colony; its ambitious object was centralisation, and the incorporation under itself of the various minor provinces. The difficulty of the situation was so obvious to the Colonial Minister that he had chosen as High Commissioner a man whose experience and energy he could thoroughly trust. Unfortunately in Sir Bartle Frere he had selected a man not only of great ability, but one who carried self-reliance and imperialist views to an extreme. He was destined to pursue in South Africa the same policy which he had recommended upon the Afghan frontier, and with results scarcely less disastrous. Determined in spite of the opposition he encountered to carry out the policy of confederation which he regarded as so hopeful, Lord Carnarvon in 1877 introduced a Bill not indeed insisting upon confederation, but laying down the framework of a constitution to which the Colonies at their own will might accede.

Annexation of the Transvaal. April 1877.

Before this Bill reached its second reading a strange event had occurred; one of the Provinces implicated had lost its independence; the Transvaal had been annexed to the British dominions. The danger caused by the reckless conduct of the Boers upon the frontier, and their proved incapacity to resist their native enemies, had made it a matter of the last importance that they should join the proposed Confederation, and thus be at once restrained and assisted by the central power. Sir Theophilus Shepstone had been charged with the duty of bringing the Transvaal Republic to consent to an arrangement of this sort. He found the strongest objection on the part of the people, and a bitter hostility against the British and their Government. Unable to persuade the Boers to accept his suggestions for an amicable arrangement, he proceeded, in virtue of powers intrusted to him, to declare the Republic annexed, and to take over the government. This high-handed act brought with it, as some of its critics in the House of Commons had prophesied, disastrous difficulties. Not only were the Boers themselves almost as a matter of course disaffected, but they handed over to the Imperial Government all their difficulties and hostilities. They were involved in disputes with both their barbarous neighbours. The disastrous result of their war with Secocoeni had been one of the chief arguments in favour of annexation. In 1875 they had made demands upon Cetchwayo, the most important of which was a rectification of frontier largely in their own favour. There was a hope that the more just and favourable treatment of native claims which might be expected from the English after the annexation would put an end to the profound mistrust felt by the African chiefs, and prevent them

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from taking the law into their own hands. The arrangement of the disputed boundary with Cetchwayo afforded an opportunity of testing the soundness of this hope. Commissioners were appointed in 1878 to inquire into the rights of the case, the Blood River being taken for the time as the limit between the disputants. The Commissioners arrived at a unanimous decision against the Dutch claims, and Sir Henry Bulwer, who had all along regarded them as unjust, was of

opinion that the full and honest acceptance of this award would have been sufficient to allay the threatening irritation of the Zulus.

But before the Treaty could be carried out it required ratification from the High Commissioner, and it came back from his hands clogged with formidable conditions. Sir Bartle Frere held strong views as to the advantages of English influence, and the necessity of destroying the military organisation of the Zulus which he regarded as a constant

insists on guarantees

threat against our frontier. There were no doubt some causes for unSir Bartle Frere easiness. An outrage or two had been perpetrated by Zulus within the limits of Natal, an English surveyor from the Zulus. had been robbed, some missionaries declaring that they were persecuted had withdrawn from the country. To Sir Bartle Frere these slight events appeared clear proofs of the overweening confidence and hostile intentions of Cetchwayo. While therefore he accepted the boundary report, he determined to make it an opportunity for the destruction of Cetchwayo's power. In December a Special Commission was despatched to meet the Zulu Envoys, to explain the award, but at the same time to demand corresponding guarantees from the King. When these were unfolded they appeared to be the abolition of his military system and the substitution of a system of tribal regiments approved by the British Government, the acceptance of a British Resident by whose advice he was to act, the protection of missionaries, and the payment of certain fines for irregularities committed by his subjects. These claims were thrown into the form of an ultimatum, and Cetchwayo was given thirty days to decide. All alternative, all explanation, all pacific means were excluded: it was to be submission or war. It proved to be war. Sir Bartle Frere had already prepared for this contingency; he had detained in South Africa the troops which should have returned to England, and had applied to the Home Government for more. Although his request had been at first coldly received, the Government had yielded to his constant assertion of coming danger, and had in November despatched reinforcements, on the understanding that they should be used for defensive purposes only. When no advances came from the Zulu king, Lord Chelmsford was appointed to the command of the troops upon the frontier, and on the 12th, the very day on which the time allowed for the acceptance of the ultimatum expired, the frontier was crossed.

