THE ECONOMTO CONQUEST OF AFRICA P.V TIIK RAILROADS. 729 



lion of r)-2() iniU's bolwiH'ii Tjiji and ]M('n<j:(). All this is hut va<i:uc 

 l)lannii)<i- so far, because there has been as yet no understanding with 

 Kongo or with (lonnany. 



Moreov(>r. all the railroad activitj^ in Rhodesia just now is in the 

 iuinu'diate vicinity of Bonloiiwayo. This capital, which aspires to 

 become the Chicago of South Africa, is so rai)idly becoming a center 

 for coal roads that it looks as if its ideal will be attained in the near 

 future. The coal fields at Wankies, near by, are of a wonderful 

 richness. They cover an area of more than 600 square miles, with 

 deposits (') feet thick of coal almost equal to the better English 

 grades. The opening of these fields will greatly aid the economic 

 development of the country and largely increase the use of railroads. 

 It is noteworthy that, in spite of the Boer war, the commerce of 

 Rhodesia has increased 400 per cent during the past six years. 



The three i)rincipal African systems present the greatest diversity 

 in their efpiipment, but in no respect is the variety of types more 

 marked than in the matter of the gauge of the track. The width 

 varies from 0.00 meter at Swakopmund, in the German southwest, 

 to 1.435 meters in the Algeria-Tunis system, but everything indicates 

 that the narrow-gauge, from 1 to 1.007 meters, which is now most 

 common, will be used almost exclusively in the future. 



After having overcome every obstacle and put into successful 

 operation the railroad of low'er Kongo, the Free State is now plan- 

 ning to open means of comnninication with its eastern frontiers. 

 It jjroposes to establish, within six or seven years, a line nuuiing 

 across the continent from west to east, which wnll combine transpor- 

 tation by rail and steamboat. 



' AMien this line is com])leted, passengers and freight will be car- 

 ried over the following route: By sea to Matadi, in the navigable 

 estuary of the Kongo; by rail from Matadi to Leopoldville (Stan- 

 ley pool), a distance of 242 miles; by steamer to Stanley Falls. At 

 Stanley Falls the road branches; the northeast arm comprises a rail- 

 road to Lake Albert, boat across the lake, railroad between Lake 

 x\lbert and Victoria Nyanza, boat across Nyanza, and the Uganda 

 Railroad to Mombassa, on the Indian Ocean. The east and south- 

 east branch will consist of a railroad, to avoid the rapids, and a 

 steamer for a 300-mile voyage up the river to Kassongo, where 

 the road again branches. One of its arms will reach Albertville, on 

 the west shore of Lake Tanganyika, whence the German lines on the 

 opposite side are expected to put it into conununication with the 

 coast. The other section will continue by boat up the Kongo as 

 far as it is navigable, avoiding the rapids by railroad. The posi- 

 tion thus obtained on the southern borders of the Free State will 

 ultimatelv. it is expected, be put into communication with the North 

 • Rhodesia system. 



