Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-05-16
BURLINGTON:
FRIDAY MORNING. MAY ie. 1856.


COIOny Ol LlDcrln, anu tnc reCeHt ulsCONcIico
by missionaries and travellers in the valley of
the Nile, in more central Ethiopia, and in
the neghborhood Of the gold coast, have
awakened so great an interest, that the half
forgotten continent of Africa is at this mo-
ment engaging the attention of philanthro-
pists, of scientific inquirers, and of CONNER
cal spectators, IN as high degree as
almost any portion Of the habitable globe
Nor is this interest by any means confined
TO the northern portion Of the great penln-
sua. Recent events of great political signi-
fcance claim for South Africa an Importance
not less than that belonging to the French
colonies in Algeria, and | cannot doubt
that your readers will find something of
novelty and interest in the following account
of the newly organized South Africa repub-
lies of Orange River and Trans-Vaal.
The cape of Good Hope and the adjacent
districts, which had been for one hundred
and fifty years Dutch colony, fell into the
hands Of Great Britain in the year 1906.
The tranquility of the colonists was fire.
quently disturbed by difficulties with the ma
tive tribes, and open hostilities often existed
between the settlers and their savage neigh
bors. In 1885 peace was concluded be-
tween the colonial government and the
kaffers, on terms unsatisfactory to the in
habitants of the eastern districts, who were
nearly all Of Dutch descent. The discomfort
of the Doors Dutch, Joer, peasant) rose to
it.b hak nf
resolved to retire to the north and seek new
home beyond the British jurisdiction. In
the course of the same year, the first division,
under Triechsrd of Albany, crossed the
Orange (or Garsep) river, the northern boun-
dary of the colony, and established them
selves partly on the Zout-Pan (Salt pan)
mountain, and partly on the eastern sea
coast near Delagoa Bay points both about
600 miles from the British frontier. Delagoa
Bay, which lies on the Indian Ocean in S. l..
2G0, proving very unhealthy, this settle
ment was soon abandoned, and in 1898, the
emgrants, strengthened by large accessions
to their numbers from the cape colony, took
possession of Port Natal in S. l.. 80 ; , and
the coast adjacent. Natal had been formerly
occupied by the British, but the garrison had
been lately withdrawn and the few remain
ing settlers left without protection against
the natives. The new occupants had many
severe conflicts with the kaffers and other
savage tribes, but soon succeeded in reducing
them to submission, and began to enjoy in
security the blessings of independence and
freedom. But in l540 the British claimed
jurisdiction over the new settlement, and
after much negotiation and some bloodshed,
the colonists submitted in 1912, though
considerable number of them again testified
their love of liberty by withdrawing into the
interior beyond the limits assigned to the CO.
lony of Natal. In IS4S and the following
years. repeated attempts were made by the
British authorities to extend their iurisdic-
ton over the settlements of the emigrants
North and West of Natal. These pretensions
were resisted, but after several engagements
the Doors were reduced, and q new cmigra-
ton to yet remoter regions succeeded. The
Kaffer war which broke out in 1851, between
the natives and the Cape colony proved a
severe and difficult struggle, and the British
became convinced, that so dangerous an
enemy could not be conquered only by the
united strength of all the white inhabitants
of Southern Africa. They therefore wisely
determined to convert their discontented and
rebellious subjects into friends and allies, and
accordingly in the year 1854 treaty was
concluded by which Great Britain recog-
nized the independence Of the territories
Natal, by the names of the Republic of
Orange River, and the Transvaal Republic
The Republic of Orange River is bounded
on the west, south and south east, by the
main branches Of Orange River, east by the
Draluenherg or Quathelamba mountains, and
north by the river Vaal, which separates it
from its sister republic. 1t lies principally
between 27o and 81 , g. l.. and about "a .
and 20 Q E. long, it's greatest length being
about 375, and its greatest width about 800,
miles, with a superficial area of more than
1000 square miles, or eight times that of
Vermont. In 1886, this territory was des-
cribed by Harris as painless waste" occa
sionally visited by wandering tribes or fug-
tive savages, but permanently occupied and
claimed by none The present white popula-
tion is about $4,000, who are distributed
over two thirds of the territory, the remsin-
ing third being occupied by several native
tribes.
The government is purely republican, the
president and legislature being elected by the
people. Clergymen and school teachers are
provided for every district, and under the
wise administration of the present president,
j. T. Hoffman,, every effort is made, and
with great apparent success, to develop the
resources of the State, and promote its growth
in material prosperity, as well as in intell-
gence, religion and the social virtues.
Bloemfontein the capital, is town of 200
we'll built houses, with Dutch and Episcopal
churches and Catholic and Wesleyan chapels,
public-school, a club house, a theatre and
a printing Office, from which issues news
paper,
The territory of this State is in the main
com posed of plateau sloping towards the
West, and probably elevated 5000 feet above
the sea. The Western and Northern portions
form extensive plains called " fats" rising
gradually in the south TO the White noun
tains and in the east to range of highlands
occupied by the natives, which, still further
eastwardly, connect themselves with the
Blue Mountain chain. These mountains are
of u simple and regular structure, and theii
SUBMITS often consist of great pateaus pre-
sentng wide stretches of arabic land. In the
Eastern range several considerable streams
take their rise, aud hOw west and northwest
to tho Naal, but the Caledon, the most
important of them, takes a southwest courst
and empties into the Orange.
The elevation of the soil and its inland 20.