The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-28

2l3 miles, and 10 Pretoria 200 miles.
Between the Vaal and Pretoria. and
only 81 miles southwardly from the
Boer capital. lies the real bone Of con-
tention-the gold mines OF the Rand.
which have an output more than equal
ing that Of all other gold mines i'm the
world combined
IL is-.only -1G years since gold was
found In South Africa. and 10 since the
first stamp mill was erected at Johan-
nesburg. and yet from the comparative
~ small area so far exploited gold 10
the amount OF nearly $iS0.000,00O has
been already taken out.
These mines belong TO the uitlanders.
though at present in the clutches OF the
Beers, who have more than intimated
that i'm event OF the arrival of the Brit
ish army all win be destroyed. The out
put OF the johannesburg mines can be
made TO rise 81 .000. 900 annually. and. II
the Beers are unmolested. they can de-
rive revenue that viii enable them TO
continue their defense for many years
TO come-in fact. 80 long as their cour-
age holds out But IL has been assert
ed, and as often denied. that the mines
are already charged with dynamite, and
i'm case the British enter and take pos
session they will ascend skyward I'm the
grandest blaze OF pyrotechnics ever con-
ceived by man.
Speculation Is rife as TO the pgobabil-
lty of the Beers doing this. for they
could gain nothing by IL but revenge
and the satisfaction OF saddlfhg upon
the foreign stockholders losses that
would be almost inconceivable. But
Kruger and his burghers have already
shown that patriotism is above every
thing I'm their estimation and freedom
more 10 them than gold or gems.
Thirty-seven miles beyond Johannes
burg. more than 1.00c miles from Cape
Town, 511 miles from the British port
of Durham and 349 miles from the Por-
tuguese harbor of Delagoa Bay. lies
the great objective Of all Lord Roberts
efforts--Pretoria, capital city of the
Transyaal. and the probable last inn
portant stand OF the Beers. IL has
population in time OF peace OF about
49, 000 its streets are good. and it Is
lighted by electricity and traversed by
surface cars. The most imposing build
ing is the house OF parliament, which
cost 81. 600 600. On the opposite side OF
the central square on which IL stands
are the law courts. likewise grand and
Of modern design There are also pub
lie library, a market building erected at
a cost of $50 900. a museum contain
ing a fine collection of 'rican curios
and churches of various denominations.
From natural springs three miles dis
tant the city gets a never failing supply
of pure water and there is good sew
erage system.
While the approach TO Pretoria from
johannesburg and the south is compar-
atively level over vast and treeless
plateau, yet on the north. east and west
are rugged mountains. rising from 1000
to 1000 feet above the city the general
level of which is $500 feet above the
sea. The contiguous hills and adjacent
mountains have been fortified to the
limit OF engineering ingenuity. The
sides of the hills have been scarped
their SUBMITS leveled and topped with
domes of masonry. Rife pits. bomb
proofs. intricate lines of fortificati?ns
have been constructed everywhere, un-
I'll there is not kopje without it's
frowning cannon.
The best engineers of Europe have
been for 10 years engaged in making
Pretoria as nearly impregnable as pos
sihle, and the result is not all evident
at a glance, for the main features have
been kept secret. More than $4,000. 900
has admittedly been expended. and