The news from South Africa, though not exactly alarming, is
not good. It amounts to this,—that Cetewayo's old fol- lowers in Zululand are expelling the missionaries, and have -threatened the Reserve, which we are bound to defend. At -the same time the Boers are settling in large numbers in Zulu- land, and have succeeded in making an agreement with the Portuguese for a railway from the Transvaal to Delagoa Bay. They have not the money for that railway yet ; but they will certainly try to obtain direct possession of the road. We see no reason why Great Britain should interfere while the Reserve is untouched; but if the Reserve is invaded, there is no course possible except to defend it with Imperial troops ; and as every officer in Natal wishes it to be so defended compromises are not popular. It is quite possible, therefore, that a demand for five -thousand men may come from Natal under circumstances which would make refusal very difficult. The local advice is to annex Zululand ; but the new northern border would be rather more troublesome than the present one, and the colonists take no step towards either of the only two ultimate solutions,— a strong native army, or a conscription of the white men. Their idea is that England is to protect her territories whether she wishes for -them or not.
Previous page
