NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THGovernment has suddenly changed its front in South. AEfrican affairs. On Monday night, Lord Beaconsfield in the Lords, and Sir Stafford Northcote in the Commons, announced to a stupefied Parliament that Sir Garnet Wolseley had been appointed Governor of Natal and the Transvaal, and High Commissioner in those Colonies, and the lands to the north and east of our provinces in South Africa. Lord Chelmsford, though not " superseded " in any sense of blame, would, of course, be superseded by the higher military rank of Sir Garnet, while Sir Bartle Frere would exercise his present functions and powers in the remainder of her Majesty's South-African Colonies.' A strong effort was immediately made to extract from the Government a declaration as to whether this change in the command implied a change of policy, and after some unexplained fencing, not to say shuffling, the Secretary for the Colonies, after an informal consultation with Lord Beacons- field, informed the House that Sir Garnet Wolseley would be instructed not to increase her Majesty's territories, and to receive any bond fide overtures of peace to be made by the Zulu King The Government refused, however, to explain their policy in detail, lest their instructions should reach South Africa before Sir Garnet Wolseley ; and on Tuesday were defended in this course by Mr. Gladstone, who stopped many inquisitive Liberals.
