The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-03-27
CAREER AS EMPIRE BUILDER.
The Life-Work CT Cecil Rhodes in South
Africa.

Africa
Although shorn of the great powers
which he once held, Cecil John Rhodes
died the "uncrowned king of South AZ
RIGA" That was the title which he bore
during the years that he was Premier OF
Cape Colony, when he was managing di-
rector of the Imperial British South Af-
RIGA Company and when nc was president
of the De Beers Consolidated Mines, Linn
tied. and that is the title that he would
probably have borne had he lived to the
allotted three score and ten.
Held But One Office.
But of all the official positions which
he once held he had only one when he
died. He resigned the Premiership and
he resigned his place as director OF the
Chartered Company. SO that at his death
he was only the official head and front
of the greatest mining syndicate the
world has ever known. And yet, because
of the work he did. because of the battles
he won for England in the Dark Cont
nent, because of his long record of
achievements, Cecil Rhodes, had he been
stripped of all his titles and practically
spoken of still in England at his death
as tho uncrowned king of South Africa"
Cecil Rhodes was one of the nine chill
dren and the fourth son of the Rev. Fran
els William Rhodes, who died the Vicar
of Bishop Stortford, Herts in the south
of England. few miles north of South
ampton. or the two daughters in the fam
lily, Miss Edith Rhodes went in for liter
ature and gained some fame as the au-
hnr nf Al Oft G,,.,
in Norway
Was Delicate Child
OF the sons, Herbert. the Oldest, died
while hunting elephants in the Shire River
region in 1877. Francis William, the sec
ond son, is colonel OF the First Royal
Dragons, and is now in South Africa:
Ernest Frederick. the third, is a captain
of the Royal Engineers; Elmhirst, the
fifth. is a captain of the Royal Berkshire
Regiment; the sixth, Arthur NJ. is an
ostrich farmer near Port Elizabeth, South
Africa. while the youngest, Bernard NJ,
is captain in the Royal Artillery. So
1t happens that of the seven sons OF "A
clergyman of the Church of England four
became officers in the British army ana
the greatest of the seven was a civilian
Cecil was born at Bishop Stortford on
July o. 1853 He was prepared for the
university at one of the big English public
schools and entered 0riel College, Oxford,
He was delicate lad, and the fear of the
family was that he would be stricken with
consumption. These fears seemed about
to be realized at the end of his second
year at the university, when he returned
home almost literally physical wreck.
The family physician directed that he be
sent to the highlands of South Africa
in the hope that the dry climate would be
beneficial.
Sent Out to Natal.
And so he was sent to his brother Her
bert, who was then a planter in Natal.
The lad began to thrive at once and when
the rush to the blue earth" of Kimber-
ley set in and Herbert Rhodes decided to
try his luck there, Cecil was strong
enough to go along with him.
The two young men shouldered picks
and shovels and went into the mines to
dig for diamonds along with the rest.
They got what they went after, but when
the first excitement wore off Cecil Rhodes
concluded that he knew better game
than digging his own jewels. He made up
his mind, young as he was, that there was
more money for him in South Africa in
hiring men to do the digging for him.
Always a Winner.
H.. .,, WOW, -, ,bo
floor OF the Kimberley Mining Exchange.
With what money he had he began spec
ulating in mining stocks. In those high
fever DAYS there were big advances and
big slumps every few hours. When
there was slump Young Rhodes plunged
and when there was an advance he sold
He was always a winner. 1t seemed i'm
possible for him to make an Improbable
play And thus il transpired thai when
he had barely reached his majority he
found himself a comparatively well-to-do
voung man
In the midst of that early success
Young Rhodes thought Of the degree which
oxford owed him after he had paid oxford
two more years of study. He made up his
mind to get tnat degree, ana SO K ne alsap,
Evchanpc for a while and began to study
The same careful attention he gave to
speculation ana mining STOCKS ne gave 10
ms ponho' anu 80 ~ - - 49,,
Teacy ne weno Dash ~ -, -, M
uesree Vi -. d., ai,el .S,,r az - So,,,h
saFy eAd-hiha 'ioiS' anu neu ~ 1'N'"
Africa c.o,;.o.
Engineered eohsoiiudtloh'
In the meantime one of the many min
to oo,,,aniae which had heen organized
I've -, 49, ~ poo.- ,,i,ir,,
IN hiihperiey was tiie '' daaaa
company, whose capltal was L-VV'ooo'
Rhodes became stockhoider IN the com
pany ana not long alter"aru became us
president AT the same tlihe All me O'hei
companies were Hsh'Ihs one "iolhei' an"
the price OF DIAMONDS became ruihousiy
low.