Page:Last Will and Testament of Cecil Rhodes.djvu/169

Rh respecting a question like this. I can, however, tell you from my knowledge about the position. The revenue now is about £50,000 per annum from the country, and the expenditure is about £70,000. You must, however, remember that I do not include in the revenue of £50,000 the sale of stands, because I call that capital account. I mean by revenue, what you receive monthly from stamps, licences, and the ordinary sources of revenue which every country possesses. I am therefore justified in thinking that we need feel no alarm as to the future about balancing our expenditure with our revenue, because I would point out to you, that if with no claim licences—because we are deriving few or none now—with no customs, and practically with no hut tax at present, you almost balance now, I think we may fairly say that we shall balance in the future, and earn a sum with which to pay interest on our debentures. I do not think that is an excessive proposition to make, and you must remember that this expenditure covers a force of over two hundred police. Two years ago, when I told you we were balancing in Mashonaland, we had practically dismissed all our police, as we could not afford them, but the new position is that with an expenditure of £70,000 and a revenue of £50,000, we are paying for two hundred police, and really we do not want more expenditure. We have magistrates in every town, mining commissioners, and a complete system of government. We have a Council, an Administrator, a Judge, and a Legal Adviser. I cannot therefore see that we want any more heavy expenditure, and that is why I have not asked for any increase of capital.

“From a commercial point of view, the way I