There can be no doubt whatever that during April, May, and June, there was a very dissatisfied feeling in the colonies, as well as at home, with regard to the exceeding tardiness of operations. The small irritating raids made at different times upon Zululand cannot be styled successful, and resulted in reprisals which were calculated to have a demoralizing effect upon our own natives. If Colonel Wood had been reasonably reinforced and allowed to go forward, there is good reason to believe that he could have finished the war. Up to the 18th of May his troops had been successful in seven skirmishes and one pitched battle. They had burnt the great Maquilizine military kraal, and captured 9000 head of cattle. This light brigade was admirably adapted for Zulu warfare. Pearson's column on the coast had also performed admirable service. The extraordinary difficulties and delays of transport under the new organization in the second campaign have been already referred to. Lord Chelmsford, writing to the Secretary of State from Newcastle, Natal, on the 14th of May, states that the troops are in position, only waiting for sufficient supplies and transport to advance. From what the general commanding had learnt from General Clifford,[42] he feared that it would be out of his power to advance until the 1st of June. Major-General Crealock, commanding the first (coast) division, reported that he hoped to have two months' supplies in three weeks' time on the Inyezane river. The posts on the northern line had all been visited, and head-quarters fixed at Utrecht, until such time as the second division, under General Newdigate, was ready to advance. Shortly afterwards, information was received that the border tribes were massing at Babincinqu and Inyayene, two points near the Blood river, and that the Zulus had sent for reinforcements to Ulundi. Rest and security for two entire months had now been given to the enemy, and their determination to continue the war was perfectly evident, in spite of the illusory messages, asking for conditions of peace, which were periodically sent to the British camps. On the 26th of May, General Wood advanced his column eight miles, and General Newdigate proceeded a distance of twelve miles towards the Blood river. Lord Chelmsford established his head-quarters at Kopje Alleen. Not until the middle of June could Port Durnford be used for sending supplies to General Crealock's coast column. Great additional transport facilities were by this means secured. On June 3rd a belief prevailed at the Lower Tugela that an advance would be made as soon as the supply of cattle for transport purposes was sufficient. During all the operations the percentage of sickness was not very great. In the early part of the war a large number of men were invalided, particularly from the coast column. The D'Urban hospitals were full, but the number of deaths was not large, and as the cold season advanced sickness became less. Zululand, during