#4: Beginnings of Empire
South Africa: A Triumph
London Publishing
Used with permission…
…with the discovery of gold in northern Bechuanaland and the founding of Francistown in 1895, Cape Colony now had a fluid northern border. White settlement would continue to pour north as black tribesmen, now who had the option of citizenship moved south to attend school inside the Cape. This new phenomenon became known as the Colored Exodus, and it spread from the Cape to other parts. Many blacks also left South Africa completely for a better life. Many moved to Canada, India, and other areas of the British Empire. Most of all was in England. This process would be increased ten-fold in the aftermath of the Matabele War…
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1894
Cape Town, South Africa
“I am amazed at the change this town has gone through. This is truly the fist modern city of Africa!” Sir Harry Johnston, the director of British Central Africa [1], exclaimed as he walked with Cecil Rhodes from his hotel to the Cape House of Assembly. It was a bright, vibrant day in Cape Town and people were bustling about as children, black and white, got out of school together.
“Port Elizabeth is beginning to look like this as well, my friend [2].” Rhodes responded smiling, but soon began to frown. “If only the countryside could look like this…”
“Why isn’t the countryside receiving the same changes?” Johnston asked, curious as to why Rhodes was worried.
“Well, it’s simply a different environment. Tribes, Chiefdoms, spread out farms… It makes an education system hard to uphold. I have founded several large boarding schools out in Kimberly and other places and while it is making some inroads; it’s not as much as I would’ve hoped.” Rhodes said as they walked up the steps of the House of Assembly and entered the ornately colored building. Rhodes and Johnston walked up a large marble staircase and into a large hallway. Rhodes walked into the first door on the left and Johnston followed. “Welcome to my office. Take a seat.” He stated as he sat down at a large wooden desk.
“Ah quite comfortable, are we?” Johnston said, smirking as he took a seat in a leather chair facing Rhodes.
“I do what I can. Balancing personal finances and philanthropy can be tough though…” Rhodes answered. “Oh, while we are on the subject, how many schools do you plan on opening?”
“Three. I wish to put one in each major town. I’ll speak to the crown but the same voting rights would be extended to them as in Cape Colony. I’ll need £ 3,000 to complete them.” Johnston answered tersely, putting on his best business face. “If I can educate enough people, maybe inclusion into the Cape isn’t that bad of an idea…”
“Someday, but in regard to money, I’ll have to talk to Chamberlain [3] beck in London first. I hope you can start those schools.” Rhodes responded, smiling. Just then, a young man walked into the door looking distressed. “Ah, Smuts! Mr. Johnston, this is Jan Smuts, my new Public Relations chap. Here all the way from Pretoria!” Rhodes said, getting up and having the two men shake hands. “This boy will go far in Cape Town, I am sure of it!” Rhode exclaimed.
“Ah thank you sir. But more importantly…” Smuts interrupted Rhodes. “There’s been an incident.”
“Where? What happened?” Rhodes questioned, turning serious immediately.
“Up in Matabeleland, and it involves your brother and Jameson…”
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1894
Masvingo, Matabeleland [4]
A group of 200 members of the British South African Police were marching toward Masvingo. It was a cool afternoon and many of the men put on longer coats to stay warm. Of the two hundred men, 100 were Cape Towners and the other hundred were Bechuana. The leader of this group was none other than Francis William Rhodes. As Cecil’s brother, he enjoyed his post as the co-chair of the British South Africa Company. He was a military man, unlike his brother, and had served over 20 years in the British Army. Now he was to work to expand British power into the interior of Africa.
“Colonel…” Dr. Jameson came up and addressed Frank Rhodes. Leander Starr Jameson was his second in command on this mission to Matabeleland. “We should rest here. We’ll reach Masvingo soon and we will have to good and ready by then.”
“Good idea, Doctor.” Colonel Rhodes held up his right arm and yelled. “Halt!” The entire company stopped walking and stood at attention. “We will rest here for several hours. Soon we will reach Masvingo and we must be on highest alert once we are there. Fall out.” After he said that, everyone returned to setting up temporary camp, as did Colonel Rhodes.
“Colonel, I’ve been meaning to ask you about your brother.” Jameson said as he sat down with Colonel Rhodes while they were unfurling their tents and taking a drink of water. “About his change…”
“Ah, I was shocked at first but after meeting Mohandas…” Colonel Rhodes responded and then trailed off as he got out a map and looked at it.
