NEWS OF THE WEEK.
NEWS has been received from the Cape by telegraph from Madeira down to January 29th. So far as it goes, it must be pronounced favourable ; but it goes a very little way. The Zulus have not crossed the Tugela, or made any attempt to get behind Lord Chelmsford, and there seems little danger of their driving back the British forces. Colonel Wood, with the fourth or Transvaal column, has beaten off an attack made by 3,000 Zulus, with great loss to the enemy, and has fallen back on Utrecht, whence he is in communication with the relics of Colonel Glyn's and Colonel Durnford's columns, now at Rorke. Colonel Pearson, with the first column, 3,000 men, has stockaded himself at Ekowe, in Zululand, and is now the object, it is believed, of a concentrated Zulu attack. There is a rumour that be has beaten off the enemy with immense loss, but this is not yet confirmed. The general position, therefore, is this,—that the British forces are awaiting reinforcements, that the Zulus are trying to destroy Colonel Pearson's column, but that unless the Natal Zulus rise, the danger is not extreme. That risk, however, is exceedingly serious, and will not be over until the reinforcements have reached Port Natal. The anxiety in all parts of South Africa is very deep, and fears are evidently entertained, we trust unjustly, as to the part the Boers of the Transvaal will play. They may declare their in- dependence.
