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Cape

Enclosure to Desp No. 77 SA of 22/11/83

Ministers to Administrator

Colonial Secretary Office
Cape Town, Cape of G Hope
21st November 1883

Ministers have the honor to forward for transmission to the Right Honorable the Secretary of State letters from the Chief Samuel L Moroka, praying for the assistance of Her Majesty’s Government in regaining the throne of the Baralong.

In submitting these letters, ministers would remark that the Baralongs country is a small territory entirely shut in by that of the Orange Free State whose government have exercised a sort of de facto protectorate without deriving, or attempting to derive any benefit there from.

The whole matter is a dispute about native succession in which His Honor the President of the Free State has acted as arbitrator, entirely in the interests of peace.

The government of the Orange Free State have certainly not profited by the wrongs that Samuel Moroka says he has suffered, and ministers fail to see that there are any circumstances in the case that would call for the intervention of H Majesty’s Government.

Copies of the papers are enclosed, and ministers beg that they may be forwarded for the information of the President of the Orange Free State.

(Sig) John X Merriman
Commissioner for Colonial Secretary