CAB37-17 — Page 227

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had never so much as heard of the "Ultimatum for his supposed defiance of which he had been deposed and consigned to what seemed life-long imprisonment. The idea of restoring Cetywayo was therefore one which would have been popular in this country, and satisfactory to general senti- ment; but it was not mainly, or even prominently, on any ground of sentiment that the measure was brought before his colleagues by Lord Kimberley in 1881. This will be more fully seen if the Colonial Office Memorandum "No. 237, African," then laid before the Cabinet, is consulted. The measure was originally advocated as the only alter- native to the extension of direct British authority over Zululand, and it was meant to involve the re- uniting of Zululand as a strong and friendly state under the one man who (as was thought) could unite it"-Cetywayo; in fact, the object sought was declared to be "to retrace our steps and undo the work of the Zulu war." Ideas thus advocated were favoured, in principle apparently, by Mr. Gladstone's Government, and in pursuance of them Cetywayo was brought to England in 1882 with a view to his ultimate restoration to Zulu- land, whilst the details of the settlement were being worked out in correspondence between Her Majesty's Government and Sir Henry Bulwer, Governor of Natal, and Special Commissioner for Zululand

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THE SETTLEMENT OF 1882-3.

In the course of this correspondence, the policy advocated in 1881 became considerably modified. These modifications were adopted partly to avoid the criticism and clamour which would have arisen at home and in South Africa, if anything like the Zulu "Military System" had been allowed to arise anew, and partly to meet the representations of Sir Henry Bulwer as to what he conceived to be justly due to certain sections of the Zulus, who were, or might be supposed to be unwilling to arise again, under Cetywayo's rule. Whether the policy of 1881 would have succeeded is impossible to say, for it was never tried. Sir Henry Bulwer seems (see his Memorandum No. 310, African) to think that it would not; and he is probably right, as it is a general observation that barbarous dynasties, once overthrown, seem incapable of resuscitation.

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Instead of Cetywayo being sent back to re unite Zululand into a strong state, which, it was hoped, would be friendly, Zululand was broken up into three pieces, one portion being created into a Reserve,' under a British Resident, another given to a man, who since the Zulu war, had become the chief enemy of Cetywayo's family-Usibebu; and the central portion alone being given to Cetywayo, who moreover, was bound (like the appointed chiefs of 1879) amongst other conditions never to revive in any way his old military system, whilst a British Resident was placed with him to see that he observed this and other con-

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