.

" Mr Spyron said that from time immemorial this had been a diluted tract of country between tie Tambookiea aid Kreli'fe people. They had been 'always fighting for that country, and were nghting about it up to within a week of the time wlien Sir Walter Oume and Colonel Gawler went into that country ; bo that both parties consi lered they had a claim to it. Kreli was known to have expressed himself to the effect that he had no objections to Europeans occupying it, but if natives were put into it he would drive them out." -t

The prediction of Messrs Mortimer and Spyron has had a speedier fulfilment than they themselves had ventured to anticipate. Kreli has evidently determined to take time by Ihe forelock, and seize the opportunity in advance for Btriking an effective blow at the police, who for years have been occupying the

disputed territory. In his firat attemr/fa^he haa been only too successful. The police have been repulsed, though it is yefc unknown with what, if any, loss of life; and now the question of most anxious moment is, whether any of the other tribes, either within the border or beyond it, will rise and make common cause with the bold invadgg. If not, formidable though Kreli's own power/ undoubtedly is, he will speedily be crushe3l>y the overwhelming forces directed against him. If there is to be a general insurrection of the natives, the war thuß unexpectedly commenced may drag its slow destructive length along for many a weary month to come. Whether the projected policy of Sir Philip Wodehouse, which appears to have stimulated this outbreak, be in itself, objectionable, is a question now quite beside the point. At a crisis like the present, it is the duty of all as one man to rally round the Governor, and support him in the boldly energetic measures he ia taking for the speedy restoration of peace. And thera ia no doubt that a disposition to do so prevails universally. We in Cape Town, too, may contribute our share to it. Now is the time 'for the volunteers te come forward in full muster, and tender their services, as in former days, to perform whatever garrison, duty may be required.