The news from South Africa is not nice, though it
will help on Federation. Krell, chief of the Galekas, in the Transkei, is offended about something or other, and has sanctioned two at- tacks on Europeans. In one, on the 24th September, 120 frontier police and the friendly Fingoes defeated the Galekas ; while in another, a few days later, 200 Europeans and 8,000 Fingoes routed a small army of 8,000 men with considerable loss, the artillery and rockets "doing good work." Sir B. Frere has gone to Williamstown, in British Caffraria ; volunteers are moving to the front with great alacrity, and two detachments of troops— very weak, however—have been sent to the coast of Caffraria, to take the Galekas in rear. There are promptitude and energy everywhere, but we do not like the news, or the reported murder of a judge, Mr. Bell, by natives. A blunder in the field, a failure in the supply of ammunition, a British defeat, and we might want 10,000 troops in South Africa. It will be necessary, we fear, to speak very roughly at Lisbon, and carry out an Arms Importation Law such as has hardly been known, except in Ireland. Sir Bartle Frere, however, fortunately under- stands this work.
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