Vol. VIII. No. 94. 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
[October, 1902.] 271 
THE COAL AND COALFIELDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
Cape Colony. — The coal-producing areas may be divided into four districts. The first 
district comprises the largest coal-mine in the colony — the Indwe Mine, owned by the Indwe 
Railway Colliery and Land Company Limited, which furnishes about half the total output of the 
colony. It is connected with the main railway line at Sterkstroom by a branch, 66} miles in 
length, built by the company. The second largest producing district comprises the mines of 
the Cyphergat Coal Mining Company, Limited, the Wallsend Colliery Company, Limited, 
the Fairview Coal Mining Company (operations are suspended here at present), and the 
Sterkstroom Mines, where not much work has been done as yet. The third district comprises 
the mines in the Molteno district ; Penshaw and Taardekraal mines are worked by the Pensbaw 
Collieries, Limited, the others are ovVned by private individuals. Molteno No. i has been 
worked for many years, and has produced considerable quantities of coal. It is connected 
with the railway by a short line built by the owner of the mine. Sieradzfontein Mine is close 
to Molteno No. I, and in 189S had the largest output in the district. Penshaw is close to 
Molteno, and Paardekraal is about three miles to the south-west. The fourth district is the 
smallest, and includes : — (a) the Romansfontein, which is a private mine twelve miles south- 
west of Molteno, and six miles from the terminus of the Cape Collieries Railway (the carriage to 
Molteno, 5s. per ton, is a great drawback, and hinders the output very much) ; (//) The Mines 
of the Cape Collieries, Limited, whose principal work is on the farm of Zeekoegat. Other 
mines of this company are the Speedwell and Silkstone collieries on the Zandfontein farm. 
The company has built a railway of 17} miles to the main line four miles west of Stormberg 
junction ; [c) Contat’s collieries have been idle for some time, the company being in 
liquidation. 
Natal. — The coal deposits of Natal are situated in the extreme northern portion of the 
colony, the southern limit being a line drawn east and west about twelve miles north of 
Ladysmith. Outside this area coal has been found in small quantities near Estcourt, and on 
the coast northward from Mount Edgecombe, but up to the present only in thin seams of 
no practical value. In the northern district the deposits lie almost horizontally from 3,800 
to 4,000 feet above the sea level. On the other side of the mountains coal has been found 
near Charlestown and at Volksrust in the Transvaal. About a dozen seams of coal have been 
discovered, but only four or five of these are workable. The Dundee district is at present 
the best developed area, and here the seams go up to four feet six inches in thickness, and 
yield coal of good quality. Further north, between Dundee and Ingagane, prospecting 
operations have revealed seams of good coal up to six feet in thickness which were just being 
developed previous to the war. In the Newcastle district, both the quality of the coal and the 
thickness of the seams are very variable. The principal producing mines are the Dundee 
collieries, Natal Navigation collieries, those of the St. George’s Colliery Company, the 
Elandslaagte collieries, and the Natal Marine collieries. 
Rhodesia. — The coalfield is situated some 1S0 miles north-west of Bulawayo, and is 
known to extend over 400 square miles. The seams vary from five to sixteen feet in width, 
and as the coal lies within forty feet of the surface it will be worked by means ol inclines 
instead of shafts. In so large an area the quality naturally varies, but it is claimed that the 
coal is better than that now in use in the Cape Colony, Natal, and the Transvaal. 
Zululand. — Coal prospecting has been carried on on the coast of Zululand to the south 
of the Umlalazi river. Almost all the work has been done by one of the Government drills. 
The results cannot, so far, be termed satisfactory. 
No sections of bores can be obtained in England at present. Several illustrations of 
sections of bores for coal in Natal may be seen in the report on the Mining Industry of Natal 
for the year 1901. Outcrops are mentioned on the Indwe, Cyphergat, Penshaw, and other 
fields. 
The following are some analyses of Natal coals : — 
— 
Fixed 
Carbon. 
Volatile 
Matter, 
Sulphur. 
