At Buluwayo, Matabeleland, on May 29th, troopers Daniels- and Wilson
were condemned to fourteen years' penal servi- tude for having suppressed a message of submission sent by Lobengula, and for stealing from the Indunas who carried' the message, a peace-offering amounting to over 21,000. The ' result of the conduct of the troopers was the continuance or hostilities and the destruction of Major Wilson's party. We- have stated elsewhere our belief that the sentence was not- severe enough, and that so monstrous a breach of military duty in war-time and so infamous a theft should have been punished by death. It is of the utmost importance to make it clear to the natives that if Englishmen act with bad faith towards natives they will be punished with severity. It is, not quite obvious what was the nature of the tribunal which tried the troopers, but apparently it was not a Conrt-martial„ but a Civil Court.
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