The invasion was directed towards Ulundi, the Zulu capital While Colonel Wood moved from the Transvaal, Colonel Glynn crossed the river at Rorke's Drift and Colonel Pearson entered the country by the Lower Tugela nearer the sea. The intelligence department had supplied Lord Chelmsford with full details as to the strength of the Zulus and their method of fighting. Experience gained Zululand. in the Dutch wars with the natives was also plentiful. Nevertheless the first step across the frontier produced a terrible disaster. The troops under the immediate command of Lord Chelmsford encamped at Isandlana without any of the ordinary precautions,

Invasion of

Disaster of

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and in a bad position. No steps were taken for striking the tents in case of attack, no trench was dug, nor were the wagons as is usual ranged round to form a laager. In this unprotected situation Lord Chelmsford, while himself advancing to reconnoitre, left two battalions of the 24th with some native allies under Colonel Pulleine, who were subsequently joined by a body of 3000 natives and a few Europeans under Colonel Durnford. The forces left in the camp were suddenly assaulted by the Zulus in overwhelming numbers and entirely destroyed. It was only the magnificent defence by Chard and Bromhead of the post and hospital at Rorke's Drift which prevented the victorious savages from pouring into Natal. Lord Isandlana. Chelmsford on returning from his advance hurried from Jan. 22, 1879. the fearful scene of slaughter back to the frontier. For the moment all was panic; an immediate irruption of the enemy was expected. But when it was found that Colonel Wood to the west could hold his own though only with much rough fighting, and that Colonel Pearson, towards the mouth of the river, after a successful battle had occupied and held Ekowe, confidence was re-established. But the troops in Ekowe were cut off from all communication except by means of heliographic signals, and the interest of the war was for a while centred upon the beleaguered garrison. With extreme caution, in spite of the clamorous criticism levelled against him, Lord Chelmsford refused to move to its rescue till fully reinforced. Towards the end of March however it was known that the provisions were running low, and on the 29th an army of 6000 men again crossed the frontier. On this occasion there was no lack of precaution. Cavalry swept the sides of the advancing column, the troops slept in battle array in a hollow square around the laagered wagons; and when, as they approached the fortress, they were assaulted at Gingilovo Subsequent their strong formation proved efficient against the wild successes. bravery of their assailants, a complete victory was won, and the garrison at Ekowe rescued. A day or two earlier an even more 'reckless assault upon Colonel Wood's camp at Kambula was encountered with the same success. But for the re-establishment of the English prestige it was thought necessary to undertake a fresh invasion of the country; reinforcements had now arrived, and with an army numbering in its three divisions 24,000 men Lord Chelmsford proceeded to carry it out. During these events several attempts at peace had been made on the part of the Zulus. But their ambassadors were never, in the opinion of the English generals, sufficiently accredited to allow negotiations to be opened. Yet it

April.

would appear that Cetchwayo was really desirous of peace, according to his own account even the assault at Isandlana was an accident, and the two last great battles were the result of local efforts. At length in July properly authorised envoys came to the camp. Terms of submission were dictated to them, but as they were not at once accepted a final battle was fought resulting completely in favour of the English, who then occupied and burnt Ulundi, the Zulu capital.

Sir Garnet Wolseley's settlement of the country.

July 1879.

As in Afghanistan so in Africa, the English had destroyed the strong native rule, and having created anarchy were called upon to find some means of reconstructing the government of the country. The General had quarrelled with Sir Henry Bulwer. Sir Bartle Frere was required at the Cape. Sir Garnet Wolseley was therefore again sent out with full powers to effect a settlement. His first business was to capture the King. When this was done he proceeded to divide Zululand into thirteen districts, each under a separate chief; the military system was destroyed; the people were disarmed and no importation of arms allowed; a Resident was to decide disputes in which British subjects were involved. The reception of missionaries against the will of the people was not however insisted on. The feeling of the Colonistsexcited by the war-was not in favour of this settlement. They talked largely of annexation and the opening up of fresh land for emigration. The Government however maintained their position, believing that they had thus destroyed the Zulu power, and yet avoided the difficulties and expenses attending an extension of the empire.

But the Zulu war had been after all but an episode in the questions which were agitating South Africa. The success of the policy which dictated the annexation of the Transvaal, and recommended Confederation was still uncertain. The conduct of the Boers during the Zulu war had not been altogether friendly. The necessity of overawing the disaffection in the Transvaal had influenced the movements Difficulties in of the armies in the advance to Ulundi. At great meetthe Transvaal. ings, especially one at Wonderfontein, the farmers had pledged themselves to continue to seek independence. To Sir Bartle Frere they had openly intrusted a strong protest to lay before the Government; but neither he nor Sir Garnet Wolseley who succeeded him held out the smallest hopes that the annexation would be reversed. The creation of a Legislative Council in the place of their old assembly, the Volksraad, was regarded by the Boers as a breach of the promises made to them on their annexation, and added fresh fuel to the disaffection which was visible throughout the