Asiatic Quarterly Review (Full Title: The Imperial and Asiatic Quarterly Review, and Oriental and Colonial Record): Volume XIII, No. 26 [‎550v] (225/238)

43 §
Summary of Events.
The estimates for the current financial year amount to ^5,471,000 as
compared with ,£4,674,967 last year. The loan expenditure shows an
increase of ,£500,000, chiefly for the Cape-Natal Railway.
Orange River Colony.—T he net revenue for the six months ended
December 31 last amounts to ,£32,000, notwithstanding that nothing has yet
been received on account of railway profits, which in normal times varied
from ,£400,000 to ^£"500,000 a year. The total receipts for the period
named were ^£131,000, while the expenditure amounted to ,£99,000.
A sum of ,£400,000 has been spent on the refugee camps, including
,£30,000 for the native camps. The whole of this expenditure has been
recovered from Army funds.
Cape Colony.—T he imports for the year ended December 31 last
amounted to ^£23,990,543, against ,£19,678,336 in 1900. This total
includes specie ,£2,575,871, against £2,516,525 in 1900. The exports
amounted to £10,873,273, against £8,147,670 in the previous year. The
main items are colonial products, £4,017,158; diamonds, £4,930,104; and
gold, £1,225,899.
The net earnings of the Cape Government Railways during 1901 were
equal to a dividend of £4 8s. qd. per cent.
South Africa : The Seat of War.—I n January continuous rains
everywhere interrupted operations in the Transvaal. Lord Methuen’s
column overtook a Boer commando near Boschport, and captured the
whole laager. Kekewich surprised Klassen’s laager at Paardeberg, taking
prisoners. The Boers in the Eastern Transvaal have become demoralized
on account of numerous captures made there by us. Commandant Hans
Botha, General Ben Viljoen, and General Erasmus, and many other Boer
officers, have been captured, and General J. D. Opperman killed. The
blockhouse line has been several times rushed by the enemy by means of
immense droves of cattle, and many of the enemy have crossed. Colonel
firman’s camp at Tweefontein was successfully rushed by a large force of
1,200 under De Wet, when 6 officers, including Major Williams, and 50
men were killed, and 8 officers wounded. Lord Kitchener has given
permission to the Boer General Vilonel to raise a new burgher corps of
1,500 men, and the General has written to ex-President Steyn telling him
that the formation of the corps is the outcome of his obstinacy. The
activity of some of the Boer leaders, notably De Wet and Delarey, is shown
by a grave reverse which has lately befallen Lord Methuen’s column, in the
Western Transvaal. Nine hundred mounted troops, under Major Paris, with
300 infantry, 4 guns, and a pom-pom, were moving from Vryburg to Lichten-
burg early on March 7, when they were attacked by Delarey’s force. The
column was thrown into confusion, mules stampeded, and a part of the
mounted troops became panic-stricken. Five hundred troops escaped to
Kraaipan. Major Paris, after a gallant defence, surrendered, together with
Lord Methuen, who was dangerously wounded.
West Africa : The Expedition against the Aros.—C olonel
Testing’s column, after a vigorous pursuit, defeated the enemy and
demolished the “ Long Juju,” and captured Loko on January 2. Columns
1, 2, and 4, under Major Aplin, Colonel Testing, and Colonel Heneker,