The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-21
THE NEW TRANSVAAL RAID.
CAUSES OF THE PRESENT lGITA-
TON AGAINST THE BOERS.

Development in Africa 80 Artificial Ma
ture of the Campaign Against the Beers.
LONDON. NAV 13.-The thorn which more
than any other rankles the British lion has
again set him roaring. The more serious dan
gers OF the past two or three years. which
threatened him sometimes on all sides at
once. have been disposed OF. temporarilycat
least. and the disposinR OF them has been nc
oomplished silently. save for an occasional low
growl that meant a great deal moro than the
angry passion into which the great beast is
now flashing himself. 1t is foolish OF the old
lion to persist In putting his paw upon the only
spot Ia the continent OF Africa where he knows
that the keenest OF thorns Is sure to make him
how with pain. This time he has roared
almost before he was hurt and his roar is n
declaration that at no matter what cost the
Kruger thorn must be swept from his path.
So the anti-Boer agitation In this country is
being fomepted.persistentlys aud thoroughly
and It promises soon to be overwhelming in
its effect upon the public conscience and the
policy Of the. Government. But 1t is far from
true that the rising outcry:against the Trans
vaal Government In this country Is a natural
and spontaneous outburst OF public indigna-
sion. It is an artificial agitation. a manufac-
tured. not a genuine. sentiment. and the mo-
tives OF It's promoters are OF the most sordid
description. 1t may be admitted at once that
the harassed. Government OF the Transvaal is
arbitrary. unfair and even unjust In some rea-
tures Of it's policy and its treatment OF for
eigners. 1t would be astonishing under the
circumstances IL IL were not so. 1t must be
taken for granted also. that IL Is next to i'm
possible now to obtain from Africa itself an
unprejudiced statement OF the facts OF tho sit
ua'ion. But ths:artiHcial nature OF the cam
paiRn Just begun In England Is so palpable that
It should be clear to all the world. There Is
not much doubt. l fear. that II will result be-
fore very long In the sweeping away Of tho
Transvaal republic in its present form Of gov
eminent: and that is a national tragedy. which
will attract at least the sympathetic attention
of Christendom.
Both the causes and the motives OF the pres
ent attack upon the Beers are disclosed in the
great speech which Mr.. Cecil Rhodes delivered
10 the shareholders Of the Chartered Company
last Tuesday and in the events which have
followed.it. A year ago. upon a similar occa-
sion. Mr.. Rhodes made a speech which attract
cd world wide attention and which by reason
OF its disclosure OF marvellous resources with
in the company's newly acquired territories
stimulated greatly the speculationIin its securi-
ties. This week he dwell upon fresh wonders
and newly developed riches IL the vast region
now brought back into the domain Of civiliza-
tion (for evidence abounds that 1t was the CEN
ire OF the civiiizatlon'of another age). and yet
chs effect Of his latest speech has been Il sharp
slump In the market value Of the company's
securities.
And yet Mr.. Rhodes declared in effect that
tho mineral wealth OF Rhodesia was fabulous
and incalculable. "I.have been.convinced. he
said. almost against my extreme caution.
We had the marvellous products OF the Rand.
and one could hardly believe that nature should
be so prolific In Africa south Of the Zambesi
and should repeat Its enormous payableimin-
Oral deposits in our country as well as in the
Transvaal. But I can tell you now that l have
no doubt about It. l nave no doubt about the
payable nature OF our mines. and what appals
one 10 the enormous number OF them. / have
asked the Secretary here to compile some
notes from the records OF the Office and If
do not tire you l will read them. Cheers
These are reports received at.the Office as to
the results OF careful inquiry:with regard to q
very few OF the mines. On Sept. 80 last you
had 10000 claims registered in Rhodesia.
You must remember that every one who reg
listers a claim does not do so unless he has
found that the quartz has gold In 1t. because he
10 liable to certain obligations. He is liable
to have to sink shafts or make drives on his
mine. or pay fines for noc-workinE. No
one. therefore. would be so foolish as to regis
ter a claim unless he was satisfied that the
quartz reolS WCTek mlnerdllZeu -tnat is. tndJ
gold was contained in the quartz. Well. the
number Of claims registered In Rhodesia on
Sept. 80 last was, as l have said. 100000.
That is something gigantic. but you must re-
member that they arc spread over u country
from 400.to 500 miles long. and. az far as the
mineralized area goes. we know now Of a
width OF 200 miles.
The whole OF it Ia full OF old workings.
Who the people were who worked at them we
know not: whether they were the Phunicians.
who were succeeded by the Arabians. and sub
ssauently by the Portuguese. is still doubt
full. but the:fact remains that the whole coun-
cry Is full OF old workings. We had at first the
doubt that these old workings would prove on
investiR alton to represent at their present
depth the limit OF the ore. but or trials have
shown that the limit Of the depth was due to
the falling in Of the sides. and that practically
the ancients who discovered them we're driven
out By the water. The caps Of the reefs are
gone. but the reefs remain below equally rich"
Mr.. Rhodes outlined the result already ac-
complished in ancient workings OF the four
mining companies in Rhodesia which have
succeeded in getting batteries ut work. One
company has already taken 1900 ounces OF
gold from $1,000 tons OF ore. 1t has been
found" he continued. that these old work
%ings-they ere all old workings. | belieYe-were
not worthless. and that they had been left by
the ~ancients because they had been driven out
by water. We have this huge balance to deal
With. and our start has been Il very successful
one. l cannot help believing that in this mat
ter we shall hold our own with the best gold
producing States OF the world. l think hat
am justified In making that statement. and l
make 1t after very careful thought. attor very
close inquiry. and after being personally thor
oughly convinced. and you mast remember
my statements In the past. when | have often
been almost tempted to say encouraging words
about the condition OF the mineralization OF
the country. but have always simply said TO
you that 1t is highly mineralized. and that |
would say no more. You must. therefore. give
moro weight to the man who. with full re-
sponsibility and after careful thought, SAYS
that he considers that the country Possesses
many very powerful propositions. and propo-
sitions OF a very high class. | have no doubt
OF the future OF the country as a gold produc-
ing State. and | say these words knowing the
full responsibility Of my statement