Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/1206

 850

ORANGE FREE STATE

Years

Rcvcinic

Exiienditure

£

£

1892-93

310,372

378,922

1893-94

293,790

323,899

1894-95

306,653

319,221

1895

259,589

271,935

1896

374,774

381,861

1897

402,230

381,589

Among the items of revenue (1897) are quit rents, 14,932(^. ; transfer duos' 33,736Z. ; posts and telegraphs, 35,399^. ; import dues, 162,929^. ; stamps'^ 53,975Z. ; native poll-tax, 17,429Z. ; and of expenditure, salaries, 53,234/. 5 police, 13,156Z. ; education, 49,667/. ; posts and telegraphs, 29,660/. ; public works, 27,365/. ; artillery, 10,543/.

The Republic has a debt of 40,000/ (1897), but possesses considerable public property in land, buildings, bridges, telegraphs, &c. (valued at 430,000/.), and in its share in the National Bank, ajuounting to 70,000/. Bloemfontein has a municipal debt of 7,000/.

Defence.

Frontier measures about 900 miles ; of this 400 miles marches with Cape Colony, 200 Basutoland, 100 Natal, and S.A. Republic 200 miles.

There are no fortifications on the frontier.

Every able-bodied man in the State above 16 and under 60 years of age is compelled to take arms when called upon by his Field Cornet (equal to the rank of a captain), when necessity demands it. The number of burghers available is 17,381 (^18-60 years). Four batteries of artillery are stationed at the capital, Bloemfontein ; 150 officers and men, with 550 passed artillerists, as a reserve. A new fort is being built on a hill at the north end of the town.

Production and Industry.

The State consists of undulating plains, affording excellent grazing. A comparatively small portion of the country is suited for agriculture, but a considerable quantity of grain is produced. The number of farms is 10,499 with a total of 29,918,500 acres, of which in 1890 250,600 were cultivated. There were in the same year 248,878 horses, 276,073 oren, 619,026 other cattle (burthen), 6,619,992 sheep, 858,155 goats, and 1,461 ostriches.

The diamond production in 1890 was 99,255 carats, valued at 223,960/. ; in 1891, 108,311 carats, valued at 202,551/. ; in 1893, 209,653 carats valued at 414,179/, ; in 1894, 282,598 carats valued at 428,039/. In 1896 the diamond exports were valued at 462,509/. and in 1897 440,964/. Garnets and other precious stones are found, and there are rich coal-uiines ; gold has also been found.

Commerce.

The imports, besides general merchandise, from Cape Colony and Natal comprise cereals, wool, cattle, and horses from Basutoland. The exports to the Cape, Natal and South African Republic are chiefly agricultural i)roduce