350 Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science.. 



certai!it\. It does not depend on the flurtuatin^^ ])rire of coal, and 

 it is indeijendenl of labour. l)Ul, on the other hand, we have to 

 recognise the fact that the power required for man\ manufactories 

 is onlv a small part of the cost of j^roduction. 



L'p to the present electro-metallurgical proce.sses have taken the 

 most advantage of cheap water-power. Aluminium, phosphorus, 

 carhonineum. soda and chlorine, cyanide of p<jtassium. electro-deposi- 

 tion of copper, electro-fusion process, calcium carbide, and the manu- 

 facture of flax fibre represent part of the field of activity near water- 

 power. In many cases, as waterfalls are not where the\ are wanted 

 commercial! V. against the cheap water-power must be put the extra 

 carriage for materials, and coal, and the cost of carriage of the manu- 

 factured article from the Fall to where it is to- be used. Luckily, in 

 the case of the Victoria Falls coal of a very good qualil\ is close at 

 hand in the " Wankie " coal field, and an\ manufactured jirodud will 

 have the advantage of down freights. 



'I'he long distance transmission of electric power has increased 

 from vear to vear. and for the past twelve months power has been 

 delivered fmm the " Yulia "" Falls at Colgate, California, to Stockton, 

 a distaiice of 216 miles. There is no difficulty now in the trans- 

 mission. The question alwa\s is whether the power delivered, 

 allowing for leakage, can be used commerciallv. that is. economicallv, 

 as compared with any other motive power. 



Klectricilv as applied to agriculture is still in its iMfan<\. In 

 (jermain power has been supplied from central power stations to 

 farmers for threshing corn. l)ut the use of motor ploughs, motor 

 harrows, and motor hav-making machines has hardly commenced. 

 When water-])()wer comes to l)e utilized for agricultural purposes, the 

 possibilities are immense. The cotton crop of the L'nited States is 

 over il million tons annually, worth 55 million pounds, while the 

 maize grown averages 40 million tons. For both maize and cotton 

 the fertile c(juntr\' round the Victoria Falls is well suited, and if 

 electricit\ can l)e applied successfullv to their culture there is a 

 chance of ver\ cheaj) production there of the.se two important 

 en )ps. 



The railways of South Africa have been built under various con 

 ditions. but generally not until there was an outcry from .some more or 

 less flourishing centre, but it is now recognized that thev can be made 

 the pioneers of development, jirovided that thev are constructed on 

 c(mimonsense lines. Where the traffic is large the line should I)e 

 thoroughly well built to carry that traffic in the most economical 

 and expeditious manner; where the traffic^ onlv warrants one or two 

 trains a week the line shoulrl be laid down .so as to allow for future 

 expansion of trade, but constructed on the most economical lines, 

 so that even with the small traffic it may have a chance of pa\i ng 

 its way. There is nothing new in this; it was done in .America, it 

 has been done in New South Wales and other countries, and it is 

 the best way of opening up a country of large distances but sparse 

 population. 



