HC Deb 26 April 1842 vol 62 cc1164-71
Colonel Fox rose

to move That an humble Address be presented to her Majesty, that she will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid before this House, Copies or Extracts from any recent official information received by her Majesty's Government from the Cape of Good Hope, respecting the present relations of the colony with the Independent Boers who established themselves at Port Natal, together with any information as to the treatment of the Natives of South Africa by the said Boers. Also any Instructions that may have been sent to the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope on these subjects, by Her Majesty's Government. The hon. and gallant Member said, that in moving for these papers, it would not be necessary for him to make any lengthened statement. Many hon. Members were, no doubt, aware, that after the termination of the Caffre war in 1836 great numbers of the Dutch boers, occupying farms in our colony at the Cape of Good Hope, seceded from our Government, in consequence, as they alleged, of their not receiving sufficient protection against the native tribes, with whom, after the manner of their forefathers, they had been pursuing a system of warfare, which, although its particulars had probably been exaggerated, was, no doubt, a warfare of a very cruel character. The boers who then migrated from our territory proceeded to occupy the country about Port Natal, which was to us a very important possession, inasmuch as it was the only harbour for many hundred miles on the eastern coast of Africa. There could be no doubt as to our authority over the country thus occupied, as it had not only been made over to us at a very early period, but had been confirmed to us by treaty in 1814. The Government, with the intention of maintaining this territory, had on two occasions taken measures for the occupation of Port Natal; but, at the present time, he understood that the only force stationed in that part of the country was a small detachment of about 100 men, whose principal duty appeared to be the protection of the aborigines. The points he desired principally to arrive at were— first, whether it was intended to recognize the independence of the boers; and, secondly, whether they would be permitted, as it was stated that they wished, to place themselves under the authority of the Dutch or some other foreign European Government? He thought it desirable, that the House and the country should be informed on these points, and he also thought, that it would be well that the matter should be settled as speedily as possible.

Lord Stanley

said, the case to which the hon. and gallant Member had called attention presented one of the most singular passages in modern history. It was the case of a class of persons chiefly of Dutch origin, whose number had been variously stated at from 4,000 to 10,000, including women and children, who having for a lengthened period been peaceable subjects of the British dominions, chose, in consequence of some supposed injury or injustice, to migrate from the lands they occupied, to cross a hostile territory, and to declare their hostility to the Government which for a long period they had acknowledged and obeyed. It was in 1837 that this migration took place. The boers had been previously extremely dissatisfied with the abolition of slavery at the Cape, they had objected to the amount of compensation awarded to them, and being, as they were described, a brave and warlike race of people, they were also extremely dissatisfied at not being allowed to carry on a sort of predatory warfare on the boundaries in which they previously had been engaged with the Caffres, and which had occasioned great loss and bloodshed to both parties. Shortly after this warfare was put a stop to the boers raised a complaint of want of protection from native depredation, and soon after, collecting together their cattle and their goods, by an extraordinary effort they penetrated through the Caffre country, settled themselves in Natal, which was nearly 600 miles distant from the British colony, and there declared their entire independence of the British authority. As the hon. and gallant Officer had stated, various military occupations of Port Natal took place, but the forces had in such case been withdrawn, and at the present time there was no absolute occupation. The fact was, that although, as had been correctly assumed, Port Natal was the only harbour on that part of the east coast of the territory of the Cape, it was, nevertheless, by no means a good or commodious harbour, or one that was suited to purposes of commerce; and the territory being so far as 600 miles off, no inducements were offered to found a second colony there, especially as our colonists at the Cape were already unfortunately too widely dispersed. The boers having settled themselves at Port Natal claimed to be recognised as an independent nation, and having seceded from the British, set up a claim to be treated with the rights appertaining to independent sovereignty. Such a pretence it was quite impossible to accede to, and public notice was at once given to the boers that her Majesty's Government would not listen to any such claim, and further, that they intended to protect from molestation all such tribes as might sign amicable treaties with the Cape authorities. By the last accounts, he understood that a force had been placed at a considerable distance entirely from Port Natal, but still on the east side of the Caffre territory, which force would at once protect the Caffres against the boers, and the boers against the Caffres. An occupation of Port Natal had also, he understood, been ordered, but he should here state, that he had no reason to think that there was any prospect of a collision between our forces and the boers. Indeed, serious discords were said to have arisen among the boers themselves, and it was hoped that it would be quite unnecessary to take violent measures, and that in a short time the boers would themselves see that they had been wrong in occupying the Natal territory without licence, and the more so, as they could only hope to be engaged in perpetual warfare with hostile tribes, and that too, in the face of the proclaimed intention of the British Government to protect their native allies from any molestation. The hon. and gallant Officer had asked, whether it was intended to permit the boers to place themselves under the sovereignty of any foreign European power. To this he would reply, certainly not. Looking at the position of our Cape colony, he did not think that the boers could be permitted to enter into an alliance of such a kind with safety to the integrity of our dependencies on that part of the coast. He, therefore, should most distinctly say, that her Majesty's Government would not recognise, would not acknowledge, and would effectually resist, any attempt on the part of the boers to place themselves under a foreign protection. With regard to the papers moved for, he thought it quite fitting that all documents connected with the historical view of the question should be placed before the House, but he trusted the hon. and gallant Officer would agree with him, that after the explanation he had given, it would be inexpedient that any instructions recently sent out, and which, referring to the future rather than to the past, could not yet have been acted on, should be published whilst the acts to which they had reference were necessarily incomplete. He would also take leave to recommend one or two verbal alterations in the motion. He did not think it right or judicious to recognise the independence of the boers, who, in fact, were mere trespassers on our soil, and entitled to no such title. He should, therefore, propose, that the word "independent" be omitted. With this, and some other slight alterations, however, he should have no objection to offer to the motion, which, in its amended form would, he thought, fully answer all the views of the hon. and gallant Mover.

