The debate raised by Sir Henry Holland on Wednesday about
South Africa, did not advance matters much, though it elicited a speech of some importance from Mr. Ashley. It is clear from that speech that the Government refuse to deal with a variety of native questions, such as the danger of the Swazies, which are strongly pressed on their attention, but are going to deal with those of most importance. That is to say, they are about to defend the Zulu Reserves, if attacked or even threatened ; they are about to punish the murderers of Mr. Bethell, trying them, Mr. Ashley suggests, by court-martial ; and they are organising a force to defend Bechuanaland. In this they will have the aid of the Cape Government, a fact on which Mr. Ashley dwelt with pleasure, as being the very first instance in which the Dutch settlers had shown a disposition to support British authority. That support obliges the Colonial Office to await the negotia- tions which the Government of the Cape desire to carry through ; but the marauders into Montsioa's territory will, in any case be expelled. The weakness of Mr. Ashley's statement lay, as Mr. Forster showed, in the fact that it allowed the Cape Ministry to patch up an arrangement ; and its strength, in the clear evidence it afforded that the Government will do all that is needed, though it is desirous, possibly over-desirous, to restrain its area of action as closely as possible. It does not want, in plain English, the task of reconquering South Africa, though it will not shrink even from that, if justice requires it to be done.
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