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Transverse Rib—Transylvania
Nevertheless, on economic as well as political grounds, the leaders of both parties in the Transvaal were prepared to consider favourably the proposals put forward by Dr Jameson at the close of 1906 for a closer union of all the self-governing colonies, and the first direct step to that end was taken at an inter-colonial conference held in May 1908. The history of this movement, which resulted in the establishment of the Union of South Africa on the 31st of May 1910, is given under South Africa: History, § D. Apart from this movement the most notable events in the Transvaal at this period were the development of agriculture,[1] the gradual revival of trade (the output of the gold mines in 1909 totalled £30,925,000, and at the end of the year 156,000 native labourers were employed), and the continued difficulty with regard to British Indians. Ministers declared their determination to keep the Transvaal a white man’s country. With the example of Natal before them as a warning, it was (they argued) to the whites a question of life and death, and unless registration were enforced they could not prevent the surreptitious entry of new-comers. Attempts at compromise made in 1908 ended in failure. For failing to register Mr M. V. Gandhi and other leaders were imprisoned; and large numbers of Indians were deported. Notwithstanding the remonstrances of the Indian government, the imperial authorities could not effectively intervene; a self-governing colony (in which whites alone possessed the franchise) must be allowed to take its own course. By the end of 1909 it was stated that 8000 Indians—most of whom claimed the right of domicile—had been compelled to leave the country, while 2500 had been imprisoned for failure to comply with the Registration Act. The establishment of the Union of South Africa removed from the competence of the Transvaal provincial council all legislation specially or differentially affecting Asiatics. Thereupon the Union ministry was urged by the British government to effect a permanent settlement acceptable to all parties. The ministry replied (July 23, 1910) that whatever policy might be adopted regarding Indians legitimately resident in South Africa, unrestricted Indian immigration into the Transvaal would not be permitted (see Blue-book Cd. 5363).
When the Union was established General Botha became prime minister, two of his colleagues, Messrs Smuts and Hull, also joining the Union ministry. A fourth minister—Mr Rissik—was appointed first administrator of the Transvaal province, while a fifth minister, Mr E. P. Solomon, became a senator of the Union parliament. The elections to the Union House of Assembly, held in September, were notable as showing the strength of the Progressive (or Unionist) party. General Botha was defeated at Pretoria East by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, and at Georgetown—a Rand constituency—Mr Hull was beaten by Sir George Farrar. Both ministers, however, subsequently secured seats elsewhere.
Bibliography.—(1) General descriptions, zoology, ethnology, economics, &c.: A. H. Keane, The Boer States, Land and People (1900); Harriet A. Roche, On Trek in the Transvaal (1878); Mrs Carey-Hobson, At Home in the Transvaal (2 vols., 1884); H. L. Tangye, In New South Africa (1896); J. Æ. C. A. Timmerman, “Eenige opgaven betreffende de Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek” (valuable bibliographies), Tijds. k. ned. Aarde. Genoots. (Leiden, 1896); H. Hettema, jun., “Geschiedenis van het grondgebied der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek,” Tijds k. ned. Aarde. Genoots. (1901), xviii.; T. G. Trevor, “The Physical Features of the Transvaal,” Geog. Journ. (July, 1906); W. L. Distant, A Naturalist in the Transvaal (1892), and Insecta transvaaliensia (1900 seq.); M. R. Collins, “Irrigation in the Transvaal,” Minutes of P. I. Civil Engineers (1906); R. T. A. Innes, “Meteorology in the Transvaal,” Journ. Scottish Met. Soc. (1909), xv.; D. E. Hutchins, Transvaal Forest Report (Pretoria, 1904); Transvaal Dept. of Agriculture, Annual Reports (Pretoria); Transvaal Agricultural Journal (Pretoria, monthly); British War Office, The Native Tribes of the Transvaal (1905); Short History of the Native Tribes of the Transvaal (Native Affairs dept., Pretoria, 1905); E. Gottschling, “The Bawenda,” Journ. Anthrop. Inst, (1905), xxxv.; R. Wessman (trans. Leo Weinthal), The Bawenda of the Spelonken (1908); Report on the Census of 1904 (Pretoria, 1906); Reports of the South African Assoc.; Annual Reports of the Transvaal Chamber of Mines (Johannesburg): L. V. Praagh, The Transvaal and its Mines (1907); W. Bleloch, The New South Africa (1901); J. Buchan, The African Colony (Edinburgh, 1903); L. E. Neame, The Asiatic Danger in the Colonies (1907); J. Leclercq, Les Boers et leur état social (Paris, 1900).
