292 THE DEVELOPMENT OE RHODESIA. 



Among the Matof)os Mr. Rhodes, according to his own wish, was 

 buried. A railway has been built from Bulawayo to the Matopos by 

 the trustees of the Rhodes estate, as it was Mr. Rhodes's wish "■ that 

 the people of Bulawayo may enjoy the glory of the Matopos from 

 Saturday to Monday." The grandeur of those hills is apth^ described 

 in the Avords of Mr. Rhodes when he called them '' the view of the 

 world." 



The other renowned locality is that of the Great Zimbabwe. The 

 historical associations of these ancient monuments contrast with the 

 modern associations of the Matopos; but they have this in common, 

 that they represent the commerce and civilization of their respective 

 ages. When the contemplated railway to Victoria has been built, 

 it will give access to the Great Zimbabwe, which is now recognized 

 as one of the finest ancient s'hrines in the world. 



The founder of Rhodesia and the builders of the Great Ziml)abwe 

 bring into association the British and the Sabaeans, and thus unite 

 across the ages two of the most celebrated commercial nations. How 

 to develop and maintain connnunications between the coast and inland 

 parts has been the vital problem in modern economic development, as 

 it probably was in that of ancient times. The chief ports at present 

 available are Chinde, Beire, and those of the Cape. To these will 

 probably be added, in time, Durban and Louren(^o Marquez. Schemes 

 have been mooted which will give access to Rhodesia from the West 

 (^oast through Angola and German Southwest Africa. At present 

 the two main highways of trade are from Beira and the Cape ports. 

 Bulawayo, Avhich may be taken as the central point of the Rhodesian 

 system, is distant C76 miles from Beira, 1,198 miles from Port Eliz- 

 abeth, 1,259 miles from East London, 1,360 miles from Cape Town. 

 There is not much dift'erence in the amount of goods passing through 

 Beira and the Cape ports. Much will depend, however, on the future 

 railway administration. According to the British consul at Beira. 

 it would apjiear that under present arrangements " freights to Umtali 

 and Salisbury, which are respectively distant '203 and 375 miles from 

 the coast, cost approximately £5 per ton more than the railway 

 freights to these places over the Cape government railways from Port 

 Elizabeth, which traverse over 1,400 miles to reach the same destina- 

 tion." « There has been some concern at Cape Town regarding the 

 future relation of the town and port with Rhodesia ; but it would 

 seem from the above report that there is a reasonable prospect of 

 Cape Town, Avith its rapid oceanic communications, maintaining its 

 commercial and strategic importance as the chief gatcAvay to Rho- 

 desia and the north. 



a Foreign Office Report on the Trade of the Cons^iilar District of Beira for 

 1902. (Annual Series, No. 3024.) 



