very sea, and fortresses on every
continent, are surely things of which the little islands of Britain may
well be proud.

But this glory and power are expensive, and the cause of not only many
anxieties and perplexities, but of frequent wars, costly in men and
money. Many of the English colonies, in lands far distant from the seat
of empire, are still feeble, and still need the aid of the mother
country; besides, England is almost constantly acquiring and settling
new colonies, which must be defended.

Australia, Canada, and a few of her colonies have now grown large enough
to take care of themselves. They ask for little or no aid, either in
soldiers or money, from the Queen. This is not the case, however, with a
majority of her dependencies.

England has held India for more than a century; and that great oriental
empire has been throughout a source of enormous cost and trouble to her.
It is still so, as may be seen by the fact that England has risked war
with Russia, and is even now at war with Afghanistan in order to protect
India. This object, indeed, is at the bottom of the English share in the
Eastern Question, and her alliance with the Sultan of Turkey.

Another dependency which has been very expensive, and very difficult to
maintain, has been that of what is called the Cape Colony. This colony
is situated at the extreme southern end of the continent of Africa,
ending at time Cape of Good Hope. It was first established by the
English, early in the present century, having before been settled by
Dutch emigrants. In 1833, the Dutch possessions which still remained
there were finally ceded to England; since which year, the latter
country has exercised complete rule over the region.

But the original Cape Colony has been gradually extended in the march of
time. Adjoining tribes and districts have been gradually added. As the
barbarous Caffres, a name given to all the South Africans on the borders
of the colony, have become troublesome, their countries have been
conquered and annexed.

The Dutch settlers, moreover (who are called "Boors"), are dissatisfied
with English rule, and have withdrawn into the interior, and there
formed little governments of their own. But the English have, in one or
two cases, followed them up, and have absorbed them also.

Now the English are having trouble with a fierce and warlike Caffre
tribe on the East coast, just north of Natal, called the Zulus. The
despot of this tribe, Catewa