576 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— E. 



rainfall of the east being greatly increased by the eastward movement of the Ganges 

 waters since historic times. One possible explanation of this is that the deforestation 

 of the drier western jungle slopes began early, their consequent denudation causing 

 deposit of coarse silt in the beds of the historic Ganges and its system, choking these. 



The result is a profound alteration in conditions of water and soU — of seasonal 

 inundation, water table and deposit, or non-deposit, of fertilising silt. From this 

 follow contrasts in agriculture and subsistence, in health, in density and in increase 

 or decadence of population — Eastern Bengal dense and increasing. Western Bengal 

 sparser and stationary. The last contrast of the two regions lies in their levels of 

 culture and ability, for the historic intellectual supremacy of the West is giving place 

 to that of the East. 



This rough comparison of Eastern and Western Bengal may be pursued further, 

 and demands detailed mapping of the physiography, soil and water conditions to-day. 

 These are suggestive in indicating conditions in various regions in the past, and hence 

 in suggesting, for example, the explanation of the early rise of the Barind (N. Bengal) 

 and its later decadence. Similarly for the distribution of higher castes, of culture and 

 education continuously from early times along both banks of the western branch of 

 the Ganges (i.e. the Bhagirathi) and westwards from it. 



Besides the rural changes of physical conditions, those of craftsmanship and 

 industry in the cities are significant, economically and also culturally. The finest 

 muslin weaving, of Dacca and East Bengal, has been replaced by the coarsest of 

 textiles, jute. 



Mr. W. Fitzgerald. — The Population Problem of South Africa. 



South Africa provides the supreme instance of a society and State of European 

 composition established in the Negro zone. Colour problems here are of unrivalled 

 difficulty, and their solution, satisfactory to the welfare of all the ethnic groups 

 concerned, is regarded as unattainable. The ideal of the Dutch and British is to 

 maintain a State on the European model : neither is willing to concede to the Blacks, 

 who form more than 80 per cent, of the population of the sub-continent, an active 

 share in the building of this State. Although Europeans estabHshed settlement 

 nearly three hundred years ago, their ideal of a White State is the conception of 

 the last few decades only. 

 Elements in the Population of South Africa and their Distribution. 



(a) Whites. — British strongholds are the coast towns. Natal and the Rand. The 

 Dutch are the dominant element in the rural population, which is sparse throughout. 

 The gold-bearing Rand increases in density of population faster than any other 

 district : the increase is largely at the expense of the countryside. 



(6) Bantus. — Distributed mainly towards the east, where grasslands are richer ; 

 particularly dense in Natal (where they outnumber the Whites by 9 to 1) and the 

 Eastern Cape Province. 



(c) Asiatics. — Chiefly Indians in Natal (where equal to White population) and 

 the Rand, but including the Cape Malays. Indians admitted after 1860 for the 

 cultivation of the Natal plantations. Though without social or political opportunity, 

 they offer severe competition to Whites of the trading class. 



(d) Cafe Coloured. — A half-caste stock limited to the Cape Province (40 per cent, 

 of the population of Cape Town), which is becoming assertive of its rights and is 

 demanding an effective share in political representation. 



Character of White Colonisation. 



South Africa, outside the Low Veld and the coastal plain of Natal, provides a 

 friendly climate, though the sub-tropical sun and high altitude (Johaimesburg nearly 

 6,000 feet from sea-level) are not without certain ill-effects : the ' Poor White ' class, 

 product of racial decay, may owe its condition to the cumulative effect of climatic 

 influence over many generations. 



Percentage increase of White population, by natural increase alone, now equals 

 that of the Bantus. But colonisation is only partial. The South African farmer 

 differs from the Australian and Canadian in his complete dependence on cheap coloured 

 labour. South Africa is never likely to be a ' field ' for the immigration of European 

 land-workers while all unskilled labour is classified, in the code of the country, as 

 ' Kaf&r work.' White South Africa is an aristocracy erected over a great population 



