RAILWAY ROMANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20323, 2 August 1929, Page 5

RAILWAY ROMANCE

WEST AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT LINE THROUGH ANGOLA. The construction of the Benguela railway is an achievement worthy of the magnificent spirit of enterprise which British pioneers and .builders haw shown all over Africa. The line was formally opsned at Luao last month by the Portuguese Minister for the Colonies, in the presence of Prince Arthur of Connaught,. Luao, the last point on the line, is just within the Portuguese bordor on the frontier of Angola and the Belgian Congo Colony. Benguela and Lobito Bay on the coast, where the railway starts, are over 800 miles away. When the Belgians have completed the line they are building across their territory from Luao to the existing railway from the Cape, there will bo direct communication between the Katanga area, with its immeasurable mineral treasures, and the sea. By rail Lobito Bay is 600 miles nearer to Katanga than Beira, tho port through which Katanga copper is now exported, and tho port on the west is 2600 miles nearer Southampton thau the port on the east. Yory soon the Belgian lino will be ready. In the meantime, tho British-built railway across Angola is open. It has cost £12,000,000, to build, and tho - work of laying the line, along a route that climbs up 6000 ft., has taken nearly 30 years. These figures givo sono indication of tho energy and persistence required by its authors. Sir Hubert Williams and his associates may well bo proud of what they have done.

The story of the project is a stimulating one. After ho had investigs.ted the mineral prospects oi Southern and then of Northern Rhodesia at the request of Rhodes, Mr. Williams went on into the Belgian Congo, ;md in 1900 he obtained from King Leopold prospecting rights in Katanga lie saw at once the importance of direct access to the sea through Angola, and by 1902 lie had a concession from the Portugueso Government to build a railway across tho province. His indomitable optimism had also inspired sufficient confidences to enable him to get the necessary British financial support, and in 1903 the work was begun. Every difficulty was in turn overcome. More and more millions wcio obtained—not always easily—and tho war imposed nothing worso than delay. Finally tho lino was finished last November. "The formal ceremony last month at the little outpost far in tho wilds of Africa rounds off this exploit of pioneer

fig. Of the value of the new line there can be no question. It is not only the copper of Katanga that is brought very nmc'i nearer to its buyers j tho copper belt of Northern Rhodesia will also be served. Moreover the builders are counting on the pastoral and agricultural development of the Angola plateau, where a network of motor roads already exists to feed tho railwav. Even now, before the transport of copper lias begun, there is an animal traffic worth £200,000. To Angola itself the railway is obviously of the greatest importance. Tho Portuguese Government intends .to devote a large loan to various improvements in the province, and it also hopes to establish short.y a Regular air service between Angola and Portugal. In South-west Africa, as in every quarter of that continent which but yesterday lay roinotc m age-long isolation, tho influences of civilisation increase; even if Angola is not British territory, British engineers may at least claim that they have contributed to the progress ot iheir Portuguese neighbours.