The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-20
E%ngland's Iron Spinal Cord Through
Africa.

HkAlSo
What may be termed gratified enmity is
the predominant note in the p9ans of
triumph with which the English press has
greeted the completion of the railway that
brings Buluwayo into direct communication
with Cape Town. 1t Is no doubt a remark
able achievement even in this age of rapid
progress. 1t seems but a few months ago
that we were reading of the doings of King
LoBENGULA and his stalwart Matabele
warriors, and to-day they are only shadows
of a memory.
The spirits of the kingly savage and his
warriors and the shades of their ancestors
hardly have had time to dissociate them
selves from their earthly surroundings, yet
the shrek Of the locomotive already echoes
through their mountains, the advance
guard of the incoming races that will sup
plant the old. But the development Is
forced and unnatural. 1t was not called
for by pressure of population from behind,
but is solely for purposes Of conquest and to
crafty racial ambition.
The line from Cape Town to Buluwayo is
spoken of as England's "spinal cord" that
is to run through Africa to Cairo on the
Nile, and that Is to give her the DONNA
ton of all that immense region. Gratifca-
ton is expressed that Germany has been
forestalled and headed off, and the expecta-
ton is confidently expressed that it will
break down the policy of President KRt-
GER by which the Transvaal was to be rem
dered Independent of British railways for
its trade with the outside world.
1t is intimated distinctly that the line
49, r.. A. -uo.l L..
jects in view. One writer describes it as a
bristling iron fence against the western
boundary Of the Beers country, which it
hugs with suspicious closeness. From KIM
berley to Palapye it furnishes a number of
bases from which columns may easily start
to concentrate on Pretoria. There are
Vryburg, Mafeking, Pitsani, and Palapye,
to all of which troops can now be moved
from Capetown within a week.
1t was thought remarkable that Presi-
dent KRuGER and other prominent Beers
absented themselves, although invited to
the festivities of the occasion; but IL Is
only a short time since the Jameson raid,
and the Beers have good memories and a
keen appreciation of the possibilities in so
wild a region. One writer says that loom
PAUL is evidently fearful of the use to
which Mr.. RHoDEs's railway may be put"
and admits that she has good ground for
his suspicious" That being 80, It is hardly
a matter of surprise that the Beers stayed
away from a gathering to rejoice over the
completion of an enterprise avowedly
aimed at the destruction of their cherished
independence.
The Cape Town-Buluwayo Railway, how.
ever, is not the only bristling iron fence
with which the British are inclosinR the
Transvaal. Another line on the north,
which starts from the mouth of the Pungwe
River at Beira on the Portuguese Mozam,
bique coast and goes to Salisbury in Ma,
%shonaland, will soon be in running order
n in the course of time will be con
nected with Buluwayo. In this way the
Transyaal will be encircled completely
on land, while it's only outlet or
the seacoast lies under the guns Of
a British squadron. The Portuguese Gov
eminent, under pressure, has given ex
ceedingly favorable tariff conditions FOL
British goods passing through its territory
and has made treaty arrangements with tn,
British Government by which, should Por
tugal ever part with its East African colo
MES, 1t will cede them to England. Thi
is a case in which England proposes; Their,
is, however, good reason to believe tina
federated Europe, minus England, intend
to have IA say in this very important ques
) tion whenever 1t arises.
How deeply the memory of Majuba Hill
; and JAMEsoN's iasco has sunk into tn,
minds Of the English lingo party may b