Ash. 
Moisture. 
Dundee coal, No. 1 
7°‘53 
71*85 
16*63 
4*lS 
12-41 
°'44 
„ No. 2 
9‘37 
3'«3 
13-09 
1-56 
Newcastle ..... 
60 -94 
31-20 
074 
6*23 
1-63 
Navigation collieries — 
No, 1 top seam . 
So -98 
8'44 
I '64 
8-38 
0-56 
No. 1 bottom seam 
80-37 
9-69 
I'72 
770 
0-52 
No. 2 top seam . 
76-37 
14-67 
1 37 
870 
o*66 
No. 2 bottom seam 
7 1 *59 
1517 
1-30 
12-71 
o-53 
The following figures represent the amount of the different South African coals 
required to do the same work as one ton of Welsh coal. They are from official trials, and 
were communicated to the Cape Government Commission on railway coal : — ■ 
Welsh coal (Ocean Merthyr) 
Tons. 
. . 1 -ooo 
Viljoen’s Drift (Vereeniging) 
1*562 
Indwe ....... 
. . 1 ’634 
Cyphergat ....... 
. . 1 -729 
Wallsend (Cape Colony) .... 
1 *502 
Molteno ....... 
. . 1 -706 
On the same basis, 
Natal coal has been estimated at 
. . I -102 
The output of coal in Natal for 1901 shows a great increase on the output of the last 
working-year’s record (1898). The figures for the last five years are : — 1S97, 243,960 tons ; 
1898, 387,811 tons; 1899, 328,580 tons ; 1900, 241,330 tons; and 1901, 569,200 tons. 
The export of coal from Natal in 1901 amounted to 204,788 tons, of which 55,757 tons 
were exported from Durban by sea, 1,865 tons overland to Orange River and Transvaal 
colonies, and 247,166 tons were bunkered by vessels at Durban. The total output of the 
collieries being 569,200 tons, it will lie seen that 264,412 tons were either consumed or 
stocked in Natal. 146,234 tons of Colonial coal were consumed on the Natal Government 
railways during 1901. 
The output of the Cape collieries in 1898 was 191,858 tons. 
The development of the coal areas and prospecting for new deposits is going on 
steadily. 
The largest market for coal in South Africa is that of the Witwatersrand Goldfields. 
For the coal of Natal, the bunkering trade of Durban has furnished the largest market up to 
tire present, the Natal Government railways being the next largest consumers. The demand 
in South Africa for its coal is equal to the supply. Nearly all the mines can readily sell all 
the coal they can produce, and most of them would increase their output if labour were more 
plentiful. Many of the companies suffer from the scarcity of labour. 
The railway system, on the whole, affords fair facilities for the development of the 
coalfields. 
The Committee on coal for railway purposes in 1S99 recommended a reduction of the 
tariff for conveyance of colonial coal in return-empties coastwise from the rate of §d, to j-d. 
per ton per mile from Stormberg to'East London, and from Rosmead to Port Elizabeth and 
via De Aar to Capetown, and the rate of -kl. per ton per mile to operate only for the distance 
from Sterkstroom via Stormberg Junction to Rosmead Junction; and that all these rates 
should be also for intermediate stations en route to the ports. They did not recommend a 
reduction of the existing rate for coal northwards. In making these recommendations the 
committee were of opinion that, if accepted, they would lead to the use of Colonial coal in a 
very considerably greater degree and for a great many more new, purposes than it had been 
used, and would add to the net revenue of the Colonial railways and would enable the 
consumer to obtain Colonial coal at a cheaper rate. 
The following are some notes, from the report of the Committee ol the Cape Parliament 
on the use of Colonial coal on Colonial railways, which reported in 1S99. 
It appeared that there was a disposition on the part of the Locomotive Department of 
Colonial railways in favour of the exclusive use of Welsh and Yiljoen’s Drift (Transvaal) 
coal. The descriptions of coal in use in 1899 were Indwe (84,000 tons), Stormberg 
(54,000 tons), