The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

TBAPE OF CAPE roi,OXY. 143The colonial trade, wliicli normally increases from decade to decade at a morerapid rate than the population itself, has nevertheless temporarily decreased sincethe exportation of wool and ostrich feathers has been cheeked by long droughts,reckless speculation, changes of fa^;hion, and competition. But notwithstandingthis falling off, the movement of the foreign exchanges is still relatively equal tothat of France, that is, allowing for the immense difference between the populationsof the two countries. Xearlj- the whole of the foreign trade of the Cape iscarried on with England, and this is specially true of the exports, while morethan one-third of the rest is taken by the other British colonics. Direct commerceof France with South Africa can scarcely be said to exist.Nearly the whole of the carrying trade of the colony is in the hands of theEnglish, the seaborne tralBc being almost exclusively carried on b}- vessels flj'ingthe British flag. Although somewhat thrust aside and removed from the greathighway between "Western Europe and the East Indies bj- the opening of the SuezCanal, the Cape is now -visited by a greater number of ships than at the timewhen the Jleditcrranean was still separated from the Red Sea. The improvementin mechanical appliances now enables the ocean steamers plying between Englandand Australia to replenish their coal bunkers at Cape Town without putting intothe inner harbour. The annual amount of British trade carried on in this way byvessels doubling the Cape without landing at the capital, is estimated at not lessthan £-jO,000,000.Cape Town is also now connected with the telegraphic sj-stemsof Europe and the New "World by means of a cable which touches at nearly allthe chief seaports along the west coast of Africa. Another cable, which was thefirst to be laid down, connects the colony with Zanzibar, Aden, India, China, andAustralasia.HlGinVAYS OF CoMMfXICATIOX.In the interior of the country the network of communications is being rapidlydeveloped. A great change has been effected since the days when the Boersmoved about from district to district and carried out their great northwardmigrations under almost incredible difficulties. In the total absence of properlyconstructed roads they had to drive their cumbrous waggons over rough andirregular tracks, across sandy or stony wastes, muddy depressions, and thornyscrub. These huge vehicles were constructed of a hard clastic wood, grindin"-and groaning at every jolt. They had to bo made disproportionately wide to keepthem from toppling over as they suddenly plunged into the wayside ruts, and theywere divided like movable houses into various compartments for the provisions,the household utensils, the merchandise, and sleeping arrangements. A stoutawning covered the whole, sheltering the inmates of these ambulatory dwellingsfrom rain, wind, and dust. Usually several families migrated in concert, to affordeach other mutual aid during rough weather, or in case of attack from theaborigines or from wild beasts.As many as eight or ten thus followed in a longline, winding over the track and each drawn by a team of several pairs of oxen