COMMUNICATIONS — BOOKS OF REFERENCE
851
and diamonds, wliile other inercliandise goes to Basutoland. The trade is estimated as follows for two years : —
—
Imports from (1890)
Imports from (1897)
Exports to (1896)
, Exports to (1897)
Cape Colony .
Natal ....
Basutoland
South African Republic .
Total
£ 845,812 224,440 116,205
£
913,158
185,469
107,987
25,085
£
612,313
116,961
70,751
944,459
£
735,883
127,253
59,368
871,738
1,186,457 1 1,231,699
1,744,484
1,794,242
Gommunicatioiis.
A railway constructed by the Cape Colonial Government connects the Orange River (at Norval's Pont) with Bloemfontein, and Bloemfontein with the Transvaal (at Viljoens drift on the Yaal River), On January 1, 1898, the State took over the railways. The gross profits for the year 1897 were 504,099Z. ; payments for new lines, additional works, stores, &c., 309,488^. ; leaving a balance of 194,611Z. on January 1, 1898, for building new lines, &c. For the debt due to Cape Colony on the transfer of the railways, debentures were passed for 1,692.213Z. Length of railway lines, 366 miles. Capital cost of railways, 2,500,000^. There are roads throughout the districts, ox- waggons being the princiiml means of conveyance.
In the Orange Free State there are 1,429 miles of telegraph line with 1, 683 miles of wire, besides 333 miles of railway telegraph with 999 miles of wire. Bloemfontein is in telegraphic communication with Cape Colony, Natal, South African Republic, and Basutoland
The money, weights, and measures are English. The land measure, the Morgen, is equal to about 2^^ acres.
Consul'Gcneral in London. — Sir AVm. Dunn, Bart.
Statistical and other Books of Reference.
Census van den Oraiye-Vrijstaat, opgenomen op 31 Maart, 1890. Bloemfontein, 1891.
Broicn (A. S. and G. G.), Guide to South Africa. London, 1897.
Jo/m^ton (Keith), Africa. London, 14)84.
Noble (J.), Illustrated Official Handbook of the Cape and South Africa. Cape Town. Johannesburg, and London, 1893.
Norris-Ncwvian (C. L.), With the Boers in the Transvaal and Orange Free State. London, 1882.
Sandeman (E. Y.), Eight Months in an Ox-Wagon. London, 1880.
Silver's Handbook to South Africa. 4th Edition. London, 1891.
The Argus Annual and S. African Directory, 1897. Cape Town, 1890.
Trollope (Anthonj), South Africa. 2 vols. London, 1878.
Weber (Ernest de), Quatre ans au pays des Boers. Pans 1882.
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