Julius Jameson to Frederick Chesson, 21 January 1880

John J. Irvine and Co.

10 Austin Friars, E.C.

London, 21 Jany 1880

F.W. Chesson, Esq

17 King Williams St

W.C.

My dear Sir,

I have read through the papers you sent me but if I do not hear from you to the contrary I prefer to delay giving you my opinions on them till next week. … my brother-in-law here next Tuesday. He comes here from East London in S.S. ‘Durban’ and he has special means of informing me as to the correctness of the statements made by the ‘contracting agent’ for I have had letters from him at the time on the subject.

The report of [Matt?] Blyth (late captain in army and nephew I think of late Sir Ben. Durban a [col for?] who did much for the Fingoes) I consider the honest of a good man who has done much for the Fingo tribe, over whom he ruled for about 5 years in the ‘Transkei Territory.’ I know him personally. The Fingoes (treated as ‘dogs’ by Gaikas and Galekas whom they feared and will might as Sandilli or Kreli could have driven them from the country they were located in at any time were it not for the Government protection) were lead on by Capt Blyth to considerably improvements in civilization, and they gave him ready obedience.

He was afterwards promoted with increased salary to Kokstadt Griqualand East, but got into trouble there with the inhabitants, particularly with Nehemiah Moshesh and his offshoot tribes of Basutos. It ended in N. Moshesh being put down, taken prisoner, sent to King Williams Town and there tried by the Chief Justice in the Colony. He was acquitted. 

As Capt Blyth was wrong in his paternal treatment of N. Moshesh so I consider him wrong on disarmament. He is now promoted to chief magistrate over the tribes in the now bigger Transkei. He is like Sir B. Pine in that: wishing good, and what he considers justice to the natives, but perhaps forming it, as he thinks rather than as they wish for their own benefit.

Yours faithfully

Julius [W?] Jameson