The evening times., 1900-01-19

o. p. Austin. Chief Of the Treasury Blu.
roau Of Statistics, in a recently ISSUED
statement has the following to say in re-
gard to Cape Colony. the seat OF The pres
eut war between Great Britain and tht
Beers
Cape Colony, which occupies the most
southerly part OF Africa. came under
British control in 1896. Originally disCoy-
cred by the Portuguese in 14S5. il Was
used by their vessels as a place OF call
and for deposit of letters Of passing YES
sells. but ii passed into the possession OF
the Dutch, and in 1862. the Dutch East
India Company established a fort and
occupied the lands adjacent, for the pur-
pose Of furnishing supplies TO their pass
ing ships. but not with the object OF es-
tablishing it as a colony. Ii was cap
tured by the British in 1896. but in 1903
was restored to the Dutch Government.
and in 1906 was again occupied by British
forces, and at the general peace OF 1914
formally ceded to the Dutch Government
10 the British Crown, and soon became a
British colony
Foundation of the Laws
The Dutch population largely remained.
retaining tenaciously their customs and
language which up to the present day is
an officially recognized language in the
colony. the Dutch. as well as the Eng
lish language being used in the Parliament
and the courts. The laws are founded ur
modification of the Roman Dutch law.
The area of Cape Colony is variously
stated at from 277 GOO TO 292 600 square
miles, the length from north to south
being nearly 600 miles, and the breadth
about 450 miles, though this statement of
area and length includes British Bechuan-
aland, which was incorporated with Cape
Colony in 1895, and whose area alone was
81, ,425 square miles
The total population OF the colony is
now given as 2,011, ,305 Of which number
about 100000 are white, the greater NUM-
ber being Of Dutch descent The princi-
pal events since the British came finally
into control are; The first Kaffir war in
1854 the removal OF a portion of the
Beers 10 Natal and the Orange Free State
in 1896; the second Kaffir war. in 1857:
introduction Of representative government
in 1853; first diamond discovery, in 1867;
introduction of responsible government, in
1872; incorporation of Transkein terrific
ries with the colony, in 1855: annexation
OF Rhodesland in 1894, and annexation of
Bechuanaland, in 1895.
Mountain ranges. running at a distance
of from 150 TO 200 miles from the coast oc-
cupy the central and northern parts Of the
original area of Cape Colony the territory
lying between the mountains and the east
being the chief grain and wine producing
districts while along the southeastern
coast where there are summer rains to-
bacco and corn are successfully grown.
Between the mountain ranges of the in
terror are the great sheep, cattle, and horse
ranges. and the important industry of os-
trich farming Still farther north is an
elevated tableland which supports large
numbers of sheep and contains the chief
mineral districts. The agricultural indus
tries are mere especially under the control
of the Dutch population, while those relat-
ing to minerals and commerce are con-
trolled by the British residents.
The Mineral Resources.
"The minerals include extremely rich de-
posits of copper, yielding a percentage OF
from 32 to SO per cent the exports Of 1887
amounting to 27,329 tons, valued in round
terms at 81 SOC, 900. Coal of considerable
value is also produced.
Diamonds, however, are the most valua-
bic product. They are chiefly found at