No announcement has been received from the Cape of a
Zulu declaration of war, but it is still expected in Natal, with con- siderable alarm. Lord Chelmsford, the General commanding, has abandoned the attack on Secocceni's stronghold in the mountains i as impossible, without losses which, with his small force, it would be unwise to incur, and is waiting for reinforcements, and drill- ing friendly natives against the expected attack. This abstention may encourage the war party in Cetewayo's tribe to insist on his declaring war, in which case it is believed that both the Transvaal and Natal will be flooded by invading Zulus. The Government admit that the situation is serious, but they have only sent out 2,000 men, and are taking no steps to corn- plete a telegraphic communication which might save hundreds of thousands of pounds. Fortunately, a native army in movement is a native army which can be beaten ; but if the Zulus won the first engagement, we might have half the native population of South Africa on our bands at once, with possibly Boer officers to lead them, and be plunged without warning into a most serious war. In any case, the settlers will be compelled, if war breaks out, to "concentrate," which means the abandonment of their farms and of the labour of years.
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