The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-11
.GLIMPSESI OF SOUTH AFRICA.
IN PEACE AND in WAR.

Southern Africa, that enormous ex-5
panse of.-tropica11y verdant territory ex-
tending from the! Lambesi River to the
Cape OF Good Hope, has for a century
or more lain dormant to the eyes Of the
civilized world. Only within the past
two decades has public attention been
drawn to the wonderful natural re-
sources and mineral wealth of this wild
and rugged land. and yet within this
period, marvellous creations of brilliant
modern cities have supplanted the desert
lands and haunts of savage tribes. The
steady march of civiliza tion, the all-per-5
vading ambition to- accumulate the
wealth of diamonds and gold that lay
beneath the crust Of this benighted land,
each has borne its part In the meta.
1norphosis and heralded to the world
the wonderful possibilities OF that Dark
Continent" for the energy and enterprise
that the twentieth century will bring
to light
In no other country in the world save
our own continent during its colonial
period has progress been marked with
such adversely and strife rs Africa
From the time the early Dutch settlers
landed in the Cape Colony up to the
present there has existed almost a con-
slant state of warfare; the natives dis
putting the advance of the Dutch and
they in turn resenting the inroads of
civilization. In spite Of this, so stren-
uous were the efforts Of the colonists
in their determination to turn to account
the beauties and resources of the land
of their adoption, that to-day they enjoy
the fruits Of their successes in a paradise
of tropical vegetation, a salubrious ell
mate and surrounded by the highest
advantages Of intellectually and lux
uries of civilizatio
&c ha mo-
of government Of the Cape Colony. Its
historical past and present is firmly
linked in the traditions of the early
Dutch and the Huguenots. True, the
old forts and buildings Of distinctly
Dutch architecture still remain, but
magnificent edfices of the most modern
type beautiful botanical gardens and the
public improvements are evidences OF the
wonderful advance Of civilization.
Port Elizabeth is the Liverpool OF
South Africa 1t is great commercial
center. coupled with some of the largest
shipping interests in the world; a city
of the most modern type. essentially
English in character, and possessing
some of the largest as well as the most
architecturally magnificent buildings and
public institutions in South Africa.
Natal is the beautiful, tropical Garden
Colony Its luxurious vegetation and
glorious climate, its wide avenues OF
trees and fine buildings, the native Zulu
servants ard the picturesque costumes
of the Orientals, lend an air of peace
and tranquility, while the marks of
civiliza ton and progress are in evidence
at every turn.
Johannesburg, the Golden, with its fine
architectural creations, public institu-
tions and parks, possesses many attrac-
tons that easily place it as the fore
most city of South Africa It's great
industry, mining, the apparently mex
haustible veins Of gold-bearins quartz,
In which upwards Of seven hundred mill
The attraction for the thousands and
thousands Of "Uitlanders.' whose
.'Erievances'' are substantially the cause
for the cruel war between Briton and
Boer, the battles of which have been
ranked as the ''bloodiest of the century"
SO great has been the interest mani
tested in South Africa and the progress
of the war, and SO eager the thirst for
information, coupled with the demand
for Pictorial History incident to the
scenes of warfare, that the publication
Of "Glimpses of South Africa" has been
undertaken upon a scale of fidelity and
Completeness never before thought of
and involving as it has an expense of
]some ma gnitade.5s H. order that. the
work might be absolutely reliable and
thorough in its character, the publishers
have contracted for its authorship with
Mr. Wy1nble Flemming, an Africander,
whose authority upon South African
matters is world-widely acknowledged.
This gentleman, born in the Cape
Colony, having travelled over nearly
every inch of the country south of the
Lambesi River and lived in South Africa
for nearly thirty years, with an extensive
newspaper experience in Africa, Eng
land and America the author of many
interesting sketches of South African
life and scenery, formerly connected
with the consular service at Port Eliza
beth, whose comments on the war have
been so favorably received by the
American press, and whose magnificent
collection of photographs will appear in
this work, will present South Africa as
it is to-day, with views OF everything of
public interest, including most of the
important scenes of battle and a
graphically Illustrated description of
each stage in the progress of the war.
This great work is published in serial
FORM and when complete will comprise
a magnificent collection of Photographic
reproductions Of the Britsh-Boer war
and South Africa Portfolios distributed
by The Times. For particulars see an
nouncement on another page of this
issue.
kester.'
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