With regard to your Grandeur's desire to extend your sphere of work to the westward, I would point out that although the countries in that direction lying between Uganda and the Congo Free State are within the British sphere of influence, they have not yet been placed under the direct charge of European officers; and although I should not officially be responsible for the safety of Europeans proceeding thence, I should certainly incur a heavy moral responsi bility were I to permit their residence in districts where their lives might be in danger, and in which only political necessities would justify me in putting Her Majesty's Government to the expense of a more comprehensive occupation. Whether I send officers to these districts must depend on many considerations; but should the time come when I consider them to be fit places of residence for Europeans, I can assure your Grandeur that no such prejudices as those which, as far as I am concerned, you quite unjustifiably hint at, will in any way influence me. Mgr. Hirth. I have, &c., H. E. COLVILE. No. 39. Mr. A. Hardinge to the Earl of Kimberley.-(Received (Extract.) September 19.) Zanzibar, August 28, 1894. I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith a despatch from Colonel Colvile respecting the proceedings of Captain Thruston in the neighbourhood of Lake Albert. It describes the capture by Captain Thruston of the important position of Masaga Mkuru, in Unyoro, the effects of which, on the security of communications with Uganda, and on the respect felt for our troops in Unyoro, Colonel Colvile regards as very valuable. The Earl of Kimberley. ARTHUR H. HARDINGE. SIR, (Inclosure 1.)-Colonel Colvile to Mr. A. Hardinge. Port Alice, Uganda, June 6, 1894. I HAVE the honour to forward a letter from the Officer Commanding in Unyoro, together with an extract from the summary of the diary of the Unyoro field force, describing Captain Thruston's brilliant capture of Masaga Mkuru. I consider that Captain Thruston and the officers, non-commissioned officers, and men who took part in this assault deserve the highest credit for their performance, which is rendered the more praiseworthy, under the circumstances described, by the fact that only about a quarter of them are armed with bayonets. Masaga Mkuru is one of a class of mountain rare in this region, although common in South Africa, where Majuba and Thaba Bosigo, in Basutoland, are well-known examples, and has hitherto been considered impregnable. Its capture, therefore, besides freeing the bigh road to the Albert Lake of troublesome neighbours, will, without doubt, add very considerably to the respect in which our soldiers are held. I have, &c., A. H. Hardinge, Esq. SIR, H. E. COLVILE. (Inclosure 2.)-Captain Thruston to Colonel Colvile. Fort Hoima, Unyoro, May 25, 1894. I HAVE the honour to inform you that, although the road to Uganda has at all times been safe for small parties of armed men, the approach of the monthly caravan with supplies had proved too great a temptation for the Wanyoro, who were encamped in some numbers. at Masaga Mkuru, and that consequently it had met with considerable opposition on the last two occasions. The successful capture of that stronghold on the 20th instant, and the severe lesson inflicted on the Wanyoro, will, it is hoped, have the effect of removing the only obstacle to the absolute security of the road, and have some influence on the pacification of the country. There is now a large colony of friendly Wanyoro around Kitanwa, and a few at Kibiro. The probable reason for the absence of a similar state of affairs here and at Baranwa is that these forts are situated in the district inhabited by Kabarega's so-called standing army, who would necessarily be slower to throw off their allegiance. Kabarega himself is reported to be a fugitive in the Laugu country, and his attempt to induce those tribes to assist him against us has, as was anticipated, been ineffectual. Colonel Colvile. I have, &c., A. B. THRUSTON, Captain, (Inclosure 3.)—Extract from the Summary of the Diary of the Unyoro Field Force. On the 20th May, with a view to putting an end to the vexatious interference with caravans from Uganda, Captain Thruston started at daybreak with No. 4 Company and Sheikh Amara's irregulars for Masaga Mkuru. The foot of the mountain was reached at 1 P.M., and was found to be surrounded with a large settlement of semipermauent houses, while the summit, on which was a large stauding camp, was crowned with a mass of Wanyoro, who watched the approach of the force in silence. Masaga Mkuro is a steep table mount, rising out of the plain to the height of about 1,000 feet; its upper slopes are very precipitate and almost inaccessible, and are ascended by two zigzag paths. Sending the irregulars and two sections under cover of the surrounding bush, each to one side of the hill, with instructions to cut off the retreat of the Wanyoro, Captain Thruston with half the company commenced the ascent on the side which one of the paths followed. After a few minutes the attacking party was greeted with an avalanche of stones, and this was kept up until the summit was carried. These stones were fortunately of soft sandstone, and broke up before the high velocity which they attained made any attempt to avoid them useless. After about two-thirds of the ascent had been completed, the Wanyoro began a heavy fire, but their firing, as usual, was high and harmless; but had it not been for the very loose formation adopted, the losses from stones must have been very considerable to the assailants; as it was every one was more or less knocked about, and one man had his arm broken, and