rumours were quickly circulated in town to the effect that some protestation against the landing of any more free Indians should be made. Some suggestions were made in all seriousness that a mass of Europeans should proceed to the Point on the day fixed for the disembarkation of the Indians from the Courland and Naderi, to actually prevent passengers landing. The method mooted was for the Europeans to form human lines three or four deep, and with locked hands and arms, offer a complete bar to the immigrants. Such, however, was probably merely general talk. The growth of the anti-Asiatic feeling is unquestionable, and is plainly evidenced by the following advertisement, which appears in another column at the head of the signature of Mr. Harry Sparks: ‘Wanted every man in Durban to attend a meeting to be held in the large room at the Victoria Cafe, on Monday evening next, at 8 o’clock, for the purpose of a demonstration to proceed to the Point, and protest against the landing of Asiatics.’
Your Memorialists would beg to draw your attention to the distinction between the causes that led up to the Demonstration and that have been alluded to hereinbefore, and the immediate causes described above. It is quite possible that the Demonstration may not have taken place but for the above-mentioned statements which appeared in the Press. They were, however, absolutely without ground. Even if they were true, your Memorialists submit, the action of the Demonstration Committee could not be justified. As it was, the members of the Committee did an injustice to the European, native, and the Indian communities in the Colony as well as to themselves and Mr. Gandhi: to the European community, because their action created a lawless spirit amongst them; to the native, because the presence of that element at the Point, no matter by whom brought about, tended to excite their passions and warlike spirit, over which, when once aroused, they have little control; to the Indian, because they were subjected to a severe trial, and the bitterness of feeling against them was considerably accentuated owing to the action of the Committee; to themselves, because they took upon themselves the tremendous responsibility of defying law and order, without ascertaining the truth of their statements; and to Mr. Gandhi, because owing to gross misrepresentations, no doubt made unwittingly, about him and his doings, he very nearly lost his life. Instead of there being 800 passengers for Natal, there were only 600 in all, of whom about 200 were for Natal, the rest being for Delagoa Bay, Mauritius, and the Transvaal; and of these 200, over 100 were old residents of Natal who had gone to India and
