Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-01-16
INC Trnnsynnl nennhIic.

The excitement prevailing through
out Europe over the recent interesting
events in the South African Republic
known as the Transvaal, makes the
following sketch of that country timely
and pertinent:
The Transvaal is bounded on the
south by the Orange Free State--like-
wise settled by Beers Natal and Zulu
land; on the north by the Limpopo
river, which separates it from the
British South Africa Company's terri
tory, or Rhodesia on the west by
part of Rhodesia formerly Bechuana-
land y on the east by Zululand. Tonga
land tboth British territory and
Portuguese East Africa. The country
is encompassed virtually by British
territory except where il touches the
Portuguese province. While tie east
ern border il at certain points within
less than 100 miles of the Indian
Ocean, communication with the sea-
coast is made difficult by range of
mountains and very unhealthy strip
of malarioua swamp infested with the
tsetse fly. To these material obstacles
is added the political hindrance that
the sea can be reached only through
foreign territory. Connection with
the coast is had, however, by rail
road extending from Pretoria, the capi-
tai, eastward TO Lorenzo MarnueZ. a
Portuguese port on Deagoa BAY.
Southwark railroad connection is had
via the Orange Free State with Cane
Town, in Cape Colony, and southeast
ward with Durham, a port of Natal 7
The gold mining industry has
brought population and wealth to the
Transyaal with rush, so that the
Boer farmers see growing up among
them modern towns equipped with
banks, theatres, large business houses,
electric lights, street cars and other
new tangled notions to which they are
averse. They have done their best by
repreHsive laws TO obstruct and prevent
the modernization of their country by
the odious foreigners, but they find
themselves being pushed TO the wall
by the combined force of superior num-
bers, wealth and intelligence. They
have Just triumphed over Jameson's
effort to aid in the abolition of these
repressive laws by an illegal invasion
against the will of tho British govern
ment but il is likely that they will
soon, nevertheless, be constrained by
circumstances to give tho franchise to
the uitlanders, When ia this once done
the latter will in short time get the
upper hand, as they already outnum.
Der tho Beers two TO one and are being
strengthened by Immigration
The fate of the IIansyaal is indicated
by the history Of the Orange Free
State, which adinins it on the south.
The latter, having an area Of 10. 600
and white population of about 10, 900,
was settled by the Dutch in 1898. It
was once under direct British rule, hut
in 1854 it was permitted to form itsef
into . FREQ republic and it is more free
in theory tnan the Tranavaal. lis
foreign as well as its internal relations
are under iis own control. But thereis
no such hostility on the part Of the
government to British or alien inHu-
enees as exists in the Transvaal, This
arises from the fact that citizenship is
obtained in the Orange FREQ State by
a years residence in addition to the
possession OF property worth $3.50, or
by three years residence, without
property. The effect Of this liberal
naturalization law is that the English,
Scotch and others who have come into
the country in recent years now have
votes and they direct or influence
politics in such way as to maintain
harmony with the British colonies to
the south and cast. The Beers, being
very hostile to the alien. have legs-
lated 10 prevent his being naturalized
at all in effect, and have thus, though
a small minority, preserved control Of
the government and continued their
policy Of hostility TO all things Eng
lish. Doubtless tho destiny of the
Transvaal is to be the same as that of
the Orange Free State.
The British South Africa Company's
territory, which lies to the west and
north Of the Transvaal, is a vast EN-
pire Of $50, 900 square miles, directed
by President Cecil Rhodes, the dia-
mond millionaire, who is also premier
of Cape Colony and an advocate of the
policy of consolidating all South
Africa Cape Colony, Natal. the ,
Orange Free State, the Transvaal and
the South Africa Company's Territories
into ono State. The Transvaal is
the chief obstacle to the early realiza-
tion Of this plan. German Southwest
Africa is far to the west of the Trans.
vaa and is parted from it by Bechu-
analand and desert. Germany has no
historical connection or any known tie
with the Transvaa, except perhnns.
that Of remote race connection. Trade
interests. perhaps, account for the
German desire to gain stonper hold
upon the Bocrs. Tho Portuguese. who
mold the lands east of the Transvaal. are
too feeble to need to be taken into