Lord J.Russell

was sure that his hon. and gallant Friend would have no objection to the alteration proposed by the noble Lord. There were, however, a few circumstances connected with the transactions referred to, which were calculated to afford considerable satisfaction. One of these was, that there did not now exist the constant hostility between the Caffre tribes and our troops and settlers which was formerly the case. This was partly owing to the weakness of the tribes themselves, partly to the influence of the missionaries, and partly to the attacks of the migrated boers. From these circumstances the relations between our people and the Caffres were more friendly last year than they had been previously. Another source of satisfaction was, that the boers themselves, finding their flag refused by the European states, would be more anxious to form amicable connexions with the Cape. Whilst on this subject he wished to ascertain from the noble Lord opposite, whether it was true that the force at the Cape was to be weakened by half a regiment to be sent to India.

Mr. Hume,

before the question was answered, wished to learn from the noble Lord whether Port Natal was claimed as English territory before the boers settled there?

Lord Stanley

was understood to reply in the affirmative, and added, that it was not the intention of Government to admit its occupation by the subjects of other powers. As to the question of the noble Lord, it was the intention to send troops from the Cape to India, but the deficiency would, in some measure, be made up by part of a regiment which had formerly been in St. Helena. It was, however, at present impossible to say what would be the permanent force stationed at the Cape.

Lord J. Russell:

But for the present?

Lord Stanley:

For the present it would be, as he had stated, the portion of the regiment from St. Helena.

Mr. Hume

thought the noble Lord had evaded his question, which was, whether England had claimed Port Natal before its occupation by the boers?

Lord Stanley

said, it certainly had been claimed by Britain before that occupation, but he could not. say whether any settlers from the mother country had gone out before the boers came there.

Colonel Fox

stated, that the English Government claimed the place by inheritance from the Dutch East India Company, who had purchased it from the Dutch Government.

Colonel Fox's

motion withdrawn, and the following motion substituted for it by Lord Stanley, was agreed to. Address for copies or extracts of any official information received by her Majesty's Government in reference to the emigration of the Dutch Boers from the Cape of Good Hope to the neighbourhood of Port Natal, in the year 1837, and to the subsequent relations of those Boers with the colony, and with the native tribes.