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Leader (1850-1860), 10th January 1852, Edition Town of 1, Page 29, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      vity of a party of dismounted Cape Mounted Rifles and Port Elizabeth Fingoes , the greater part were retaken , and three of the enemy shot : one sergeant was wounded on our side , it is evident from ihenifcht fires that the enemy is very numerous ¦ till in Fuller's Hoek and Waterkloof , and , indeed , in the whole of these parts . Their being here is a tax on the neighbourhood ; for , as they have no cattle now , they live upon us . «« Since the above was received , we have intelligence

      from the oamp to the 24 th instant , from which it appears that a waggon with suppMes , belonging to Captain Bruoe , Seventy-fourth , and guarded Jy a detachment of that regiment , tinderXieutenarit King , was attacked by the « riemy and pillaged on Saturday , and the oxen stolen . "The party were proceeding up the Blinkwater Hill towards Post Relief . The empty waggon was recovered the following morning . The enemy are now known to be as numerous in the Waterkloof as ever /'

      In addition to these a private letter in the Time * gives a lively idea of the state of matters . *• Camp , BiiiNKWATBR , November 1 , 1851 . —On the Srd of last month we left Reit Fontein , where we had been encamped for two months , and moved close to Beaufort , where we remained a week , and then went on to patrol , expecting to be out at longest a week , but were away for sixteen days , and hard work we bad during the time , trying to drive the enemy out of an extremely strong position at Waterkloof . we had a very strong force ( for this country at least ) , but have « nly partially succeeded in our object . We lost in the regiment several men killed and wounded , but ,

      fortunately , no officers . There were altogether about fifty casualties . This is heavy , for the nature of the fighting . We killed , I am happy to say , a great many of the enemy ; but they are extremely plucky , more so than in any previous war , their greatly increased intercourse with Europeans having improved them wonderfully in the use of firearms . We had , Very bad weather all the time we were out , as this is the rainy season , and had often to lie down under a bush in a wet blanket , not only * without . brandy and water , but without a bit of tough ration beef , after a march of twenty-five mileB , and , perhaps , after being a couple of hours with bullets whistling in a verv unpleasant proximity to our ears . The seasons

      In this country are the exact reverse of those in England , this month , November , corresponding with May at home ; the grass is getting green here , and the trees are only just out in leaf . I don't think I Jiave yet described our dress ( the Seventy-fourth Regiment , I mean ) out in * the field . Our hoofs are encased in a pair of half-boots made of untanned leather ; out trews once were regimental tartan , but are now almost entirely concealed by leather ; and a flannel shirt with a loose collar , black silk neckerchief tied a la Byron , a canvas amockr frock , dyed with mimosa bark and copperas a dark brown ; and a regimental forage cap , with a large peak to shade our eyes , and a curtain behind to keep the sun off the

      back of the neck ; complete our dress . Then our arms consist generally of the following—a double-barrelled gun or rifle , a brace of pistols stuck into a belt , to which is attached also a pouch for ammunition , and a small dirk and hunting-knife . " " November 13 . ~ Since I began my letter I have had rather a severe loss , both my ridinghorse and pack-horse , worth upwards of £ 30 to me , having been taken by the Kafirs from the camp ; and , although they were immediately pursued and fired on , yet they succeeded in driving them off with some others into the bush . It is a great nuisance just now , as horses , in consequence of

      the . war , are very expensive . " November 23 . —A strong patrol is going on the 25 th instant across the river Kye , abont 150 miles from here , where all the cattle belonging to the Kafirs , in addition to what has been taken from the colony , are supposed to he . It is a fine open country , and if we can succeed in making a good capture , it will tend materially to put an end to the war . The Seventy-fourth will not go , but are to garrison the various outposts . I am going with thirty men of ours and fifty Fingoes to hold a farmhouse , where I shall probably remain for the next two months . "

