PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1949, 2 July 1891, Page 39

PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

British South Africa Company.

Last week I promised to give a brief account of the formation and doings of this j company. Its president, as I have before written, is the Hon. Cecil Rhodes, the South African millionaire and Premier. In 1889 it got its charter from the British Government At first it was intended to accurately define its boundaries, but Mr Rhodes was successful in getting its limits left largely undefined* Briefly, its southern limit is accurately defined by Cape Colony and Griqualand WWestt t for it is generally thought that Bechuana. land will be handed over to it. On the west its boundary is the 20bh degree of longitude, which separates it from the German Protectorate of Damara and Namaqualand, which, however, in its northern limit has the right of a free -trade route to the Zambesi, On the east it is definitely bounded by the Orange River Free State and the Transvaal, or the South African Republic— as the Northern Republic ambitiously styles itself —as far as these States extend, but north of them the eastern boundary of the company is intentionally undefined. The northern boundary of the company is equally and just as intentionally indefinite. Mr Rhodes in getting the charter said that it would be preferable to let the boundaries settle themselves, That means might is to be right, for Briton and Boer both despise the inactive and half-bred Portuguese, who are mainly spirit and slave traders, to be pushed aside with but little ceremony. By looking at the map the boundaries as- far as I have given them will be seen at a glance, and it will also be seen that the company cannot afford to let the Portuguese keep possession either of Delagoa Bay or of the Pungwe river, which has the town at its mouth called Port Beira. If this river is not named in your maps, you may mark it as entering the ocean just north of Sofala, after running a general south-east course. These east coast outlets are a necessity. From the Cape to Fort Salisbury, the position of which I gave some weeks ago, the cost of carriage is 60s per 1001b, while from Port Beira it is but 10s Bd, a great saving of money as well as of time. Again, Port Beira, Delagoa Bay, and the Chinde river — the last the chief of the Zambesi mouths — are the only good East African ports. These facts will account for the conflicts on the Pungwe river, the disturbances at Masse Kesse — a town near it in Manicaland — and former disputes about the Delagoa Bay railway and the navigation of the Zambesi. Since its formation the company has acted both on the defensive and offensive. Shortly after its formation in 1889 it was reported that 1000 rifles and 300,000 rounds of ammunition, the former free, were handed over to Lobengula, the ruler of Matabele, Makalaka, and Mashona, by the Company to be used by him. north of the Zambesi, where the Portugese claim sovereignty. Lately it took possession of Manica, has practically taken the Pungwe and Port Beira, and has extended its octopus arms to 200,000 square miles of thej Barotse kingdom, extending north to the Zambesi to about the 15th degree of S. latitude. Judging by past events, especially as Portugal herself is in a bankrupt condition, the Portuguese, if they knew which side their bread is buttered, would accept the £1,000,000 said to have been offered to them a short time ago for their East African possessions, for with the ports and the interior in tte hands of the British the coast line left will be of little or no value to them. So far the company has not appeared to extend its limits westwards into the German Protectorate, which extends from the Orange river to the Ounene, a river flowing west in latitude 17 south. Possibly the country has not proved rich, but as the German company holding it is practically bankrupt it is very possible that the Protectorate will before long also fall into the hands of the company. The whole of South Africa will then be in the hands of Britons and Boers, and as the Boers are being swamped with miners, it seems more than likely that a few years will see South Africa a massive British dependency, ruled to a very large extent by the British South Africa Company.

TAKING POSSESSION.

Last year the company took possession of Mashonaland, but frightened that Lo Kengula might go back on his word or might not be able to restrain his young bloods, the expedition was almost identical with a military force. A large caravan or trekking party was collected at Vryburg, a town in Bechuanaland, nearly west of Pretoria, and just beyond Transvaal territory. This force consisted of nearly 200 pioneers, 200 police, 60 waggons, 500 horses, hundreds of trek and slaughter oxen. Besides goats, provisions for two months were carried with them. The whole of the expedition was in

charge of Major Johnson , and Lieu-tenant-colonel Pennefather. ' Before setting out the whole were thoroughly well exercised in skirmishing, dismounted and advanced guard duty, outpost duty, bayonet exercise, and general mounted infantry drill. On the march a small troop of horse was sent a day in advance to report if any massing of men was taking place. A steam engine generated electricity for a powerful electric light that searched the country for miles around while the camp was resting at night. At half-past 4 in the morning reveille sounded, and all stood to arms till daybreak, when scouts and couples were sent out to scour the country 15 miles in advance and on the flanks. The police and pioneer*, all mounted and also armed with repeating rifles, were divided into four divisions. One division, with a Maxim machine gun, headed the expedition ; and behind it was the second division with a couple of 7-pound ers ; then followed the waggons in two parallel lines, flanked by the third division in sections, the fourth section bringing up the rear with a<Gatling gun. Such an expedition armed with the latest military weapons, and drilled and led by army oflicers, was intended to do more than act as pioneers. Three forts have been established at Forts Victoria, Charter, and Salisbury, the last within six or seven miles of Mount Hamilton. These are garrisoned by armed police in the company's employ, and armed with Gatling guns.

In an article in one of the latest magazines, the results of the company's activity have been thus summed up: 440 miles of waggon road and 140 miles of railway have been made, and 480 miles of telegraph wire laid. By the prompt action of Mr Rhode 3 the Portuguese and Boers have been prevented from annexing what is called Fairest Africa. To the natives it has brought the blessings of peace hope and security, while before the advent of the pioneer force of the company they were compelled by fear of Matebeles and Gouveia, a half caste Portuguese slave owner, to live like crows in the most inaccessible fastnesses of mountains and kopjes. It remains to be seen if this company will be more beneficial to the natives than other ones. On the whole I think civilisation baa been to Africa as much of a curse as a blessing, particularly by the introduction of drink. The following will give an idea of the quantity of " devil in solution " supplied to Africa by Christian Europe. The quantities given were' in ships anchored in Madeira Harbour in one week, all bound for Africa ; and if the quantities be correct, how much must be supplied to Africa by all routes ?—? — 960,000 cases of gin, 24,000 butts of rum, 30,000 cases of brandy, 29,000 cases Irish whisky, 800,000 demijohns of rum, 26,000 barrels of rum, 30,000 cases of Old Tom, 15,000 barrels of absinthe, 47,000 cases of vermouth.

I read somewhere, however, that the company is not going to supply the natives with liquor. Let us hope that they are not, if. only for the sake of our common Christianity.