Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 19.djvu/485

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
*
423
*

TEANSUBSTANTIATION. 423 TRANSVAAL. exist, their places being taken by the siihsiance of the body and blood of Christ. The objections to the doctrine have been chiefly drawn from the philosophical diliiculties which are involved in it ; and the defenders of it have therefore added to the proofs which they profess to draw from tlic Scripture and tradition a general demonstration that the doctrine, although mys- terious, docs not involve any philosophical re- pugnance or impossibility. Leibnitz (q.v.), al- though a Protestant, has not only entered at great length, and in several portions of his works, into this philosophical discussion, but professes to prove, by strict philosophical prin- ciples — by the consideration of the properties of matter, of substance, of space, extension, and the like — that the essential principle of the body "ma}' exist in many places at the same time, nay, under far-distant and distinct species." Consult, for an excellent English treatment of both philosophical and theological aspects of the question, Dalgairns, T]ic Tlohj Commmiion (Dub- lin, 1801) ; and see Lord's Supper; Substance. TRANSVAAL, trans-viil', or Transvaal Colony; formerly South African Eepublic. A British possession in South Africa. It is situated between latitudes 22° and 28° S., and longitudes 25° and 32° E., and is bounded on the north by Watabeleland, on the east by Portuguese East Africa and Swaziland, on the south by Natal and the Orange River Colony, and on the west by Bechuanaland and the Bechuanaland Pro- tectorate. There were transferred to Natal, in January, 190.3. 7000 square miles of area, includ- ing the districts of Vrijheid, Utrecht, and a section of the Wakkerstroom district, with a total population of nearly 60,000, 8000 being whites. The area of the Transvaal is about 104,000 square miles. The interior of the Transvaal is a plateau ly- ing on an average about 0000 feet above sea level. In the east this plateau is terminated by the northern Drakensberge, with the highest point (Maueh Mountain) reaching nearly 0000 feet. On the eastern border are the Leborabo Moun- tains. Across the interior plateau stretches from east to west the far-famed Witwatersrand, with Johannesburg and the rich gold fields, which separates the Limpopo and the Vaal basins. .Just north of the Witwatersrand and in general parallel with it extend the JIagalies Mountains. Pretoria lies at the eastern outlet of the narrow valley thus formed. In the centre of the extensive Drakensberge system, which oc- cupies the whole eastern third of the colony, is Barberton with its gold fields. The Transvaal is well watered. It is drained mainly bj' the Limpopo Eiver, which forms the boundary on the northwest and north, and the Vaal River, which forms most of the southern boundary. The Olifant River, the principal affluent of the Lim- popo, has nearly its entire course within the Transvaal. The Barberton region is drained by the Komati, which flows into the Indian Ocean. None of the rivers of the Transvaal, however, are navigable. The climate west of the Drakensberge and south of the Magalies range is subtropical, with a European character. The mean annual tem- perature is 67° F. January is the warmest, July the coldest month. There are winter frosts. The northern and eastern sections of the Transvaal are more tropical, especially the valley of the Limpopo. December, January, and February witness the heaviest rainfall. The west is the driest. The climate of the interior uplands is noted for its healthfulncss. Among the distinctive trees are the thorny acacias and the eucalyptus. The range of plants is very large, including the European grains and many of the valuable tropi- cal species. The northeastern section is the least fruitful. The lions and elephants have been driven into the north and northeast parts. The flocks and herds of the Boers were very large before the war of 1899-1002, and horses were also bred, though to a much less extent. Granite and slate are in general the basic formations, upon which rests the so-called 'Cape Formation,' above which are found quartzite and coal-bearing layers. The Transvaal is excep- tionally rich in varieties of mineral wealth, such as copper, iron, coal (in ditl'erent sections), lead, silver (north of Pretoria), diamonds (in the Pretoria district, and in the southw'est cor- ner in the direction of Kimberley). and notably gold. Gold was first discovered in 1867, and is now found abundantly in numerous districts. The rich gold fields of the Witwatersrand — 'The Rand' — (of which Johannesburg is the mining centre), and those of Barberton, have made the Transvaal particularly famous. Around them developed the historj' of the colony. The value of the gold taken out from 1884 to 1898 was .$350,000,000. The mining operations after 1809 were seriously interfered with by the war and for more than a year ceased altogether. In eleven months in 1902 1,500.000 ounces were obtained. In that year nearly 50,000 natives were employed in the mines. In 1898 diamonds were taken out to the value of $200,000. There has been no output of copper and silver in later years. Coal was a noteworthy item before the recent war, and was mined to the amount of $3,000,000 in 1898. The country is well adapted to agriculture and stock-raising, though its possibilities are as yet meagrely developed. The acreage in farms ia estimated at less than 600,000. After the war of 1899-1902 three-fourths of the burghers soon returned to their lands. The CJovernment made loans to aid them in raising the crops, and land was rented on shares under favorable conditions to the more indigent. Syndicates of farmers borrowed money in a large lump sum, massing all their assets together as security. The proceeds were to be used for only a given number of families. The number of live stock in the colony is unknown. The manufacturing interests are in their infancy. There are 11 factories for machinery, 9 for tobacco, 19 for mineral waters and ices, and 3 for explosives, several printing works, and numerous saw mills. The imports for 1901 were valued at £3,670,- 365. The figures for 1902 evidently quadrupled this sum. 'The main articles are clothing, pro- visions, metals, and manufactures of metals. The largest amotuit comes through Cape Colony, though almost as much enters through Natal. Comparatively little comes via Delagoa Bay. The figures for exports are not given. The principal articles shipped out are gold, hides, cattle, wool, ivory, and ostrich feathers. The colony has rail- way communication with the important sister colonies and with Portuguese East Africa. The mileage is about 700.