      On the 14 th the Kafirs penetrated into General Somerset ' s camp , and stole a span of oxen from his own baggage waggon . On the 17 th the Kafirs fired at the sentries in the night . On the 18 th eight spans were captured by the Kafirs , and recaptured by the troops , four men being wounded . Cattle robberies , in fact , everywhere—and the Waterkloof not cleared of Kafirs Some minor patrols and promenades have been made , of which the following is called a " spirited affair . " Lieutenant Knox , with a party of the Seventy-third , came suddenly upon a body of JKafirs and Hottentots , qualified as " rebels , " driving before them twentyfour head of cattle . On seeing the troops , the Kafirs ,

      oeing interior in numbers , disappeared , and the soldiers aet off in pursuit , Lieutenant Knox writes that he hunted them until he saw them " fairly on their way to Committee ' s , " a Kafir place of refuge . "We then returned , and found ourselves in possession ot twenty-four head of cattle , after an hour and ten , . lnutfl 8 fighting ; four Kafirs and two Hottentots were Wiled , and a great many severely wounded- We marched on w't h ou * booty , and reached oamp at ten A . M . this day . lne arms , ammunition , &c , we captured during the patrol amounted to three firelocks , one assegai , two powder horns and belts , ten rounds of service ammunition , ana a tin of powder . I had no casualties in my party . "

      ' The death of Chlnnnl "ftnvA-. nn . i ,. ~~~~~ a ~ a «„ „ * iv i ° * Colonel Fordyoe is regarded as a pubholoBS . ° Meanwhile the war had made no progress . The ttaflrs were as bold and as numerous m ever , lurking citti T y gat 1 , ° / L " Uary ° Amp 8 , and stealing eattle from within the lino of port * . Sir Henry

      Smith had done nothing to check ibis state of things by combined operations ; but there was . a ^ runaour that a strong force will be detached to attack Kreill , now considered as in open war with us , and a _ general movement made to carry off the enemy s herds of cattle .

      ' .... ¦ yOXITICAI . MOVEMENTS . The ordinances of the New Constitution have arrived at Cape Town . They were presented to the Legislative Council on the 21 st of November . A public meeting was held on the 2 nd of December , when resolutions heartily approving of the constitution were passed , and a memorial to the Queen adopted , praying that the royal assent may at once be given to the draft ordinances as they stand , and that any alterations mad © by the Legislative Council inconsistent with the principles of the draft ordinances may not be assented to .

      THE CONSTITUTION . The Parliament of the Cape is to consist of the Governor , a Legislative Council , and a House of Assembly . The Legislative Council shall consist of the chief justice , as president , and fifteen members ; eight of these to retire at the expiration of five years , and the remainder at the expiration of ten years . A candidate must be thirty years of age , possess landed property to the amount £ 1000 , or personal property to the amount of £ 2000 . The House of Assembly is to consist of forty-six members elected for five years . Voting qualification to be also qualification for

      membership . All persons , aged twenty-one years , not felons , Government placemen , or servants , to have votes for members of both Houses , if in the possession of a tenement , value £ 2 $ . The election to be carried on similarly to borough elections in England . Both Houses to be summoned within twelvemonths from the promulgation of the ordinance ; a session to be held at least once a year ; and power of proroguing or dissolving both Houses lodged in the hands of the Governor . The Colonial Secretary , the Attorney-General , the Treasurer , and

      the Auditor to have th&right of sitting and speaking , but not of voting , in either House . All bills granting supplies or imposing taxes to originate in the House of Assembly . The Governor may veto , or amend , or assent to a billj but a bill agreed ta by the Governor may be disallowed by the Imperial Government within two years . Any member of Parliament residing at a greater distance than ten miles from the place of meeting to be allowed one pound per day travelling expenses . Such are the main provisions of the draft constitution .

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      Three hundred and fifty double-barrelled rifle carabines have been shipped in the Birkenhead Bteam troop-ship for conveyance to the Cape of Good Hope . These rifle carabines are for the use of the Twelfth Lancers . The balls used in them are of the conical description , found so effectual at long ranges by Mr . Lancaster , doing great execution at 600 or 800 , and in many instances at 1000 yards' range .

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      THE MINISTERIAL IMBROGLIO . palmerston ' s resignation . The Morning Herald of Tuesday contained an account of the dismissal of Lord Palmerston , which we cite below textually . " Before the Cabinet differences respecting the Finsbury-Kossuth affair had been arranged with his colleagues and in higher quarters by Lord Palmerston , Count Walewski called on the noble ex- Secretary for Foreign Affairs , and communicated to him the fact of the coup d ' etat which had been accomplished by the Prince President , together with the reasons by which Louis Napoleon considered himself compelled to take the steps which he had adopted . Lord Palmerston on that occasion , as the result of the interview , approved of the course adopted by the French President , considering that the reasons assigned for it by Count Walewski were sufficient to justify it . " These facts having been made known to Lord John Russell , thePremier sent a written remonstrance to Lord Palmerston , complaining that the Foreign Secretary had taken a step so important as that of an approval of the coup d'ltat of Louis Napoleon , without consulting his colleagues , whom he had thus committed to it . " The reply of Lord Palmerston to this written remonstrance was , that his interview with Count Walewski had been a private conversation , and that neither its terras nor the result oommitted the Government to any particular course of action , and that the British Executive mieht , if it pleased , ko to war with France even then ,

      without violating ariy official pledgo given by him—that Count Walewski had proved to him , by unquestionable documents , that Louis Napoleon would have been ar *> rested in . a few days by the opposite party in the Assembly ( who had prepared their coup d ' e ' tat ) , and would have been shut up in Vinoennes , had he not struck the first blow —which he had thus been compelled to strike . Thus far Lord Palmerston approved of the course adopted by the President : but , he urged , he had not then been made acquainted with the arrests , the fighting , and the other circumstances which had immediately followed the now state of affairs , and , therefore , he did not think it necessary to consult formally his oolleagues an to circumstances whioh had only been initiated . Moreover , he did not consider it necessary for a Secretary of State > -4 he acknowledged head of a department , to consult hta

      colleagues at to every transaction which came properly and positively under his administration . '" This reply to the Premier Lord Palmerston considered would be thoroughly satisfactory , and he rather expected the amende honorable ; but to his amazement he received .. a demand for the transmission of his seals of office to the First Minister of the Crown . < "On Monday , the 22 nd ultimo , the Cabinet met . The members of the Administration were , up to that time , perfectly ignorant of the above-mentioned occurrences ; and it was then they were first informed of the fact that Lord Palmerston was no longer in office . As his

      dismissal was a fait accompli , there of course was not any opportunity for discussion , or for an attempt at reconciliation . " After the council , the Premier proceeded to Windsor Castle , and communicated the fact of the noble lord ' s dismissal . We leave the public to judge with what feelings the announcement was received . " Four letters were subsequently addressed to Lord Palmerston by four of his recent colleagues . Three of these were from parties who had been considered to be inimical to the general policy of the noble viscount ; therefore , whether or not they were passing acts of courtesy , the more called for because they were the less to be expected on ordinary grounds , we submit to public opinion . All the facts are now before our readers . "

      This statement is given , not as a rumour , but as the true historical account of the affair . The Herald does not even comment upon it ; placing it before the public nakedly as above given , with the exception of a few introductory remarks affirming the absolute truth of the narrative . So we leave it to our readers . The Cabinet met on Thursday , but nothing has oozed out respecting its . decision ; Lord Lansdowne was present . Humour , is still busy , but nothing is known of the actual state of Lord John ' s private chaos in Downing-street . The Times mysteriously insinuates the revival of a Protectionist Cabinet , and paints a desperate future for the country .

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      THE REVENUE . AIT ABSTRACT OP THB NET PRODUCE OF THE REVENUE OP GRBAT BRITAIN IN THE TEARS AND QUARTERS ENDED JAN . 5 , 1851 . AND JAN . 5 , 1852 , SHOWING THK INCREASE OH DECREASE THEREOF . YEARS ENDED JAN . 5 . ~

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      THB CASE OF THE ENGINEERS . From all appearances it would seem that the engineers are about to make a vigorous stand against the aggressive movement on the part of the employers , and take up the gauntlet thrown down by the latter , in decreeing what may be called the compulsory strike of the 10 th of January . A crowded meeting was held at the Engineers ' Central Club on Monday , for the purpose of ascertaining the position of affairs . Mr . Newton was called upon to report progress . He stated that , on Saturday afternoon , there had been a meeting of the executive council , at which many excellent and practical suggestions had been thrown out ; and he was happy to inform them that , after much anxious consideration , the council , feeling the necessity of not entrenching upon the funds of the society , had devised means whereby employment would be secured to them . ( Cheera . ) " On Saturday night he had attended a meeting at Greenwich , which had been called in consequence of Mr . Pcnn , the great employer there , having stated that the executive oommitteo or the Employers Association were desirous to receive' a deputation from the executive of the Amalgamated flooiety . He was happy to tell thorn that at that mooting Mfw Ponn was culogieed as one of the most liberal of thair employers—( hear , hear ) - ~ M&& it was

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      1851 . 1852 . Increase . Decrease . £ £ £ £ Customs 4 , 596 , 705 4 , 559 , 512 .. 37 , 193 Excise 3 , 715 , 920 3 , 552 , 970 .. 162 , 950 Stamps 1 , 459 , 721 1 , 427 , 485 .. 32 , 236 Taxes 1 , 923 , 053 1 , 185 , 922 .. 737 , 131 Pioperty-tax ...... 418 , 730 367 , 956 .. 50 . 774 Post-office 152 , 000 246 , 000 94 , 000 — Orown Lands 60 , 000 40 , 000 .. 20 . 000 Miscellaneous 20 , 391 30 , 574 10 , 183 — Total Ord . Rev ,. 13 , 346 , 520 U . 410 , 419 104 , 183 1 , 040 , 284 ImprestMoneys . &c . 132 , 246 117 , 545 .. 14 , 701 Repayments of Advances 135 , 116 372 , 371 237 . 255 — Total Incomo ... 2 , 613 , 882 1 , 900 , 335 j 341 , 438 11 , 051 , 985 Deduct Increase ... » 341 , 438 Decrease on the Quarter 713 , 547

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      1851 . 1852 . Increase . Decrease . £ £ £ £ Customs ..... 18 , 614 , 880 18 , 761 , 069 146 , 189 — Excise 13 , 003 , 961 13 , 0 . 93 , 170 89 , 209 — Stamps 6 , 095 , 641 5 , 933 . 549 .. 162 . 092 Taxes ..... 4 , 360 , 178 3 , 563 , 962 .. 796 , 216 Property-tax 5 , 383 , 037 5 , 304 , 923 .. 78 , 114 Post-office .... 820 , 000 1 , 064 , 000 244 , 000 — Crown Lands ..... 160 . 000 150 , 000 .. 10 , 000 Miscellaneous .... 178 , 552 172 , 241 .. 6 , 311 Total Ord . Rev .. 48 , 616 , 249 48 , 042 , 914 479 , 398 1 , 052 , 733 Imprest and other Moneys 691 , 447 643 , 410 .. 48 , 037 Repayments of Advances 708 , 618 802 , 943 94 , 325 — Total Income ... 50 , 016 , 314 49 , 489 . 2671 573 , 723 1 , 100 . 770 Deduct Increase 573 , 723 Decrease on the Year .. 523 , 047 QUARTERS ENDED JAN . 5 .

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      Jaw . 10 , 1862 ] € ** M «»* JV S 9

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 10, 1852, page 29, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1917/page/5/