George McCall Theal

“ The colonial ministry objected to the proposed conference because they thought it should originate in South Africa, not in England, and they were annoyed that a delegate had been named to represent the eastern province. The prime minister represented the whole colony, they said, not a part of it only. And as if to strengthen their view of the matter, the old separatist party raised its head again, and began an agitation on the plea that Lord Carnarvon was in favour of their ideas. ”

“ A bill for the amendment of the constitution by dividing the colony into seven circles instead of two provinces for the purpose of electing members of the legislative council was carried by a large majority in the house of assembly, but was thrown out by the casting vote of the president in the council. A voluntary bill, or bill to cease paying the salaries of clergymen by the government, was also passed by the assembly, but thrown out by the council. On the 26th of June parliament was prorogued, after the shortest session on record, but one in which much useful work was done. ”

“ There have been many wars and droughts and disasters of various kinds in South Africa since 1873, yet the country has advanced with rapid strides in population, in commerce, and in many other respects. The Europeans were then only about 325,000 in number, namely in the Cape Colony 235,000, in the South African Republic 35,000, in the Orange Free State 27,000, in Natal 18,000, in Griqualand West 9,000, and scattered over territory occupied by independent Bantu tribes 1,000. ”

“ To those living uninterruptedly in the country the rapid change in its condition has not been so apparent as to those who have gone abroad for a few years and then returned; such persons often found themselves in a new and strange environment.
On the 24th of April 1873 the parliament of the Cape Colony met in Capetown, and as the ministry had taken care to have all the important bills to be introduced published in ample time to be studied carefully, there was no delay in proceeding to business. ”

“ The only railways, exclusive of the one in Namaqualand belonging to the Cape Copper Mining Company which was constructed and used solely for the purpose of transporting ore through the desert to Port Nolloth, were a line from Capetown through Stellenbosch and the Paarl to Wellington with a branch from Salt River to Wynberg in the Cape Colony, and one from the Point to Durban and on to the Umgeni in Natal, only about eleven kilometres or seven English miles in length. ”

“ Increase in the passenger and freight traffic necessitated ever and ever larger and more powerful ships, until before the close of the century the Cape mail steamers were among the finest in the world, and the passage between Southampton and Capetown was regularly made with the punctuality of an express train in sixteen days. ”

“ The general aspect was thus altogether different from what it is to-day, for the old dull, easy-going, happy condition of life has given place to the struggling anxious existence that is everywhere in evidence now. In short, we have been brought under the law that impels Europeans to struggle for knowledge and power, and have fallen into line with the most energetic communities of our race. ”

“ In many places human beings narrowly escaped being carried away by a rush of water in places always before considered perfectly safe. At East London five vessels were wrecked in the great storm, and at Port Natal two, for the floods were not confined to the Cape Colony, but were general throughout South-Eastern Africa. ”

“ Hiddingh tried his utmost to persuade the coloured people that it was better to expend that time and patience in earning thirty-six shillings than to be idle and earn nothing at all, he did not succeed in inducing them to continue the task. ”

“ This excellent institution owes its existence to the zeal of the reverend Dr. Andrew Murray, who took advantage of a large building at Wellington being for sale, and collected sufficient money to purchase it and adapt it to the purpose of a boarding school. Trained teachers were obtained from Holyoke in America, one of whom, Miss Ferguson, a lady of great energy and ability, was the first principal. The object was to give a sound Christian education and to inculcate habits of tidiness and domestic economy in the pupils, rather than to turn out idle ladies. ”

“ The old principle of electing members was retained, that is an elector could give his three votes to one candidate or distribute them as he pleased, thus securing the representation of minorities. The members were to be elected for seven years, instead of ten as before, and were all to be returned at the same time. The chief justice remained president of the council by virtue of his office, and could take part in the debates. ”

“ This disproportion of the sexes was even more marked in parties that arrived at a later date, and it cannot be said that these immigrants added materially to the permanent European population of South Africa.
Within two years, or before the close of 1875, Mr. Fuller sent out 2,629 men, 230 women, and 260 children. A sufficient number of navvies could not be obtained in Great Britain, so several hundreds were engaged in Belgium and Germany. The proceeds of land sales in the colony were set apart to cover the cost of sending these people out. ”

“ There were poor people, it is true, but the European inhabitants were very much nearer on an equality than in any state of Western Europe, and there were no white mendicants on one side and enormously wealthy capitalists on the other. The richest man in the country did not possess a quarter of a million pounds sterling. ”

“ There is an American vine whose roots resist the attack of the phylloxera, or upon which it cannot live, and cuttings were obtained and propagated as rapidly as possible. Upon the plant, as soon as it has taken root, the grape bearing vine is grafted, which thus becomes immune from the insect pest. ”

“ They had been accustomed to work in countries where house accommodation could always be had and where beer was obtainable without difficulty, and they objected to living in tents far away from the nearest habitations and having only coffee or tea to drink. ”

“ It was intended to employ Bantu to do the roughest of the work with the pick and wheelbarrow, but even for this European navvies were largely needed. It was also intended to assist private individuals who would guarantee fixed employment at stated wages, by engaging and sending out the men applied for, upon their depositing with the commissioner for crown lands and public works £7 towards the cost of passage of each statute adult. ”

“ The school grew rapidly, extensive buildings were erected, largely by means of money contributed in America, and at length a college department was added in which selected girls are trained as teachers and to fill important positions in life, while the lower school continues its highly useful work. ”

“ Such bridges as were not high above the water and resting on piers of great strength were washed away, many houses were wholly or partly destroyed, cultivated ground disappeared, leaving only bare rock or barren subsoil, and great numbers of sheep and horned cattle were drowned. ”