-The severance of territory question-Arguments pro and con. -Opinion of Sir E. Wood-Humility of the Commissioners and its cause-Their decision on the Keate award question-The Montsoia difficulty-The compensation and financial clauses of the report of the Commission-The duties of the British Resident-Sir E. Wood's dissent from the report of the Com- mission Signing of the Convention-Burial of the Union Jack-The native side of the question-Interview between the Commissioners and the native chiefs-Their opinion of the surrender-Objections of the Boer Volksraad to the Convention -Mr. Gladstone temporises-The ratification-Its insolent tone-Mr. Hudson, the British Resident-The Boer festival- The results of the Convention-The larger issue of the matter -Its effect on the Transvaal-Its moral aspects-Its effect on CETYWAYO AND THE ZULU SETTLEMENT. ZULULAND and the Zulu settlement still continue to receive some attention from the home public, partly because those responsible for the conduct of affairs are not quite at ease about it, and partly because of the agitation in this country for the restoration of Cetywayo. There is no doubt that the present state of affairs in Zululand is a subject worthy of close consideration, not only by those officially connected with them, but by the public at large. Nobody, either at home or in the colonies, wishes to see another Zulu war, or anything approaching to it. Unless, however, the affairs of Zululand receive a little more attention, and are superintended with a little more humanity and intelligence than they are at present, the public will sooner or later be startled by some fresh catastrophe. Then will follow the usual outcry, and the disturbance will be attributed to every cause under the sun except the right one-want of common precautions. The Zulu question is a very large one, and I only propose discussing so much of it as is necessary to the proper consideration of the proposed restoration of Cetywayo to his throne. The king is now coming to England,1 where he will doubtless make a very good impression, since his appearance is dignified, and his manners, as is common among 1 Since the above was written the Government have at the last moment decided to postpone Cetywayo's visit to this country, chiefly on account of the political capital which was being made out of the event by agitators in Zululand. The project of bringing the king to England does not, however, appear to have been abandoned. Α |