The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-02-05 00:00:00

SIR BARTLE FRERE on SOUTH AFRICA.

In London, on Tuesday evening, Sir Bartle Frere
read a paper in the Rooms of the Society of Arts,
John-street, Adelphi, on the "Industrial Resources
of South Africa." The chair was occupied by Sir
Richard Temple and there was a large attendance.
On the table in Temple,
of the reading desk several of the
products of South Africa were exhibited, conspicuous
among them being a large cut diamond said to be
worth £lO,OOO.

After a few introductory remarks from the Chair-
man, Sir Bartle Frere proceeded to deliver his lecture.
He commenced by saying that on first proceeding to
South Africa he found the greatest difficulty in
obtaining any reliable information regarding the in-
dustrial resources of that country. As regards the
mineral resources of South Africa the first place was
claimed by coal, which existed there to a considerable
extent, and, as far as he could learn, there was a very
inadequate conception in England of the value of the
coal fields already known. South Africa was at pre-
sent dependent for its supply of iron on importation
from other countries, but there was abundance of
iron ore easily procurable near the coal beds. Manga-
nese, cobalt, copper, and lead had also been found.
Great expectations were at one time formed of the
richness of the Transvaal gold fields, and a considerable
amount of gold was even now obtained about Lyden-
berg, and much more would probably be got if the
country were more settled. The great diamond mines
in Griqualand West and the Orange Free State
had enormously increased, and, although it was
only 14 years since the first diamond was discovered
in South Africa, the exports of the precious stone had
grown so large that in one year more than two mil-
lions worth of diamonds had passed through the Cape
post-office, besides diamonds of a very large value
which were exported in other ways. Garnets and
fine specimens of asbestos had likewise been dis co-
vered as well as agates and cornelians. Slate of good
quality existed in various parts ; salt was produced
in considerable quantities in the Transgariep terH-
toriest and guano was produced on the rocky islets of
the West Coast.
The right hon. baronet having referred to the agri-
cultural resources of South Africa, spoke as to the
suitability of that country for the purposes of emigra-
tion. In South Africa there was ample room for
myriads of industrious and law-abiding people to live
and rise to comfort and independence, which was daily
becoming more difficult in the narrow limits of the
United Kingdom. The native races, which had so
long been regarded as insuperable obstacles to the
progress of the country, could, he felt, be recognised
in their true light as ,valuable elements in South
African nationalities when they (the British) acted
more systematically on the great truth which English
men in Canad kna India had not been slow to own
and act on---Skat their duty with regard to inferior
races was to rule and protect them ; to teach, to guide,
and elevate them, and not enslave and exterminate
them. - . _

_
At the conclusion of the reading of the paper a brief
discussion followed, in which Lard Sidmouth, Mr. J.
Jones, Mr. Hall, and Sir D. Tennant (Speaker of the
House of Assembly), who spoke in high terms of South
Africa as a field for emigration, took part.