The martial ardour and courage of the Zulus are world-famous. Here are born soldiers, if ever there were any such. Should the Government be unable to adopt the suggestion on a large scale, it might at least try the Zulus. Many efforts have in the past been made to raise men. The labours, however, were in each case foredoomed to failure, because the authorities were not behind the movement, or, if behind it, then only half-heartedly so.
Amongst those who have interested themselves particularly in this matter is the late Commandant (Colonel H.T. Bru-de-Wold) whose views, without professing to be in any way complete, and admittedly based partly on those of his predecessors and other men, are briefly as follows: That the Government should form one or more Native regiments drawn from the different tribes of Natal and Zululand. Lads should be recruited at the age of fifteen or sixteen from the kraals of the most respectable and influential Natives in a tribe. They should then be formed into a permanent force, always to be kept in barracks. Each lad should be subject to long service, viz. 25, 30 or more years.
A Native location, similar to that of Zwartkop in the neighbourhood of Pietermaritzburg, would be suitable for the purpose. Permanent barracks should be erected in the location.
White officers, who should be married men and be most carefully selected, should reside in or near the barracks with their wives. Only those should be chosen whose pride of race is highly developed.
The Natives (non-commissioned officers and men) should be allowed to marry, and the Government might assist them in finding their lobolo. They should, however, each be limited to one wife. The location should be laid out in plots, conveniently situated, each married non-commissioned officer or man having his house, with adjoining garden for growing any desired minor articles, but the principal ration should be supplied by the Government, so that all would be dependent entirely on the Government for their food. The married men should be allowed to keep cattle for milk and to breed horses on their own account.
Any menial work, such as road-making, erecting buildings, etc., on the location should be done by hired labour, and not by the Native soldiers. The men should, however, be required to keep their respective dwelling-houses in repair. The reason for such provision is to keep up their pride as soldiers, and not demean them by putting them on the same level as ordinary labourers.
After certain periods to be determined upon, those of good character might be permitted to go on furlough, in the same way as any other Native in the service of the Government, when they would receive remuneration in addition to soldier's pay.
The officers' wives would naturally take an interest in the wives of n.c.o.'s and men, and provide, with the assistance of the State, for the education of the children. Thus the institution would, not only subject the men to strict military discipline, but enable their children to be educated and instructed in civilized ways of living. And so, in time, a separate class would be created on a small scale, the members of which might be designated "The King's Men," whilst the boys growing up in such environment would themselves become soldiers. A pride would be fostered in the men, arising out of a consciousness of being superior to the ordinary tribes. Although, at the outset, drawn from various tribes, they would gradually lose their tribal instincts and form a community of their own. Such influences would probably be more potent and productive of good than any other existing agency that could be named. But success would, it is felt, be dependent primarily on the officers.