Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-07
ENGLAND's NEWEST COLONY.
A Great Domain EquatiDR the Area of
Spain.


Correspondence Lond0n Tipes.
Big things are done nowadays and done
unnoticed and unknown. There are prob
ably not many of the ordinary public in
England who know that early in this good
year 1883 the Liberal Ministry added TO
the English empire new colony or domain
equalng Spain in area. And yet this was
done by a simple unheeded proclamation
in that never read publication, the Lon
don Gazette. The newest colony Of BE
chuana," or whatever it's ultimate title,
lies in the heart Of temperate Africa. It's
official limits are "the parts Of South
Africa situate west Of the boundary Of the
South African republic, north Of the
colony of the Cape Of Good Hope, cast OF
tho twentieth meridian Of east longitude'
and south of the tWenty-second parallel OF
south latitude" II is situated on the
great central backbone of Africa, and is,
Tor the most part, a plateau OF from 4,OO
to 5000 feet above the sea level. aud
healthy to degree for Europeans. Enter
Ing the district from the south, the gen
erHl character of the country is that OF
open and uudulating plains, for the most
part bare OF forest trees, but dotted with
for 100 miles, after which the country be-
comes pleasantly and at times densely
wooded, except where IT is mountains, as
in the neighb0rhoOd OF the "stOny"
towns of the chief G9sseitsi Sichele. The
main cause Of this absence of trees lower
down is the enormous demand Tor wood
created when the diamond diggngs made
Kimberley populous centre, using end
less steam engines. 1t is commonly re-
ported that for 10 years every day there
entered Kimberley about 100 wagons,
each carrying ON the average 20 trees,
chiefly cut up in these districts. There is
much good rich soll, and in all the bot
toms Indian corn, millet and wheat yield
good crops even under the rough and ready
agriculture OF the natives. over all these
plains and hills there is capital grass-so
much SO thaVBoers tell one another it Is
the best pasture land in south Africa,
fact further evidenced by the great num-
beers OF cattle and sheep owned by the na-
tives of these parts from time ImmemO-
rial, until, In recent years, there has been
wholesale robbery at the hands of free
bOoting white men. But although the
Beers among themselves are SO convinced
of the excellence OF the country as actual
ly to name part of it after Goshen. that
iand Of tieshp0ts and fertility, and to re-
gard the whole of the once prosperous ma
tive ttEIiiOEleo AS a NhbDln : vineyard 81
great price, they none the less seduiOusly
propagate the idea that the whole cOun-
try is valueless 10 any except the hardest
of BoeT farmers. There are even leading
statesmen Of the Cape Colony misled by
these interested Boer allegations so far as
to report officially that the country is one
of "dry farms" only, where none but BOer
farmers can make IA living.
Water supply is naturally the chief dill
| ticulty, and no doubt along the trade roads
at certain seasons but little water is to be
found on the surface. River courses
abound, and in most good clear water is
found at a reasonable distance from the
surface. There is a natural water supply
running through the country at certain
seasons OF the year from the eastward /;
but Of this the BOer farmers are well
aware, and it is one great complaint Of the
natives that the Beers on the Transvaal
side have continually encrOached on the
headwaters of the rivers on which are
situated the chief Of the native "plow
lands" There are miles upon miles OF
real aud black soil here, with but few
stones or rocks. at present covered with
rich grasses, and wherever turned up by
the natives yielding excellent crops Of In
dian corn. miliet, wheat aud pumpkins.
In short, it seems undOubted that for az
Crcultural purposes these great treeless
plains arc excellent.
These plains have long been the home OF
pastoral farmers. When Europeans first
penetrated here they found the natives
rich in oxen, and the plains afiording, IN
addition, ample sustenaucc 10 countless
droves of hartebeest. giraffe, wildbeest,
Gland and buck OF all kinds. Sheep,
goats and cattle all flourish IN this cOun-
try. Horses also do well until they fall
victims to the dreaded "hOrse sickness"