TRANSVAAL

inland prov., Union of j\. Africa 10’ E.), between Vaal and Limpopo 25 32° trat or, bounded N. by Rhodesia, E. ivers; Port. E. Africa and Swaziland, 8. by elected yy Free State and Natal, W. by mittee, Jrange Prov. and Bechuanaland; length are Jape N. to S., c. 400 m.; breadth, c. cap. rom ‘The surface is an undulating Benoni, 170 m. from 1,000 to 7,000 ft., traversed mountain ranges and isolated hills as kopjes; in E. are Drakensberg Water berg and Zoutpansberg in Libombo Mts., forming frontier Port. E. Africa; Mag a lies berg, W. ft., N.W. of Johannes burg. Large of plateau, known as High Veldt, generally covered with good pasture but treele ; the Bush Veldt, in and on E. border, lies low, and is well wooded. Principal rivers are Limpopo (N. and Vaal (S. boundary), with and other tributaries; none some shallow lakes. Climate generally healthy, though hot and and subject to numerous dust Bush Veldt dist. in N. and E. tropical; unhealthy during rainy when malaria is very prevalent; temp. of Pretor i a—Jan. 71.8° F., season, Winter is dry; average rainfall c. 25 to 30 in., greatest Forests are only found in Bush and mountainous regions; trees Cape beech, mimosa, euphorbia, eucalyptus. Big game—such as elelion, giraffe, rhinoceros, buffalo— almost extinct, except in reserve Port. border; but kudu, springbok, are still numerous; crocodiles and hippopotami abound in Limpopo and streams; locusts and ants are destructive. See Mar Arnica. Transvaal is mainly a stock raising with large areas suited for agriculture; chief crops are corn and prov. is rich in gold, diamonds, ore, coal, silver, copper, lead, etc. largest goldfields are the Wit waters around Johannes burg; other gold are De Kaap (Barber ton Fields), etc.; Premier Mine, near Pretor i a, chief diamond mine; coal is mined hannesburg), Vereeniging, etc.; other industries are engineering, brewing, tobacco, soap, candles, wagons, exports, minerals, ostrich feathers, hides, wool. Value of gold out- (1919), £35,384,000; coal (1917) Government.—Prov. is divided into districts, administered by admin is provincial council, 45 members for three years; executive comfour members. Principal towns and administrative seat of Union, chefstroom. Dutch Reformed predominates. Education is compulsory for white children seven and fourteen; Univ. Coll. toria, Coll. of Agriculture and of Mines at Johannes burg. radiate from Johannes burg and connecting Cape ports, Durban, Bay, and Bulawayo. In 1833-7 the Boers, under and others, moved, chiefly from Reinet dist. in Cape Colony, veldt N. of the Orange R. In Lydenburg was made the cap. Dutch African Republic. Six later the name was changed to African Republic. In 1877, in quence of serious difficulties with natives and of financial troubles, Transvaal was annexed by the Government. In 1880 the Boers arms to rea ert their independence, after the Brit. disasters at Majuba, the first convention was 1881, giving the Boers complete government under the suzerainty Great Britain. A second in 1884 restricted Brit. control to nal affairs, except with the Orange State; and the name of the S. Republic was given to the The discovery of gold in the rand in 1885-6 and the consequent rush of the ‘Uitlanders’ or the unfair treatment of the ‘Uitlanders’, the armed iivasion of the state James on (the James on Raid) in 1895, and the Boer dread of interference with their rule, brought about a matters which culminated in 1899 declaration of war, Oct. 11, by African Republic and the Orange State (see Sourm Arrica). Both annexed by Great Britain, the former Sept. 1, 1900. Peace conditions signed at Vereeniging on May 31, Then followed a period of crown government under a governor lieutenant-governor, a isted by executive and a legislative In April 1905 a new constitution granted, establishing a legislative bly; but this measure was revoked, in Aug. 1906 self-government was to the colony. In 1909 the S. Act was pa ed, by which on May 1910, the Transvaal became merged the Union of 8S. Africa (see Arrica, Union oF). Area, 110,450 1918, 500,650.