President's Address. 9 



over the dismal face of South Africa, until then an almost unknown 

 and unexplored wilderness. 



There must always be some strong incentive to cause men to leave 

 comfortable homes, and brave every danger to seek fortunes in remote 

 parts of the world. 



The discovery of gold in California led thousands upon 

 thousands of daring adventurers to that country, there to settle and 

 become the backbone of its future prosperity, which, in a few years, 

 depended less upon its output of gold than upon its agriculture, its 

 commerce, and its industries. So, too, Australia, at first a purely 

 mining country, has grown year, by year to be less dependent upon its 

 mineral resources. 



If Dame fortune was slow to reward the search for King 

 Solomon's mines and the gold of Ophir, she at last revealed to the 

 light of the world pits more dazzling than the glittering stones of fire 

 in the inaccessible valley which the great Alexander beheld, and 

 richer than the soil that Sinbad the Sailor found " which was of 

 diamond, the stone wherewith they pierce minerals and precious 

 stones — whereon neither iron or hardhead has effect." 



Nor did Dame Fortune stop with her display of diamonds. 

 Following this revelation came another even more astounding. In the 

 unknown expanse of Africa tradition, as has been told, had placed 

 King Solomon's mines and the marvels of Ophir. For centuries men 

 had braved strange perils to reach these mines, but their labours 

 remained unrewarded until, by chance, the marvellous discovery of 

 gold on the Witvvatersrand, made possible by the pluck of brave 

 men, who tore the wilderness from the clutch of the lion and beat 

 back the impis of Tschaka, Dingaan and Umsilikazi, was made 

 known. Here were mines richer than King Solomon's, waiting the 

 coming of men from the new Golconda, men of courage and enter- 

 prise and ability ; men with brains that were capable of great 

 conceptions and great performances. 



By the discovery of the diamond mines in Griqualand West, the 

 exports of South Africa have been increased by nearly ^,{^90, 000, 000, 

 and the gold mines of the Rand, discovered in 1886, have swelled 

 this great exhibit of mineral wealth by the addition of gold already 

 aggregating over ^^ 140, coo, 000. 



I cannot do better than to repeat here the substance of the 

 remarks I made upon the eve of my departure from Kimberley in 

 December last. Farming is to-day the backbone of several countries 

 which a few years ago depended solely upon their mines for 

 resources. 



Here in South Africa farming is carried on under great diffi- 

 culties. Able engineers are required to plan and build reservoirs to 

 conserve the water which flows in torrents for a few hours and then 

 leaves the crops to wither in an almost tropical sun before there is 

 another downpour. It will require the combined energy of the 

 scientists and the farmer to rid the country of the various diseases 

 which make cattle and horse raising so precarious, and of the locusts 

 and other pests which make the raising of crops even more uncertain. 



