Oom Paul's People: A Narrative of the British-Boer Troubles in South Africa, with a History of the Boers, the Country, and Its InstitutionsHillegas, Howard Clemens
History
Oom Paul's People: A Narrative of the British-Boer Troubles in South Africa, with a History of the Boers, the Country, and Its Institutions
Hillegas, Howard Clemens
Afrikaners -- History; Kruger, Paul, 1825-1904; Transvaal (South Africa) -- History -- 1880-1910
Among the many other articles of export to South Africa are flour, corn,
butter, potatoes, canned meats, and vegetables--all of which might be
produced in the country if South Africans took advantage of the
opportunities offered by soil and Nature. American live stock has been
introduced into the country since the rinderpest disease destroyed
almost all of the native cattle, and with such successful results that
several Western firms have established branches in Cape Town, and are
sending thither large cargoes of mules, horses, cattle, and sheep.
Cecil J. Rhodes has recently stocked his immense Rhodesian farm with
American live stock, and, as his example is generally followed
throughout the country, a decided increase in the live-stock export
trade is anticipated.
Statistics only can give an adequate idea of American trade with South
Africa; but even these are not reliable, for the reason that a large
percentage of the exports sent to the country are ordered through London
firms, and consequently do not appear in the official figures. As a
criterion of what the trade amounts to, it will only be necessary to
quote a few statistics, which, however, do not represent the true totals
for the reason given. The estimated value of the exports and the
percentage increase of each year’s business over that of the preceding
year is given, in order that a true idea of the growth of American trade
with South Africa may be formed:
YEAR. Value. Per cent
increase.
1895 $5,000,000
1896 12,000,000 140
1897 16,000,000 33 1/8
1898 (estimated) 20,000,000 25
A fact that is deplored by Americans who are eager to see their country
in the van in all things pertaining to trade is that almost every
dollar’s worth of this vast amount of material is carried to South
Africa in ships sailing under foreign colours. Three lines of
steamships, having weekly sailings, ply between the two countries, and
are always laden to the rails with American goods, but the American flag
is carried by none of them. A fourth line of steamships, to ply between
Philadelphia and Cape Town, is about to be established under American
auspices, and is to carry the American flag. A number of small American
sailing vessels trade between the two countries, but their total
capacity is so small as to be almost insignificant when compared with
the great volume carried in foreign bottoms.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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