History.—For the period from the foundation of the Transvaal to 1872 see G. McCall Theal, History of South Africa since 1795 (5 vols., 1908 ed.); for general summaries consult Sir C. P. Lucas, History of South Africa to the Jameson Raid (Oxford, 1899), and F. R. Cana, South Africa from the Great Trek to the Union (1909). Also H. Kloessel, Die südafrikanischen Republiken (Leipzig, 1888); D. Postma, Eenige schetsen voor eene geschiedenis van der Trekboeren (Amsterdam, 1897); A. Siedel, Transvaal (Berlin, 1900); J. F. v. Oordt, P. Kruger en de opkomst der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (Amsterdam, 1898); C. J. van der Loo, De Transvaal en Engeland (Zwolle, 1898 ed.); J. Poirier, Le Transvaal 1852–1899 (Paris, 1900); G. Demanche, “La Formation de la nation Boer,” Rev. française (1906), xxxi. For more detailed study, besides the Transvaal and British official publications (cf. Williams and Hicks, Selected Official Documents, 1900), see Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, The Transvaal from Within (1899); A. Aylward, The Transvaal of To-day (Edinburgh, 1878); R. J. Mann, The Zulus and Boers of South Africa (1879); H. Rider Haggard, Cetywayo and his White Neighbours (1882); W. J. Leyds, The First Annexation of the Transvaal (1906); A. P. Hillier, Raid and Reform (1898) and South African Studies (1900); Report of the Trial of the (Johannesburg) Reform Prisoners (1896); Report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons on the Jameson Raid, Blue-book (165) of 1897; Report of the Select Committee of the Cape Parliament on the Jameson Raid (Cape Town, 1896); Jameson Trial, Transcript from Shorthand Writers’ Notes and Copies of Exhibits (2 vols., 1896); E. T. Cook, Rights and Wrongs of the Transvaal War (1901); Lionel Phillips, Transvaal Problems (1905).
For the Majuba campaign, see Sir Wm. Butler, Life of Sir George Pomeroy Colley (1899), and the British Blue Books C. 2783, 2837, C. 2966 and C. 2950 of 1881. For the war of 1899–1902, see the British official History of the War in South Africa (4 vols., 1906–1910); “The Times” History of the War in South Africa (7 vols., 1900–1909); C. R. de Wet, Three Years’ War (1902); Sir A. Conan Doyle, The Great Boer War (1902); German army staff, The War in South Africa, trans. by Colonel W. H. H. Waters (1904); L. Penning, De Oorlog in Zuid-Afrika (Rotterdam, 1899–1903); G. Gilbert, Guerre sud-africaine; H. Langlois, Lessons of Two Recent Wars (Eng. trans., 1910); Handbook of the Boer War (1910).) (F. R. C.)
Transverse Rib (Fr. arc doubleau), the term in architecture given to the rib of a vault which is carried across the nave, dividing the same into bays. Although as a rule it was sunk in the barrel vault of the Thermae, it is found occasionally below it, as in the Piscina at Baiae and the so-called Baths of Diana (Nymphaeum) at Nîmes. In the Romanesque and Gothic styles it becomes the principal feature of the vault, so much so that Scott termed it the master rib (see Vault).
Transylvania[2] (Lat. Transsilvania; Ger. Siebenbürgen; Hung. Erdély; Rumanian, Ardeal), a former principality (Grossfürstentum) occupying the extreme eastern portion of the kingdom of Hungary. It is bounded by Hungary proper on the W. and N., by Bukovina on the N.E. and by Rumania on the E. and S., and has an area of about 21,000 sq. m.
Transylvania has the form of an irregular circle, and is a high plateau of a mean altitude of 1000–1600 ft. above sea-level, surrounded on all sides by mountains. These are known under the general name of Transylvanian Mountains (q.v.), which are the south-eastern continuation of the Carpathian system, and fill the interior of the country with their ramifications. On the west or Hungarian side there are comparatively easy passes into the interior, but on the east and south frontiers the lofty mountains give Transylvania the aspect of a huge natural fortress. Among the highest peaks are Negoi (8345 ft.), Bucsecs (8230 ft.), Pietrosu (7544 ft.) and Königstein (7352 ft.). There are numerous valleys, ravines and cañons in the network of mountains covering the interior of the country. The principal plains are: in the valley of the Szamos near Dés and Besztercze (Bistritz); in the middle course of the Maros the beautiful Hátszeg valley; the fertile Cibin valley around Nagy-Szeben; the valley of the Aluta near Csik-Szereda, and the one extending from Reps to the Roteturm pass; and lastly the beautiful and fertile Burzenland in the vicinity of Brassó. The altitude of the valleys generally increases towards the east of Transylvania, the lowest depression being found in the western part of the Maros valley. Almost in the centre of the country lies a fertile plain about 60 m. in length and 50 m. in breadth, called Mezöség or
- ↑ The government expended over £1,000,000 on a land and agriculture bank and in 1910 made a grant of £100,000 towards the establishment of a college of agriculture at Pretoria.
- ↑ The Latin name appears first after the 12th century, and signifies “beyond the woods,” i.e. from Hungary; the Hungarian and Rumanian name both mean “forest land.” The German name is usually derived from the seven principal fortified towns or “burgs,” founded by the German colonists, though some authorities prefer to connect it with the Cibin Mountains on the south frontier.
