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 SHIPPING AND COMMUNICATIONS 207

Shipping and Communications.

In 1911 4,371 vessels of 20,515,599 tons gross entered, and 4,370 vessels of 20,548,224 tons gross cleared.

Before the Union, which took effect in May, 1910, the railways of the several colonies now comprising the Union were owned and operated by the separate Governments. Now, however, they are all merged into one system, the South African Railways, under the Union Government control. The total open mileage of this system was (1912) — Government Lines, 7,545 miles (comprising Cape 3,397 miles. Orange Free State 1,076 miles, Transvaal 2,020 miles, and Natal, 1,052), of which 7,104 miles are 3ft. 6 in. gauge, and 441 miles 2 ft. in. gauge ; privately owned lines, 545 miles : total, 8,090 miles. Capital expended on Government Railways up to 31st December, 1911, 79,371, 654Z. Total revenue (1911) 12,104,769^., as against 12,157,738?. in 1910. Working expenditure (including renewals) 7,217,070?., or 59 '6 per cent, of the gross revenue, as compared with 6,662,890?. or 54*8 per cent, in 1910.

At the end of 1911 there were in the Union 2,587 post and telegraph offices. Correspondence received and dispatched (1911) : letters and cards, 124,462,030 ; newspapers, books, and circulars, 65,006,942 ; parcels, 1,853,298 ; telegrams, 5,il8,676. The number of money orders issued during the year was 484,424, and the value 2,844,675?., while 370,255 orders of the value of 2,105,593?, Avere paid. 2,919,002 postal orders amounting to 1,862,551?. were issued, and 2,194,950, valued at 1,345,772?. paid.

The reveuuc of the Post-office in 1911 was 951,035?., and the expenditure 924,840?. The revenue of the telegraph and telephone service (excluded from the previous figures), was 512,881?., and expenditure, 528,981?.

14,920 miles of telegraph line, carrying 55,934 miles of wire and 47,852 miles of telephone were open. 9,081 miles of telegraph wire are maintained by the Post Office on behalf of the Railway Department. Telephonic com- munication is established between certain of the principal centres. Pretoria has been selected as one of the Imperial Avireless stations for purposes of defence. The cost of installation (80,000?.) will be defrayed by the Union Government.

The number of depositors in the Government Savings Bank in the Union at the end of March, 1911, Avas 225,238, and the amount to their credit, 6,128,453?.

References.

The South Africa Act, 1909.

The South African Almanack and Reference Book, 1912-13. London and Cape Town 1912.

Brand (Hon. R. H.), The Union of South Africa. Oxford, 1909.

Hamilton Fife (H.), South Africa of to-day. London, 1911.

Hollway (N. C. S.)- Bibliograpliy of Books relating to South Africa. In Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society, Vol. X., Pt. 2. Cape Town, 1S98.

Mendelssohn (S.), Bibliography of Rooks relating to South Africa. 2 vols. London, 1911.

Stott (C. H.), Geology of South Africa. Cape Town, 1909.

Walton (Sir E.), The Inner History of the National Convention of S. Africa. London, 1912.

WoTsfohl (W. B.), The Union of South Africa. London, 1912.