The second British occupation of the cape from 1806

The second British occupation of the cape from 1806

Importance of the Cape to Britain in 1800. Britain needed to control the only root to India which was around the Cape in South Africa.

In May 1806, France and other European countries particularly Britain resumed fighting. This violated the peace treaty signed at Amiens between Britain and France in 1800.

Although Britain proved victorious at sea, they were greatly alarmed by the French victories on the continent of Europe.

In order to prevent France and her Dutch allies from interfering with her valuable sea route to India via the Cape, Britain decided to occupy the Cape.

In 1806, Britain sent 61 war ships under the command of General Baird, which easily captured the Cape.

Once the British troops occupied the Cape Colony it was recognized by other European powers in1815 at the Congress of Vienna. During the first 20 years of British rule at the Cape, there were no major reforms made.

Before 1825, the Governor exercised wide powers. He determined most laws of the Cape Colony, made appointments and dismissed government officials. The Judicial system remained almost what it had been in the days of Dutch rule.

Even the economy didn’t significantly improve despite some agricultural reforms.

Generally, there was little progress in the Cape Colony before 1825, but some improvement was in the postal system and health services.

The Governmental so encouraged development of school but these served the whites only.

How the British occupied the Cape (1795 and 1806- 1815)

The British occupied the Cape June 1795 up to 1803 and again in January 1806 to 1912.

Brtish troops in 1795 were under Admiral Sir. George Heith Elphistone and commanded by Major General Sir. James Henry Graig.

The Admiral through conquest presented a formal letter from the Prince of Orange to the Governor of the Cape ordering him to accept British occupation of the Cape. When the Governor refused force or war was declared on the Cape by the British.

Events in Europe like the conquest of Holland in 1793 drove the British to occupy the Cape. The British feared the French threats which could over take their interests in the Far East (India and New Zealand and Australia).

An armistice was signed between Cape government and the British.

By now the DElCO collapsed as the British occupied the Cape. The English flag replaced the Dutch flag.

British rule up to 1802 didn't have serious reforms and activities because they were limited to the coast.

British occupation of the cape was so short lived 1795 - 1802.

In March 1802, the British signed the Peace of Amiens with France and she restored the Cape to the Dutch.

In this period relation between the Colonists and the British was cordial and warm.

The Dutch King had earlier fled to Britain as he requested Britain to protect his Cape possession.

By the Treaty of Amiens, the French were also to leave Holland.

From March 1803, Lt General Janssens took the Oath as the new Governor of the Cape.

The Batavians from Holland ruled from 1803 -1805.

Batavian rule came to an end in March 1806 and the British occupied the Cape again.

In Europe, the Napoleonic wars caused unrests.

France had occupied Holland with the help of the Batavian leadership.

The Franco-Netherlands/Holland (Dutch) alliance of 1806 threatened British interests in South Africa and the Far East.

This alliance had led to the collapse of the Peace Treaty of Amiens (signed in 1802) between France and Britain.

Therefore in January 1806 Sir. David Baird seized the Cape although Governor Janssens tried to resist.

The British captured the Cape with 61 war ships.

The British occupation of the Cape was officially recognized by the Vienna Settlement (Peace of Vienna) 1814-15 and later Congress System from 1815.

In 1814 the Dutch were compensated by the British with over 700,000 Pound Sterling for the loss of the Cape Colony.

The British stay at the Cape and later in some colonies in the region went on up to 1912.

Why the British occupied the Cape

As noted in 1795, (and again in 1806) the British occupied the Cape. This occupation was due to the following reasons;

The British did not want France to occupy the Cape with whom they were at war with. This could threaten her interests in the Far East.

The British considered the Cape as strategically important area because it lay along the sea route to the Far East where Britain had valuable commercial interests.

The decline of the Dutch East India Company made it clear that the French could take over control, as the King of Holland William IV requested the British to protect his colonial possession at the Cape.

The Cape was half way route to the Far East. It could therefore be used as a calling station for ships sailing to India.

In times of war, the Cape could be used as a defense base for attacks on enemy ships.

The Cape also had good natural harbors where merchant ships to and from India could anchor and dock. The British expected to get revenue from such ships.

The Mediterranean type of climate attracted a number of English men and their number was gradually increasing. The British had to occupy the Cape to act as a settler colony.

When Napoleon I, the French dictator was defeated in 1814, France lost territories to Britain. Holland on her part gave the Cape Colony to the British in trust.

It was prestigious to many European countries to acquire colonies abroad.

Due to the industrial revolution in Britain markets for manufactured goods, raw materials and possibly need to invest her surplus capital in the new colony of Cape was vital.

The British could also settle its surplus population at the Cape.

There were an increasing number of English men who were settling in South Africa as farmers during the Batavian rule. The need to protect them forced the British re-occupation in 1806.

Problems faced by the British at the Cape 1795 -1803

Between July and September 1795, the eastern district of Graaf Reinet revolted

Graaf Reinet and Stellensdam also attempted to establish their own National Assembly as they both refused to submit to British authority.

By 1799, the Boers encouraged the Eastern Frontier Boers in revolt, which was inspired by British arrest of a Trek-Boer Adriaan Joarveld over forgery.

In the same year, the Khoisan rebelled against their Boer masters as they were joined by the Xhosa which led to the Third Kaffir war 1799-1803.

The small British military force at that time was unable to contain the situation.

From 1800, peace was not seen at the Cape Colony until 1803, but again turmoil continued to prevail.

The Xhosa and other Bantu speakers in the region also continued to posses or own much of the Zuurveld region

In 180 I, the Trek-Boers revolted again because they were discontented with the administration of H.C.D Maynier who had been appointed the Resident Commissioner of the two Eastern Frontier districts.

The successor of Governor-Lord Macartney in 1798, Sir George Yonge (1799) brought more problems due to his extravagancy and by 1801 he was recalled due to constant weaknesses.

In the west of the Cape Colony, the British administration put up trade restrictions on free -Burgher profitable trade which left the economy poor and in shocks.

In March 1802, by the Peace Treaty Amiens the British restored the Cape Colony to the Batavian Dynasty.