Page:1902 Encyclopædia Britannica - Volume 26 - AUS-CHI.pdf/199

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

BATABANO — BATANGAS 167 frequently used by this wily chief when occasion served therefore offered no opposition to the appeal made by the him. Basutos themselves to the Imperial Government to take In 1865 a fresh feud occurred between the Orange Free them over, and, moreover, Cape Colony undertook to pay State Boers and the Basutos. The latter applied to Sir towards the cost of administration an annual contribution Philip Wodehouse at the Cape for protection, but he declined of £18,000. Consequently, in 1884, Basutoland ceased to to interfere. The Boers proved more successful than they be a portion of the Cape Colony and became a British had been in the past, and occupied several of the Basuto Crown Colony. A period of comparative quiet followed, strongholds. They also annexed a certain fertile portion and. in 1891 Basutoland was admitted to the Customs of Basuto territory, and finally terminated the strife by a Union, which already existed between Orange Free State, treaty at Thabo Bosigo, by which Moshesh gave up the Cape Colony, and British Bechuanaland. The country has tract of territory taken by the Boers and professed himself since been administered by a Resident Commissioner and a a subject of the Free State. Seeing that the struggle small staff of officials, and when Lord (then Sir Alfred) against the Boers was hopeless, no fewer than 2000 Milner visited Basutoland in 1898, on his way to BloemBasuto warriors having been killed, Moshesh again appealed fontein, he was received by fifteen thousand mounted for protection to the British authorities, saying : “ Let me Basutos. The chiefs also attended a large meeting at and my people rest and live under the large folds of the Maseru, and gave expression to their gratitude for the flag of England before I am no more.” In response to this beneficent character of Queen Victoria’s rule and protection. i equest, the British authorities decided to take over Basuto- On the outbreak of the Boer war in 1899, these same chiefs, land, and a proclamation of annexation was issued. At the at a great meeting held in the presence of the Resident Comsame time the Boer commandoes were requested to leave missioner, gave a further protestation of their loyalty to Her the country. The Free State strongly resented the British Majesty. There can be no question that the conversion of annexation of Basutoland, and in 1869 the treaty of Aliwal Basutoland into a Crown Colony, administered by a British North was concluded between the Free State and the High Resident Commissioner responsible to the Colonial Office, Commissioner. This treaty defined the boundary between has contributed alike to the prosperity of the Basutos, the the Free State and Basutoland, whereby the fertile strip of security of the property of neighbouring colonists, and a country west of the Caledon Biver was finally transferred peaceful condition among the natives of South Africa to the Free State, and the remainder of Basutoland was generally. The annual report of the resident commissioner, recognized as a portion of the British dominions. It Sir Godfrey Lagden, for the year 1899, is adequate further dealt with cattle thefts, and made special provisions testimony to this success. During the year no less than enabling the Free State Boers to trace and recover at any 37,371 passes were given to natives who visited the time stock which the Basutos might steal. neighbouring states and colonies in search of work. With Moshesh, who for nearly fifty years had led his people so regard to the influence of education amongst the Basutos, skilfully and well, died in 18*0. In 1871 Basutoland was Sir Godfrey Lagden reported as follows :—“ The ability to annexed to Cape Colony, the area at that time being given imbibe technical knowledge and earn good wages, the as 10,300 square miles. The turbulent Bantu warriors desire to possess money, to wear decent clothes, to have did not remain quiet for any length of time, and in 1879 respectable houses and furniture, to educate the children Moirosi, a chief residing in the southern portion of Basuto- and have their own churches and schools, are automatically land, openly repudiated colonial rule. An expedition was working social changes which no laws can so well effect.” despatched from Cape Colony and severe fighting followed. South A/Wo*.—Thkal. History Moirosi’s stronghold was captured and the chief himself of Authorities.—Livingstone. South Africa ; South African History and Geography; Basutowas killed. Immediately after the war, strife occurred land Records.—By Special Commissioner of the Cape Argus. among the Basutos themselves over the question of the History of the Basutos of South Africa. —E. Cassalis. The Basutos. Hillier. South African Studies.—Pratt. Leading Points in partition of Moirosi’s tei*ritory, which had been decided on (a P H ) as one of the results of the war. In 1880 the Cape South African History. Government felt sufficiently strong to extend to BasutoBatabano, a small village on the south coast of land the Cape Peace Preservation Act of 1878. This Cuba opposite Havana and the terminus of the south coast Act provided for the disarmament of natives, and had steamer trade of Havana. The original settlement of already been put in force successfully among some of the Havana made under Diego Velasquez about 1517 was Kaffir tribes on the Cape eastern frontier. Its execution near this place. Population, 1025. in Basutoland, however, proved an extremely difficult task, Bataisk, a wealthy village of South Russia, 5 miles and was never entirely accomplished. Desultory warfare south of Rostov-on-Don. It has a population of more than was carried on between the colonial troops and the Basutos 10,000, and is a centre for trade in grain and cattle. until 1881, when the intervention of the High Com. Batala, a town of British India, in the Gurdaspur missioner, Sir Hercules Robinson, was asked for. Peace in Basutoland was not announced until the end of 1882. In district of the Punjab, with a station on a branch of the the following year a form of self-government was established, North-Western Railway, 24 miles from Amritsar. The but was once more followed by internal strife among the population is about 27,000; the municipal income in 1897-98 was Rs.33,664. It is an important centre of petty chieftains. ^ The subjection of Basutoland to the control of the Cape tiade, with manufactures of cotton and silk goods, shawls, Government had by this time proved unsatisfactory, both brass-ware, and leather. There are two mission schools. to the Basutos and to Cape Colony. The Basutos on their Batalpashinsk, a district town of Russia, North part found that self-government involved not only strife Caucasia, province of Kubafi, on the left bank of Kubaii amongst themselves, but also serious danger from their Free river, 27 miles S. of Nevinnomysskaya station on the North State neighbours, and they appeared desirous that Basuto- Caucasian railway. Timber is exported, and there is an land should be taken under the direct administration of the important sawmill. Salt is obtained from lakes of the Imperial Government. The Cape Government found, that same name, situated 10 miles from the town. Population owing to their endeavour to disarm the Basutos, including (1897), 8100. the‘‘gun war ” of 1880, they had incurred an expenditure Batangc&S, a well - built town of some 40,000 of three millions, and they were by no means pleased at the prospect of a continued governing of the country. They inhabitants, in the island of Luzon, Philippine Islands, and capital of the province of Batangas. It is well