them intelligently before others; and, if the 'subject people are to be governed in justice and right,' these grievances should no longer be allowed to continue unnoticed.

Why to a race of undoubted loyalty should 'the land of their birth ever be a land of tears'?

The question may be faced to-day calmly and reasonably, with a full certainty that sooner or later an answer will be demanded. If honour, justice, and integrity be placed before personal gain or selfish ends, then for the coloured race as for the British Empire a bright future lies before South Africa; but if private ends and the desire of wealth be allowed to dominate, then it may be that a racial struggle of grave dimensions lies before the colony, for the Kaffirs are no longer untutored savages; they have begun to realise their grievances, and to desire their rights, which unless we give them they may take for themselves in a manner that can be little anticipated.

1899

THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR

(AN UNPUBLISHED NARRATIVE)

THE following is a letter written by Captain Cumby, of the Bellerophon, to his son Anthony, giving an account of the battle of Trafalgar. The footnotes were subsequently added by Admiral Robert Patton, who was a midshipman on board the Bellerophon during the action. The letter has never before been published, nor has the accompanying plan of the position of the ships at the opening of the battle, drawn by Captain Cumby. Both documents are furnished by a granddaughter of Captain Cumby-Mrs. Horatio Spurrier, of Shildon Rectory, co. Durham.

William Pryce Cumby was First Lieutenant of the Bellerophon, seventy-four guns, commanded by Captain Cooke, and on the death of the latter in the brunt of the battle, he succeeded to the command of the ship. The narrative contained in his letter commences two days before the combined fleets of France and Spain, which had been previously lying in Cadiz Harbour, came into sight. On the same day, the 19th of October, Lord Nelson summoned the captains of the English fleet on board the Victory and delivered to them his final instructions, explaining to them his views as to the tactics to be adopted on falling in with the enemy. The station of the Bellerophon on the 21st was fourth in the line of battle, in the division led by the Royal Sovereign carrying the flag of that most excellent officer Admiral Collingwood, who, like his illustrious chief and friend Lord Nelson, was devoted heart and soul to the service of his country. The Royal Sovereign was the first to break the enemy's line. She passed close under the stern of the Spanish three-decker Santa Anna and poured into her such a raking broadside that 400 of her crew are said to have been put hors de combat before she struck her colours. Collingwood was for some time exposed to the fire from five of his opponents, but the other ships of his division closing up, the action soon became general. The calmness and undaunted courage displayed during the engagement by the gallant crew of the Bellerophon furnish a glorious example to our naval forces for all time, and vindicate the title which clung to the ship for years after the great

battle the fighting Bellerophon.' Nelson's talismanic signal inspired her officers and crew, as well as those of the whole fleet, with that dogged courage and determination which ensured a glorious victory. Immediately after the battle the Victory and the crippled fleet had to encounter another and more dangerous enemy. On the 22nd of October a violent gale from the south-west set in and lasted over the 24th. The fleet, encumbered with its prizes-fourteen in number was scattered in all directions by the tempest. Owing to the high sea, the cables by which the disabled ships and prizes were towed, parted, and several of the dismasted hulks drifted on to the rocks of the Spanish coast and perished with all hands. Collingwood directed the uninjured ships to render every assistance to the helpless vessels--which contained crowds of prisoners besides the wounded and dying-and a squadron came from Gibraltar to aid in this work of humanity. This perilous service was so ably carried out in the height of the gale, and amid tremendous Atlantic waves, as to elicit the highest eulogiums from Lord Collingwood, himself as fine a seaman as ever trod a ship's deck. Out of the twenty sail of the line which surrendered to our flag, fourteen were taken as prizes, but nine of these were wrecked during the gale on the Spanish coast. Although five of the enemy's battleships escaped uninjured during the engagement, the action resulted in the practical annihilation of the combined fleet.

ERASMUS OMMANNEY (ADMIRAL).

September 24th, 1899.

Captain Cumby's Letter

MY DEAR ANTHONY,-Agreeably to your request I proceed to give you in detail the particulars of the Battle of Trafalgar, more especially where the Bellerophon or myself was individually concerned. The general proceedings of the fleet you can of course gather from the official and other accounts published at and since that time; but as your enquiries refer more particularly to my own personal services I shall offer no apology for what might otherwise appear gross egotism.

As in all such undertakings it is prudent to adopt the Frenchman's suggestion of Commençons par le commencement,' I must carry you back to the forenoon of Saturday, the 19th of October, 1805, when the Bellerophon was one of a British fleet of twentyseven sail of the line cruising under the command of the immortal Nelson, off Cape St. Mary, watching the movements of the combined French and Spanish fleets under the French Admiral Villeneuve, then lying in the harbour of Cadiz, where they were narrowly observed by our frigates stationed close to the harbour, with whom we kept up a constant communication by means of ships stationed at proper