The question of the employment of the native levies in making raids across the border was referred by the Lieut.-Governor to the Executive Council of Natal, which, on the 23rd April, expressed itself as “strongly opposed to the employment, in making raids into the Zulu country, of the native levies, who ... have been called out for the _defence_ of the colony only.” But, in view of the Lieut.-General’s strongly-expressed opinions, the Council felt there was no alternative but that the General “should have the power of so employing the native levies on the border. At the same time, the Council desires ... to record emphatically its objections to the course proposed, and to such employment of the levies.”—(P. P. [C. 2367] p. 132). This decision of the Executive Council was communicated to the General on April 25th by the Lieut.-Governor, with the remark: “Your Excellency will therefore have the power to employ the native levies across the border in the way named by you, should you think it imperatively necessary for military reasons. Your Excellency will not fail to perceive, however, that such employment of the native levies is against the decided opinion of this colony as to its inexpediency” (_ibid._ p. 133). On the 20th May raids were again made into Zululand from three different points, under Major Twentyman’s command. One party crossed at the Elibomvu Drift, and burnt fifteen kraals and large quantities of grain; another burnt three kraals and captured a large herd of cattle; and the third burnt two kraals, and then, seeing the Zulus assembling in force, beat a hurried retreat across the Tugela.—(P. P. [C. 2374] p. 91). Sir Henry Bulwer, on the 24th May, writes to the High Commissioner: “Major-General the Hon. H. H. Clifford, commanding the base of operations ... was wholly unaware that any such raid was being organised by Major Twentyman, who, I believe, acted under general instructions received from head-quarters.... The views of the Government of Natal on the subject of these raids, your Excellency is already acquainted with. The material advantage to be gained by the work of destruction or of plunder of Zulu property can be at the best but trifling and insignificant, and on every other account I fear our action will prove positively injurious to us, to our interests, and to our cause. We are absolutely provoking retaliation. Already, I am informed, since the raid reported in these papers took place, some native huts on the Natal side of the Tugela have been burned by Zulus; and to what extent this work of revenge and retaliation may be carried, with what losses of property, and even of life, inflicted on our border natives, it is impossible to say.... What result we have gained to justify even the risk of such retaliation against us, and of such a sacrifice to our own native population, I know not” (_ibid._ pp. 89, 90).