Untitled

Untitled

Publications & Reports

Bleek reflects on the Battle of Berea (1852) between the British, led by Sir George Cathcart, and Basuto(-Taung) forces, led by Moshesh (Moshoeshoe I), that resulted in the latter's victory. Imperial Government thought the "Basuto difficulty" unconnected with their immediate interests, burdening the Free State, who they now blame, with this responsibility devoid of material support. This balance of power mattered less to Britain than the one at stake in the Crimean War (1854-56), despite Free Staters being "Teutonic brothers" and fellow Protestants fighting the "battle of civilization and European progress against [...] savages". Burghers have inherited Britain's abandoned Orange River Sovereignty that they surrendered with the Orange River Convention. Wodehouse prejudices the colonial-born Dutch element and "popular [Dutch-language?] institutions" alike and has threatened to stop supplying the burghers with the ammunition guaranteed by a stipulation of the convention. Bleek's recapitulation of events is for the British public's benefit. The Volksraad, with the full authority to do so, (controversially) expelled French missionaries from Basutoland. If Wodehouse takes responsibility for Moshesh, he must make him and his nation adhere to British laws. Bleek is indifferent so long as marauding ceases. Wodehouse undertakes this new annexation plan primarily to thwart Free Stater expansionism.

Printed newsprint glued on paper

24/02/1866

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.

Sir Philip Wodehouse, in his capacity as British High Commissioner, would later declare Basutoland a British Colony later annexed to the Cape Colony in 1871 (until 1884), with the borders between it and the Free State only being confirmed by the Convention of Aliwal North in 1869 after initially being annexed to the British Crown in 1868 (to which it returned from 1884-1966) (Youé, 2006: 104; Bardill, 2019).