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Publications & Reports

Bleek mentions the English public's general disinterest in South African affairs as the source of growing disengagement with its local affairs as they abstract the cost burden of the Cape Colony away from themselves. When he refers to ungrateful Cape colonists refusing the empire's deposited rubbish, he possibly alludes to the blockade of the Neptune -- a convict ship ultimately diverted to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) after fierce protest in 1850. For the metropole, the costly killing of "poor innocent Kafirs" is the worst of the Cape's crimes, forgotten soon after in the vastness of the empire. Dr Livingstone most notably directed international attention to South Africa. While Livingstone is a household name, it is Bishop Colenso who disquieted one of England's oldest institutions and, in so doing, achieved celebrity. South Africa should commend his pursuit of truth as truth-seeking is the proto-object of Protestantism. Bleek wishes him well as he returns to his duties in Natal.

Printed newsprint glued on paper

21/09/1865

Two cut out columns of newsprint text, positioned vertically parallel, pasted onto a plus-sized A4 unlined sheet with visible warping. No title was subsequently handwritten onto the mount/paper backing.