The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-10
THE. AFRICAN AT HOME.

A leading Western paper OF pronounced
Radical prociivities has quite lengthy and
interesting article on the British possessions
in South Africa, in which we find some
instructive statistics as to the comparative
status Of the Anglo-Dutch colonists and the
native savages whom two centuries OF contact
with civilized race have utterly failed to
elevate in the scale of humanity. The
Southern extremity of Africa was colonizsd
by the Dutch in 1862, and in 1876 was seized
by the English, who still hold it as one OF
their most important possessions. In 1917
the area Of that colony was 200 900 square
miles. inhabited by 100000 white settlers
and 100000 black natives. The adjoining
settlement of Natal, which is no part Of the
Cape colony, contains 10000 square miles
and a population OF 1900 whites and 800, 900
natives.
There having been some trouble between
the races in both places. MIR. Froude, the dis
tinguished historian, was sent there on tour
of Inspection, and having lately returned to
England, gave an account OF his mission,
which is here summarized from the London
Times Of the 22d, in which it originally APP
peared.
Mr., Froude declared his conviction that
"both for climate and natural capabilities the
country was unmatched in any other part OF
the world" 1t contains enormous mineral
wealth, rich diamond fields, vast deposits OF
iron, of coal, and Of copper, and immense
gold-felds, which bid fair to rival those OF
California AID Australia The soil is amaz-
ingly fertile.
The Surveyor General OF Natal, a very care
full oh server, according to Mr.. Froude, calcu'
lates that the rough, wild grasses which are
burnt over and wasted every year would sup
port cattle which would serve as food for
12,OOO,0OO people. Natal alone, he says,
I" If decently cultivated, could probably sup
port sixty millions of Inhabitants The slo~
gro,cth of The country is due TO the presence q
t,ro ruces on its soil. Civilized white and
savage black cannot agree. The natives only
work long enough to buy wife, and then
live by the labor Of these feminine slaves
ANY surplus profit is invested in fresh stock
Of wifes. The small cost Of living causes an
enormous increase in the population. The
masse, of the blacks are warlike and blood
thirsty. They have guns and ammunition,
and are often drilled and commanded by rene
gade Europeans. The constant warfare they
keep up checks the immigration and prevents
the development of the country.
Now. here is the evidence of an unbiased
and intelligent observer, not prejudiced by
any preconceiyed theory or traditional con-
tempt for the negro, as to the utter incapaci-
ty for becoming members Of civilized body
still exhibited after contact Of two centuries
with two OF the most advanced nations in the
world And yet these natives of Cafraria
have long been considered by etymologsts
and travellers as the most intelligent Of all
the native tribes of Africa The journal
from whose columns we have condensed the
above facts and quotations adds that 'there
can be no doubt, however, that millions on
millions Of whites will, some time in the
future, occupy South Africa. The more tract
able blacks will be used as laborers, servants,
etc. The wilder tribes will be driven back
towards Inc equator, GHu suat uAeAA 'io
northward movement reaches geographical
point where the heat is too intense for the
white man, the blacks will have to yield. AL
Of which is most undoubtedly true, but reads
rather strangely in the columns devoted to
daily denunciations of the civilized white
men of the South for refusing t. be lor ded
over and oppressed by blacks little reno we'd
in intelligence and culture from their wild
ancestors from the interior Of Africa.