“Who is Mohandas?” Jameson asked, intrigued.
“Oh, a few years ago he saved Cecil’s life and they became good friends. He’s the leader of the Indian congress in Natal. He was educated in Britain and it was him that really put this whole idea into Cecil’s head.” Colonel Rhodes replied nonchalantly as he continued looking at his map. “I actually think it’s a good idea. I mean look at all these Bechuana chaps. They were educated at my brother’s new university and are proud to be fighting for queen and country. I would consider them equal to myself.”
“Well, as long as we whites retain the control.” Jameson said as he got up and brushed his hands together. “I don’t want the British Empire to be ruled by a bunch of savages.”
“Cecil doesn’t wish that either. But how do you remove the savagery from the Africans? Education… That is where my brother’s plan is genius.” Colonel Rhodes responded. “It also keeps the whites in power for a long time and the African tribes happy.”
“Sir! Sir!” A Bechuana ran down. “The Matabele are massacring the Shona [5]!”
“What, we told them to apprehend the bastards not kill the all.” Colonel Rhodes shook his head and looked at Jameson who was just as frustrated.
“Sir, they are stealing and burning down the village.” The Bechuana said. “I can show you the devastation if you follow me.” Rhodes and Jameson got up and followed the African around the path a little further, where they received a look at the village of Masvingo. The entire valley was lit by the fires as screams and cries filled the air. The smell of burning flesh was disgusting and upset the stomach of even the hardened Colonel Rhodes.
“Bloody hell… We are going to have to clean up this mess. Get the troops and be prepared for some conflict.” Rhodes turned and returned to the camp where his troops were staying. But as they entered the camp, the highlands above them began to rustle and a gunshot went off.
“Shit…” Jameson said, knowing what had just happened…
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Reviews from moviereview/IF
Interweb 1996
Used with permission…
…The new onscreen hit this summer to hit theatres is ‘200’. At around 2 hours and 30 minutes, this film is quite long but will draw you in and leave you wanting more. It is a great epic film and I encourage everyone to go see it. ‘200’ is set is northern South Africa in the mid 1890’s and is based on one of the most famous last stands in British history, the battle of Masvingo.
The story begins with Colonel Francis Rhodes, played by Daniel Craig and Dr. Leander Starr Jameson, played by Alan Cumming, leaving Cape Town to go settle the Matabele dispute. There is a lot of foreshadowing in this part with Rhodes saying goodbye to his wife, played by Charlize Theron and she saying goodbye and all. There are several scenes of her back in Cape Town, speaking of the men’s plight as well. Ms. Theron overall has a great performance. Meanwhile, King Lobengula of the Matabele; played by Robert Mugabe, an actual Matabele himself, plots to stop European encroachment by any means necessary. Mugabe makes for a great sinister villain.
The next half hour of the movie details the trek northward. There are several fantasized portions in this part, including an interesting fight with a lion. An important plot point is an attack by an African tribesman which is another foreshadowing event. The movie returns to historical events with the men arriving at Masvingo, a tiny Shona village. The movie cuts to Lobengula telling his men to destroy every trace of the Shona and it shows, in gruesome detail, the massacre there. Rhodes and Jameson is shown watching the massacre, seeming unaware he is about to meet the same fate.
The climax of the movie comes when Rhodes and Jameson returned to the camp. Thousands of Matabele warriors appear out of the weeds around them. They raise their guns and begin firing. Rhodes and the other assume fighting and the epic battle ensues with Lobengula looking on laughing. It shows several important points, like the Maxim Machine guns jamming early on, sealing their fate and the sacrifice of Rhodes to not allow his company to be cut off. After thousands of deaths, the British ammunition begins to runs out. As many of the British, who are now unarmed are mercilessly murdered, several Bechuana make a selfless sacrifice to save Jameson. He and the other Africans are the only to escape. All in all, 196 of the 200 die.
The final scenes are the most emotionally powerful. It shows Colonel Rhodes’s wife receiving the news and weeping. It is an amazing performance by Charlize Theron. But the most rousing part of the ending was the speech made to the Cape House of Assembly by Cecil Rhodes, played by Sean Connery. It was the actual speech made in 1894. He spoke of his brother and how they must unite under the crown, both white and black; English and African, to fight this horrible injustice. My eyes were moist at the ending and several members of the audience saw it fit to sing ‘God Save The Queen’ during the credits. How fitting…