The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-26
Our interest," IL south Africa.

Our Interest in South Africa.
The people of the United States have
a more decided interest in the condition
of affairs in South Africa than mere
sentimental sympathy with one or the
other of the combatants The return of
peace conditions there are not only de-
sirable for the general welfare of the
people Of South Africa of all races, but
would have somewhat stimulating effect
upon business in the United States.
When the ravages of the war are being
and in the British South African colonies,
1t is the United States which will be
called upon to furnish a large share of
the material for this work.
Consul General Stowe, in recent re-
port to the state department, calls atten-.
ton to what will be the immediate re-
qnirements of the colonies, when peace
Is finally restored. All through Orange
River colony. for example. the wire fenc-
ing has been destroyed, the posts burned
for fuel and the wire SO badly twisted
that it cannot be used again. In the alb
senee of timber in the country the fenee
posts, TO replace those destroyed. Will
have to be imported. He suggests the
possible use OF iron posts in the future.
The area Of land being put under the
pillow Is limited. as compared with former
years; yet when farming is again re-
sumed there will be large demand for
agricultural implements. as an enormous
amount of machinery of this class has
gone to destruction during the war He
says that the Beers who have returned
| to their homes are anxious TO get to
work again, but that some months will
probably pass before things settle down
| to a normal basis.
| IT is to the reopening OF the mines
| in the Rand that Mr.. Stowe looks to
create a large !. market for American
manufactures He says: .'rhe resump-
tion of mining will bring Improvement in
4
| prises will spring up and orders to the
| value of millions OF pounds sterling will
be placed In the next two years. The
manufacturers of the United States WILL
| with effort, get their share"
recent article in the British and
South African Export Gazette. which Mr..
| cfou. apntaaas fn l,is ranart ebos.a %.
| what extent the manufacturers of the
United States have already beaten those
OF Great Britain, in competing for the
trade OF the South African gold fields /;
the reasons why this country had OBJ
tanned the lead there and was liable TO
retain H. The Americans first obtained
foothold with the polyphase dynamos.
which speedily demonstrated their supe-
riority over the direot-current dynamos
TO which the English manufactures con-
servatively chung. The result Is summed
up rs follows;
American machinery required Amer
leans 10 andersaud Il. the mines engaged
them. The engineers required Americans
TO drive their machinery; they were
forthcoming. New machinery was re-
uuired specifications we're drawn up by
the American engineers 10 their own
language and indicating their own tyne
o. machinery. English makers could not
or would not always quote "a new pat.
terms they had made certain patterns
all their lives ana they we're not going
Co change nnw. Tho next was but a
short step; what mere natural than mat
American dynamos must have American
engines to drive them, American punps
to feed the boilers. ana BE- driven by
American motors. and 20 on al ms
The Gazette says that with the re.
sumption Of mining operations heavy or.
ders win 10 in loF new machinery e.
take The placo q the old, ana for new
plants which the mines have been walt.
lng for years - put down. u gloomlly
anticipates that the great majority OF
these orders VIII be- placed in the United
States. ana warns che English manu-,
sacturers 70 hestir themselves ana change
their methods Or else they viii see them.
SELVES entirely forestalled In the South
African markets by the active ana
aggressive Americans. whose success has
been entirely due To their own enterprise
and the British lack % the same quality.
From all OF which IL would appear thai
tbs return of peace 60 South Africa would