When transport prices increased in accordance with the inexorable laws of supply and demand, immense sums were obtained by waggoners as well as by owners of oxen and waggons. Other classes also greatly benefited by the large military expenditure. It stands to reason that very large sums of money spent in South Africa must have permeated through all classes of the community. At the same time, it is incorrect to charge the people with special greed and rapacity. They have been libelled by more than one person; and with reference to various charges, the Rev. Mr. de Witt, at an early stage of the war, publicly stated in London that the people of Natal treated the Zulus worse than dogs, while, at a subsequent period, Mr. Archibald Forbes, correspondent of the _Daily News_, maligned them in the most insulting manner. It is so well known as to be beyond question that the Zulus are extremely well-treated—too well-treated frequently—by the colonists; and to those conversant with the subject, the missionary's statement at once is seen in its true light, as a mere attempt to obtain a little popularity by joining the usual successful outcry against the oppression of coloured races by the "cruel white men," so constantly echoed by people who have never lived among blacks, and are perfectly ignorant of the facts of the case. Philanthropy obtained at this price, and by means of calumnies against our fellow-countrymen at a distance and in a most trying position of danger, cannot be estimated at a high price. Mr. Forbes was so very short a time in Natal as to be perfectly incompetent to judge of the entire character of the people. His sweeping condemnations must be attributed to bad temper, occasioned by petty inconveniences or rudeness; but it is a pity that a man of his eminence and ability should permit such considerations to affect his judgment or guide his pen. The fact is that the people of the colonies, and of Natal very especially, are, in proportion to their number, quite superior to the people of Europe. There is more education and more intelligence; consequently, quite as much honesty. Let any man who is really qualified to speak by a real knowledge of the colonies say whether or not this is the truth. Of course, it must be admitted that there is a greater spirit of independence and more freedom, with less conventionality; but this is merely a sequence of the circumstances in which colonists are necessarily placed. Intelligent and influential public writers in England have gone so far as to assert that "it would not be safe to rely on the energetic co-operation of the Cape." His Excellency the Governor and High Commissioner thus disposes of this subject:—"I fear that possibly, in the press of work, I may have omitted to do justice to the patriotic and energetic spirit shown by the Cape ministry, who in this respect represent, I believe, very faithfully the feeling of the colony generally.