The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-28

made up by local storage of rain water
The average rainfall in the vicinity of
Johannesburg is from twenty-five to tbir-
ty inches per annum; but, being more or
less torrential in character, and limited
to a few months, it is somewhat difficult
to impound. There are, however, within
twenty or twenty-five miles of Johannes
burg, other. sources of water supply,
which will probably be utilized in the
future.
Cornish pumps are by far the most
though electric pumps are coming into
use, especially in shaft sinking, where the
water to be handled is unknown and
tensively used upon the Rand. especially
for development work which is energet-
ically carried on. The Allis drills are
among the most popular Electric drills
have been tried, but thus far without sue
cess.
Great attention is given to the prepare
ton OF maps in the. Underground work
Which assays are plotted. In these re-
spects the Rand practice IS far ahead of
that OF any other country with which I
Reference has already been made to the
labor question. in statistics of the rela-
tive number of whites and blacks en-
nantly British. though many of the i'm
ported members of technical Stats are
Americans: the mine and mill foreman are
usually either Americans or British sub
America. This labor is generally below
the American standard, but is rapidly i'm
proving. Manual workers on the surface
and all miners except those running ma
chine drills are blacks, and the quality of
the black labor Is very poor, especially
on first arriving at the mines. A few
months SoJourn brings them into fine
physical condition, and occasionally they
remain long enough to become expert
NH miners, though it is rare to find among
the boys great efficiency in drilling
holes. Holes are located by the shaft
boss and fired by him. The rapidly in
creasing demand for labor and the OBJ
caused great deficiency of native work.
men, and compelled the use of a large
number of air drills in STOPPING. to consid-
cradle disadvantage Where the reefs are
fiat or small, much larger blocks of ground
must be broken down than with hand
drills. More dynamite also must be used
AN important consideration when dyna-
mite is as costly as it has been on the
Rand, particularly under the monopoly
granted to foreign concessionaries with
whom leading officials of the former gov
eminent were privately associated. An
other disadvantage of the use of dynamite
is the undue amount of fine waste, lower
ing the yield of ore in the battery and in
creasing the production of shines.
Long transportation. and excessive rail-
way rates heretofore charged by the South
African railways have made mining sup
plies excessively high on the Rand. Cen
orally speaking, the cost of the principal
machinery, erected on the ground, will be
TWO ana Ono-nal1 times It's nome cost. In
respect of labor, cost of dynamite, and
charges for railway transport, marked i'm
provement is confidently to be expected
from the change of governmental condi-
lions.
The mining laws Of the Transvaal are
most excellent in character. and while the
claims cover every square foot of land for
an area OF nearly forty miles long by two
to three miles wide, there have been
practically no conflicts over extra lateral
rights.
Notwithstanding the change in the polit-
zeal status of the Transvaa, which will
follow the recently concluded peace and
final establishment of British rule, it may
be confidently assumed that the main
features of the mining law of the South
African republic will be retained, and GER
tain oppressive features of monopolies,
etc, bearing with special weight on the
mining. industry will be abolished. The
dynamite monopoly was one that bore
most heavily on the mining industry; and
according to the reports of the state min
ing engineer. explosives, inducing fuse
and decorators, amounted to nearly 10
per cent of the total working costs of the
mines. Furthermore, 1t was impossible to
obtain the proper quality for the most
economical working, and often 80 per cent
or 40 per cent gelatine had to be used in
many instances where so per cent gelatne
would have been much cheaper These
indeed form no part of the mining law
proper-that is, the law regula ting the
tenure of mining titles. 1t is to be expect
ed, both IN the nature of the case and in
view of the declarations already made by
British statesmen, hat the ancient laws
and customs of the Transvaal will be
retained under British rule, as far as pos
sible. At all events, the principles of
the English common law and immemoriaI
precedents of English practice will un-
doubleday require the determination Of
present rights according to the statute in
&aHoA at the time Of their inception The