rorkesdriftvc.com :: View topic - Implications of Anglo-Zulu War

Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 10:57 pm

Hi Dawn,

Thanks for that, I had no idea in spite of a life long study of the ACW (perhaps because my A-ZW book shelves are rapidily approaching the total frontage of my now neglected ACW shelves!) Having been born in the South I must admit to feeling a bit humbled that I neglected that part of the history of the greatest Confederate raider of the war. (I have always thought that the complete story of her building, commissioning and service would make a great movie and this chapter only adds to that feeling.)

Best

Michael

Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 9:29 am

One wonders what the parties were like that they're still singing about it almost 150 years later! Laughing

Dawn

Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 11:16 am

Dear Michael,
Actually no. The files were weeded to remove all traces of the Colonial Defence Committee which was the forerunner to the Carnarvon Commission. This was done because Gladstone feared that the Jingoes were trying to bounce him into empire building by making the poor state of the defences of colonial ports and the vulnerability of commerce to ships like the Alabama an issue. They hoped that this would lead to more funds being made available to the army and navy and an active approach to imperial defence being adopted. By removing all traces of the extent to which the CDC had highlighted the dangers to which the empire was exposed, Gladstone and Kimberley hoped to hamstring the Jingoes.
Damian

Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 11:19 am

Dear Michael,
'The Political Uses of Lawlessness' actually deals with Kruger's encouragment of freebooter republics as a means to Boer expansion. There were many of these, of which the most important were Stellaland and Goschen (Mafeking area) 1884 onwards and the New Republic (most of Zululand) 1886-7.
Damian