two others received internal injuries. The ascent was necessarily very slow, and took about three quarters of an hour, and towards the end the men were compelled to climb on their hands and knees; and as the Wanyoro kept under cover of a rough stone parapet, any attempt to dislodge them by fire would have been useless. When within a few yards of the summit, a halt was made to take breath, form a better line, and allow the short-winded to come up; then the bugle sounded the charge, and the men, cheering loudly, advanced with a rush through the spears and stones and reached the top. The Wanyoro, who had apparently never imagined that the heights could be carried, were completely disorganized by this charge, and over fifty were killed. The remainder with marvellous activity bounded down the hillsides, and afterwards suffered some further loss at the hands of the two sections and the irregulars, who were waiting for them. Among the killed were one of Kabarega's sons, who had arrived a few days previously, and Yabaswezi's second in command. Yabaswezi himself was the first to run away, and escaped. The Wanyoro, in standing to meet us, appear to have been actuated by a misplaced confidence in the impregnability of their position and in the small numbers of their assailants, and although they had ample notice of the approaching attack they had made no attempt to remove their women, flocks, and household goods. Masaga Mkuro is doubtlessly a strong position, and if resolutely defended might be almost impregnable, but in this instance the Wanyoro made no attempt at resistance after once the summit had been carried. In previous wars with the Waganda this position had always been, held to be unassailable, and had never been attacked. In this affair the soldiers behaved admirably, and were well led by their company officers. After a short rest the company returned to Ahmed Ali's camp at Balera, which was reached at 7 P.M. It is to be expected that this affair will have the effect of removing the only obstacle to the absolute security of the road to Uganda, and it may have some influence on the pacification of the country. Fort Hoima, May 26, 1894. A. B. THRUSTON, Captain, Commandant in Unyoro. No. 40.—Mr. A. Hardinge to the Earl of Kimberley.—(Received MY LORD, September 19.) Zanzibar, August 28, 1894. I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith, with reference to my despatch of the 30th June last, a despatch from Colonel Colvile, inclosing correspondence with Bishop Hirth respecting the restoration of King Mwanga's two young nephews to Uganda. Your Lordship will observe that the Bishop still evades the fulfilment of his engagements, and has been given till the 7th July to carry them out. The Earl of Kimberley. SIR, I have, &c., ARTHUR H. HARDINGE. (Inclosure 1.)-Colonel Colvile to Mr. A. Hardinge. Port Alice, Uganda, June 11, 1894. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th March, conveying Lord Rosebery's instructions to insist on Mgr. Hirth restoring the King's nephews, and to forward certain correspondence which has passed on the subject. It is true, as he states, that some of the Articles of the Agreement of the 7th April between himself and Bishop Tucker have not been carried out, but all the Articles of the Agreement of the 22nd April, in a codicil to which he gave his promise to immediately restore the young Princes, have been complied with. The guarantees alluded to in the correspondence are practically identical with those forwarded to the Foreign Office by Sir G. Portal on the 27th April, 1893, the principal variations being that Port Alice has been substituted for Kampala, and that the following clause, which I have refused to accept, has been inserted :- "8. M. le Commissaire de Sa Majesté Britannique en Uganda s'engage par un document officiel à garantir aux Catholiques l'entière exécution de l'Accord du 7 Avril, 1893, afin d'enlever au préambule tout obstacle au retour des Princes." The letter from Sir G. Portal to which Mgr. Hirth makes allusion is an ordinary complimentary letter of farewell, in which Sir Gerald expresses his satisfaction at the cordial relations which have existed between himself and the Catholic missionaries, and his appreciation of the good work done by the Catholic Mission. It makes no allusion to the Catholic party. On receipt of my letter of the 29th May, Mgr. Hirth begged for an interview, which took place on the 4th June, when I agreed to postpone my formal application for the restoration of the Princes until the 7th July next. I have, &c., A. H. Hardinge, Esq. H. E. COLVILE. (Inclosure 2.)-Colonel Colvile to Mgr. Hirth. MONSEIGNEUR, Port Alice, Uganda, May 29, 1894. I HAVE the honour to inform your Grandeur that I have received instructions from the Earl of Rosebery, Her Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, to insist on your at once returning the two young Princes now in your charge in German territory. I therefore request that you will deliver them into my charge within six weeks of this date, that is, before the 10th July next. Lord Rosebery states that your behaviour in this matter has made a most unfavourable impression on his mind. I have, &c., Mgr. Hirth. H. E. COLVILE (Inclosure 3.)-Mgr. Hirth to Colonel Colvile. M. LE COMMISSAIRE, Sésé, le 6 Juin, 1891. J'AI l'honneur de vous adresser quelques détails relatifs à "l'Agreement" entre Protestants et Catholiques qui a terminé en Avril 1893 l'enquête du Major Macdonald. Ces détails vous fourniront l'explication du retard qu'a subi jusqu'à ce jour le retour en Uganda des jeunes neveux de Mwanga. L'Accord a été signé le 7 Avril, et il devait être mis aussitôt en |