6th,
1899.]

4.--_A Gold Mine is an Industrial Undertaking._

According to the report of the Industrial Commission appointed to
inquire into the mining industry, there were, in 1896, 183 gold mines in
the Transvaal. Of these 79 had been gold-producing, while 104, still in
process of development, had as yet produced nothing. Of the 183 only 25
had paid dividends.

In 1898, a year of great progress, of the 156 mines situated in the
Rand, 40 only were paying dividends, representing, on an average, a
return of 8.7 per cent.

In reality, a gold mine is as entirely an industrial undertaking, as is
any other form of commerce; for its proper development it requires men
of the highest capacity, not a mere set of adventurers, as Dr. Kuyper
and other Pro-Boers tell the simpletons who judge without examining
facts. This is what is said on the subject by Mr. Curle, who saw the
mines at work during his extended and conscientious enquiry:

"The average mine manager, whether in South Africa, or India, or
Australia, or wherever I have met him, is an extremely capable man.
Of course, there are exceptions--some managers are not capable;
some are not even honest, but, as a rule, those in actual charge of
our gold mines to-day are men who can be relied on, but I do not
wish to confine my praise to the managers only. The mine captain,
whose valuable qualities are known more to the manager than to
outsiders, is usually a most capable man, and devoted to his work.
Many and many a time, after his hard day's work should have been
over, has a mine captain cheerfully started off with me on a three
or four hours inspection of his workings, only too delighted to
oblige, and asking merely that his visitor should show an
intelligent interest in what he saw. To these men, and to the other
heads of departments, to battery managers, cyanide works managers,
assayers, samplers, surveyors, office staff; the shareholders in
every mine owe a debt which they do not realise and which is often
inadequately acknowledged. Amongst these men--I could give hundreds
of examples--there is the greatest sense of duty to their
employers, and from one year's end to another, by day and night, in
the bush, on mountain tops, in fever swamps, in wild and deep
places all over the world, they faithfully carry through their
arduous work."

Such is the type of Ui