The morning call., 1891-08-24
AFRICAN GOLD FIELDS
Lord Randolph Churchill On the
Mines of South Africa.
Best Mining in the World-Boers Opposing
Its Wholesale Destruction
Of All Kinds Of Game.

vi ali the SolO mines ROUND J0nannlSDurH
the Robinson mine is probably the most re-
markable; for Its size, both in respect of
area and capital invested. for the high av-
erase richness of its ore. and for the enter
prise and method of its management. This
mine was orlgiDallay bought by small
syndicate for less than 100000. In 1888
company was formed to work it with a cap
ital of 60. 100000. The company possesses a
"mijinpatch" or mining lease of about 200
acres, containing some thirty-ive mining
claims. Three distinct reefs are being
worked at different levels-the main reef
leader, the middle reef and the south reef.
The latter has hitherto afforded the richest
results.
The deepest level now being developed is
about 800 feet below the surface, and it has
been found by assay. but not yet confirmed
By practical crushing. that the ore at this
depth maintains its richness. There are
about five miles of underground workings,
mostly Illuminated by the electric light
The ore, which near the surface of the
ground is Ii friable conglomerate free from
ryrite. becomes at the deeper levels hard
c0nglomerate rock almost imperyious to the
ordinary drill and hammer worked by
manual labor, and highly pyritic. These
two qualities have necessl tated the in
Stallation of American air-driling ma
chinery of such power as to be capable of
in fifteen minutes, which a native would be
unable to complete working in all entire
day.
FRAUD SUPREME.
Speaking generally about the gold field it
may he remarked, firSt-the ore when first
discovered near the surface was iree-milling
ore, easily tteated and yielding in places
from two TO three up to as much as eight
ounces to the ton. Small batteries original
ly produced striking results. the managers
being able to pick and choose those parts of
the reef where the ore was richest. Since
that time larger stamp batteries have been
everywhere erected, the easily treated, rich,
frPe-mlllng ore has become aud Is becoming
rapidly exhausted, and most, if not all, the
mines have now before them an almost in
eXhaustible quantity of hard conglomer-
ate rock, yielding considerably lower aver
age of gold when treated as a whole and
indiscrminately. and to extract the gold
from which with any prospect Of fair
profit requires the most ingenious
and elaborate appliances and the most
Skillful and economical administration. Sec
ond-In the early days of the Randi gold
field folly and fraud reigned supreme. The
Dift ctOrs and managers were, as a rule,
conspicuous Tor their Ignorance on all mat
ters of practical mining, the share market
was their one and only consideration, the
mins being in many cases entirely neg
leeted. / was shown the other day the
Grahamstown mine which, possessing only
a claim and a quarter, was palined off upon
the public with capital of 9l20.000 This
mine, though situated on the main reef, un-
fortunately struck upon SPOT where the
reef was interSeeted by dixie of clay. and
1t Is Scarcey an eXaggeratlOn to say that
hardly an ounce OF gold ever has or
Will reward the victimiZed shareholders.
Millions of money have been literally
thrown away. Bad machinery, badly put
up, has been badly situated and badly
worked. Many of the mines are ut stand
still for want OF capital aud most Of them,
so eminent experts assure me, are sadly be-
hindhand with their development, in view
of the vast plant which has been erected. A
healthier tone and spirit now prevails, the
work of reorganization, of reducing capital
and working expenses proceeds apace. I'm
Skillful managers and incompetent directors
are being got rid of. either by the efforts of
shareholders or of far-sighted men, and
viewing The extent and nature Of the reefs
it is safe to Predict that the Randi is on the
high road TO become the greatest gold field
in the world.
1t should be remembered that in addition
to all the difficulties aud obstacles which 1
have described above and which the gold
fields have had to encounter and overcome
mus be reckoned the most stupid, selfish
and incompetent Government which ever
affl cted community or a country. The
Transvaal possesses verytbing which man
can desire for comfort, luxury and general
prOsperity-an unequaled climate, soil of
eXuterant fertility, mines of gold, silver,
real and iron, all of great richness The
Beers, in their stubborn and mulish ignO-
rance, have resolved IN so far as IN them lies
that none of this great wealth shall be taken
advantage of and developed. In a country
where millions of acres might produce
millions Of quarters of grain, only compara-
lively few hundreds of thousands of acres
produce Indian corn
BAD ROADS.
In country where the storage of water
and irrigation works offers little difficulty TO
engineers or TO the EXcheQuer, no systematic
storage OF water Is attempted. Yet the
presence OF water everywhere within a few
feet of the surface Of the soil and the long
period OF winter drouth would seem to
render such storage of water and such irriga-
tion works imperative. In country desti-
tute Of trees, put which, nevertheless. might,
after few years care and industry. be
covered with f0reSs of various and valuable
timber, not an effort at tree planting is made
except in the neighborhoOd of the gold
mines. In a country where. for the develop
ment OF its mineral resources, the rapid con-
struction of railways is essential, and where
the physical cunfiguration of the ground and
other causes marvelousIy facilitate such
construction, the same stubborn ignorance.
same mulish folly before alluded 10, has
successfully delayed and still delays any
such railway construction.
The vicious system of concessions abounds.
Dynamite. an article OF prime necessity in a
mining country, has been made the subiect
of monopoly, and granted to an individual
who, for considerations unknown, is entitled
10 exclude all other dynamite from the
country but his own, and receives "A royalty
of 12s Cd a ton on all his own dynamite
which Is consumed. To such a pitch has
tile policy Of concession been carried that |
ain informed that quite recently an individ-
ual applied to the Government for a con-
cession to grant concessions. and that the
proposition was graveiy and seriously con-
sdered, but has not yet been accepted. 1
will lave more to say about the Boer Govern
ment in my next letter, when | shall have
visited Pretoria. Ii this country had been
IN the hands of the English or Americans
it would probably now DO peopled by some
millions of Europeans. would be giving
forth every variety in inexhaustible guam
titles of vegetable, animal and mineral
produce; interseeted by railways and canals
in word, it might be the most wealthy
and prosperous spot upon the face of the
earth. But Providence has cursed il with a
rule Of $1,000 Beers, and for a time but
expect only for time, it is destined still to
langush.
In the foregoing pages l have spoken Of
the silver mines. These are situated some
forty miles to the east of Johannesburg and
are OF very recent discovery. The history
of them is somewhat remarkable. A CON-
pany was formed to work them with, / be-
lieve, capital of about a quarter of
million. The affair was probably fraud,
the money was mostly wasted. little was
found and nothing was done, and the silver
mines of the Transvaal fell into disrepute
and disfavor. Some person or persons,
however, discovered on the property speci-
mems of ore of singular richness. These
being brought to gentlemen possessing ex-
perieDce and capital, were pronounced by
them TO be good silver ore. small syn
dictate was soon formed shares of the old
company were quickly bought up, new cap
ital was expended. the reef has been
opened up anu developed and ascertained to
be of great extent and fair richness. The
average yield of the ore has been estimated
by assay to be about thirty ounces of silver