Note 72 — Chapter IX · THE DISPUTED TERRITORY.

Sir Henry Bulwer, speaking of the disputed territory generally, writes as follows: “The Zulu king had always, in deference very much to the wishes and advice of this Government (Natal), forborne from doing anything in respect of the question that might produce a collision, trusting to the good offices of this Government to arrange the difficulty by other means. But no such arrangement had ever been made; and thus the question had drifted on until the formal annexation of the disputed territory by the Government of the Republic last year, and their subsequent attempt to give a practical effect to their proclamation of annexation by levying taxes upon the Zulus residing in the territory, provoked a resistance and a feeling of resentment which threatened to precipitate a general collision at any moment.”—Sir H. Bulwer, June 29th, 1876 (C. 1961, p. 1).