The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-29
OIL LANDS IN SOUTH AFRICA.
The Consul General at Cape Town
Directs Attention TO Them.

Directs Attention 10 Them.
James G. Stowe. the United States Con-
sui General at Cape Town, South Africa
has transmitted to the State Department
| a report from Mr.. SeavIll mining and
| land agent of Kimberley, on the discovery
| of indications of mineral oil in South Al
RIGA. with reports on such indications by
| geological and mining experts, from which
| the following extracts have been taken:
| The supposed oil belt in South Africa
| extends from the Ceres district across the
| country to Mossel Bay on the coast. go
miles east of Cape Town The geological
formation is the Devonian period through
out. locally known as the 'Bokyeldt beds.
The most important oil fields of the West
ern Hemisphere belong to the CaTDonIfer-
Gus and Devonian periods. The marked
| indications Of the existence OF petroleum
in this belt are small quantities OF gas
escaping near the contact between the
shales and sandstone. irrfdescent, oily
looking patches of finn upon the surface
OF standing water near these contacts:
mysterious fires occurring on the bare
Ysldt. burning for two or three hours at a
time In the Mossel Bay district, another
evidence Of the existence of petroleum is
found in the shape of a pitchy, bitumfnous
substance between shales in the Gourftz
River
The geological and physical character
and condition of the rocks in the Mossel
district are favorable. The shaies of the
Bokyeldt series are compact and reten-
tive in depth, while the sandsto ones and
other beds of the table mountain sand
stone which accompany the sfta1es are
well fitted by nature to act as reservoirs.
IN the Ceres, Cape Colony. district the
question of the quantity of oil held in the
sandstone VIII depend on four conditions:
First, synclinaI trough where the oil
can accumulate; second, that both the
floor and the roof of the stratum should,
to large extent be impervious, the
floor forming the bottom Of the basin 10
| accumulate the oil and prevent 1t from
escaping below. the roof to still further
eoniine II under pressure; fourth that the
country should not be broken by the in
tFuslve action Of any ig9Ieous rocks. These
conditions are fulfilled on the Wagons
boom River farm, where the Indications
OF petroleum are most noticeable. The al
utude here is about 2, ss0i feet. \ pipe lire
could be constructed over a natural eyrs-
dient TO reach Cape Town, in case a well
were sunk at this point Two small com
panIeS nave been formed in Kimberley,
for the purpose of securing prospective
rights. and have obtained come 81, go or
Ig,093 acres
"A syndicate has also been formed at
Kimberley. which has secured contracts
covering about go farms in the MosseI
Bay district; but, beyond getting reports
and putting down 3-inch bore hole to
~ feet OF. Battles Cat, nothing has been
done in the way of active prospecting
Neither the two Kimberley companies
nor the MOssel Bay syndicate are in a
financial position to carry on the work
nor are they. at present able to secure
the necessary capital for the purpose.
The difficulties surrounding prospect
ing for petroleum in South Africa are
very great, and may be stated as follows:
FIRST, the urgent want OF experienced oil
prospectoTs competent to decide authorf-
tativefy on oil formations and conditions,
to locate proper spots for boring and to
conduct operations to any necessary
depth. and second, the want of capital
The area Of country showing Indications
is so great and the land so cheap that
it might be worth the serious attention
of Americans interested in the oil indus
try There are no laws in Cape Colony
referring TO petroleum mining, and up to
quite recently. tie Crown has claimed no
rights whatever, but the surveyor gen
erai has had such rights reserved in all
recent issues of titles to Crown lands
The contracts made give the wood and
water included, in the event of any pay
able mineral being found a 25-yeaF lease
to be granted to the conceSsionaires, with
cent Of the net profits. The contracts do
within stated time and n most cases,
the farms outright for moderate sum-
ports of refined mineral oils from the
Tit -+e,4c