THE SEAT OF WAR.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1910, 20 August 1863, Page 3

THE SEAT OF WAR.

The Nelson Examimr of the 13th inst. gives the following excellent description of the district in which the war has been carried on : —

" In order to the better understanding of the stirring events described by our correspondents, we attempt, in a few words, to sketch the district ie which they are occurring. So far the trouble is conn'ued to the south of the town. The country looking south from Auckland to Wai ka to may be described as a plain bounded on the west or right by alow range of bare hills dividing the Manukau lagoon from the sea, and on the east or left by rery irregular hills, wooded, with patches of fern. The plan is not to be considered as a flat valley. It undulates, and has several extinct volcanic cones of small elevation scattered about it. The whole extent may be about thirty miles square, of which the lagoon of Manukau occupies something like fifteen miles square on the western side, and a belt of ten or twelve miles of forest skirts the Waikato, which is the southern boundary of the plain and of the European territory. The main southern ioad heads the long navigable creeks of the lagoon, leaving Onehunga & few miles on the right, and passing through Otahuhii, Papakura, and Drury, in a south-easterly direction, nearly to the gteat bend of the Waikato. The river Waikato itself, rising in the heart of the island, runs most of its course to the north-west, in a line bearing directly on Auckland, but, about thirty miles south-east of that town, it bends abruptly at a right angle, and flows some twenty-five miles south-west-ward till it reaches the ocean. At the great right-angle bend the the little stream of Maungatawhiri fulls in on the east side, prolonging the southern boundary of the European territory towards the east. The country bordering the Waikato, and its principal branch, the Waipa, is open country, containing fern, flax, toi-toi, grass, and scrub. Between the two main branches lies Ngaruawahia, the capital of Moaridom, sixty-five miles, as the crow flies, from the capital of the colony, Maungatawhiri is therefore nearly midway between the two capitals, and in a direct line. No " engineering difficulty," as it is called, intervenes in the whole distance. The river passes through one abrupt range of about a thousand feet high, but it is a very narrow range, and there is not, in the Nelson sense of the words, a gorge even at this spot. Vegetation is the great military obstacle. The forest (though under General Cameron its impenetrability has ceased to be talked of) is a great resource to a lightly equipped irregular foe. Extending in an unbroken line along the southern frontier of the settled districts, and stretching on the eastern side towards' Auckland, it furnishes a cover under which the scattered villages of the plain, if not the city itself, may be menaced, and a mere handful of natives, under its screen, have attacked and inflicted loss on our brave and well armed soldiers, and committed half a dozen cold-blooded murders on peaceful settlers. The wooded hills on the east of the Auckland plain were pointed to by the natives two years ago as their stronghold in case of war. It must then be understood then, that, at the time of the events of a fortnight back near Auckland General Cameron's front was advanced beyond the European boundary, and beyend the forest. He had nothing bui open land — fern land, that is to say — between him and the centre of the country ; aud no obtacles except the want of roads, and a few inconsiderable tributaries of the Waikato. We are not aware what fortifications the banks of the Waikato may possess — whether the large earthworks at Bangiriri have ever been completed (Wata-watu lies above the capital) — but the ground, geuerally, offers no important advantages against a resolute invader; and if the new steamer proves equal to the navigation, as it is probable she will do, at least till summer dries up the stream, supplies may be carried inland in spite of the want of roads. General Cameron's real difficulty is the defence of the town and villages he leaves behind. Ngaruawahia, the Maori capital, offers no reprisals, and a large, weak, aud wealthy frontier absorbs his force, and leaves little for forward movements.

Yet we think General Cameron will move forward. The moral effect of attacking the heart of resistance is too important to be forgotten. The natives know that the one chauce of success for them lies in keeping the aggressive, and luring the foe from the nest, They are not well supplied, and hare no external sources if they had fands to obtain supplies. And although it is not possible to avoid occasional misgivings that some disaster may befal where a single chance bullet may take the ablest life at a critical moment, yet we believe that General Cameron will quickly suneeed. He has adopted at Taranaki the plan, long vainly proposed by the settlers, of scouring the bush by light parties, aud the same plan will

gradually make the bush hills to the south-east of Auckland too hot for the enemy ; and when he has done this, the most venerable 6ide of the settlements will he protected. Happily, a vast part of the approaches to the Auckland district are by water, and the eyes of the seamen, always practised to the night, will guard the most assailable points at the only time when they can be assailed with hope of success. We are tar from thinking that W. Thompson and his Ngatibaua are incapable of a bold attempt ; it is very likely it will be made, but will issue in utter discomfiture, unless night and relaxed vigilance give it support.

If General Cameron plant a good force in Waikalo, we have already ventured the conjecture that the heart of the rebellion will be broken."