The Washington herald., 1906-12-02

London. Dec. I.-Great schemes are
afOot for the opening up Of Central
Africa by railway system from the West
Coast that will eventually link up with
the Cape-tO-Cairo route and develop a
vast area of mineral wealth
The Benguella Railway. the first sec
uons of which are already opened for
traffic, has its coast terminus at Lobito
Bay. the finest natural harbor in South
Africa, and already q regular port Of
call FOR the Union Castle and other liners.
The railway, which runs in an easterly
direction through Angola, will form part
Of new highway that in a few years
ume Will shorten the journey from Lon
don 10 Johannesburg by 5000 miles.
An African Pioneer
The originator of this striking scheme
is Robert Williams, the managing director
OF the Tanganyika Concessions. Limited.
Mr. Williams is one of the early pioneers
of South Africa, and an intimate friend
of the late Cecil Rhodes. The Tan
ganytka Concessions, Limited, was regis
tered in January, 1899. 10 take over a con
cession secured by Mr.. Williams in North
ern Rhodesia. carrying the right 70 pros
pect within an area of 1900 square miles
Tor two years. and TO locate I,000 mining
, claims anywhere in Northern Rhodesia.
George Grey, brother Of the present
secretary of state for foreign affairs.
was appointed leader of the first expedi-
ton. with Instructions To prospect as close
up TO the Congo State frontier as pos
sible. He discovered the Kansanshf mine.
within twelve miles of the frontier. and
almost simultaneously Mr.. Williams Sc
cured the sole right to prospect for min
erals over about 00CO square miles in the
district controlled by the Special Katanga
Committee, the body elected TO admins
ter the properties of the King of the
Belgians in the Congo Free State
In 1902 Mr.. Williams secured the Ben
guella Railway and mineral concession,
with the. right 10 construct a railway
from the pier at LObitO Bay. on the West
Coast, to the Portuguese frontier and
with sole right 70 prospect for minerals
over about 10000 square miles of Portu-
guese Angola.
Millions of Tons of Copper.
The United Mines OF Upper Katanga is
the first minerals company formed. with
a capital Of 100000 OF which the Tan
ganyika Concessions. Limited, holds -
per cent, the discoveries taken over con-
sisting of 100 copper mines. extending over
Il belt 200 miles long, on which develop
lnent or exploitation works have opened
up copper ore representing millions Of
81, tons in ten mines out OF the 100. The
Engineer Of the Congo State has reported
THAT there are 2,eJ0,0 Geo tons of the metal
exposed. and It is worth nearly $500 per
ton to-day. There is also a TIN belt bear
ing reef extending fer "a distance OF 10
miles. in which are three proved mines
reported upon Is containing cassiterite
valued at three millions sterling when
tin was $500 per ton.
Network of Railroads.
The Rhodesian Railways q part of the
CaPe-to-CairO scheme of Cecil Rhodes.
have passed Broken Hiu. to the north OF
the Victoria Falls, ara are within about
20 miles of Kansanshi Within the next
twelve months it IS expected that the ex-
tension to this point viii be completed,
and that viii be the signal for the be-
ginning Of prOnt-earning on a substantial
scale by the Tanganyika Concessions. The
Benguelia line, which is 500 miles short
er than any other route to the coast
must eventually be the economic railway
Tor the service of IN undertaking which
promises TO establish the greatest copper
industry IN the world and bernHs one OF
the greatest factors in carrying civiliZa-
IiOn into the very heart of Africa