president’s ADDRESS — SECTION E. 
127 
African railways through wheeled vehicles or animals of burden. This 
would bring as a result an augmented trade between Her Majesty’s 
South African and Australian dominions ; and we would, speaking 
figuratively, draw nearer then also to Mashonaland and Matabeleland, 
w hence we hear such glowing accounts as regards salubrity, fertility, 
and golden riches through accurate recent works, such as that of 
Sir A. B. Sawyer, with numerous maps, issued in 1894. In view of 
business calculations it may be noted that the distance from Swan 
Biver to Zanzibar is not greater than from the Thames to the West 
Indies, about 4,500 nautical miles; while it is not quite so far as 
from Port Phillip to Java, but with an open passage across the ocean 
all the way, whereas the distance between London and Zanzibar by the 
Suez Canal is about (5,600 miles, involving besides costly dues. Only 
some few months ago the discovery of diamonds was announced from 
Mashonaland. W e must wonder how so many of the East African trea- 
sures could have remained hidden up to the latest time — when Solomon 
sent for gold to Ophir ; when Ptolemaeus had a correct ideaof the position 
of the Alpine Moon Mountains; when Barboza, a cousin of Maghellan, 
mentioned gold as still obtained at the ruins of Zimbabye in 
Mashonaland, revisited lately again by E. A. Maund, and within 1894 
by J. T. Bent, the latter unearthing there Bo man coins. Africa had, 
however, already been crossed from Angola to Mozambique, though 
inore for trading objects than geographic researches — in travels 
of Pombeiros from 1802-1811. A distinguished indigenous Central 
African, I)r. M. L. Desai, remarked before the Boyal Colonial 
Institute, some few r years ago, that from the valiant native tribes 
accustomed to tropical beat could, in the modern sense, be created 
agriculturists, traders, mechanics, engineers, and soldiers, as loyal and 
grateful subjects of tbo British Empire. Indeed, scattered dwellings 
must soon rise to villages, and towns also, in tropical Africa. 
Enlightened government is necessary for the protection of life and 
property ; roads for business progress ; schools to provide liberal 
education for subsequent fitness in life ; chapels and churches to 
speed spiritual welfare. Indeed, in these lands, new for higher 
civilising exertions in all directions, thousands of things are wanted if 
once w r e think of details; moreover, there is a special charm in 
settling on primeval lands glorying in natural freshness and rejoicing 
in rewardful toil. 
Turning now p to the east, w r e can get a fair idea of Australian 
prospects, in its mercantile contact with the South Sea Islands, wBen 
we reflect on what already has been accomplished for Fiji. According 
to Gordon and Gotch’s “ Handbook” — a work which for its practical 
excellence has but few rivals extant anywhere — the Fijian Group, 
with its 7,500 square miles, and with a population of only about 
2,000 wdiites in a total of about 120,000, imported in 1892 goods to 
the value of fully £250,000 sterling, and had an export of nearly 
double that amount, comprising sugar to the value of about £800,000, 
copra £50,000, fruit (mostly bananas) over £60,000. More than 
90 per cent, of this trade — remarkable for the comparative briefness 
of time in which it rose — is with the Australian colonies, including 
Hew- Zealand. In British New Guinea, one of the most recent of 
colonised territories, the proportion of export to import is as a reverse 
to that of Fiji, but it has been created with surprising quickness, 
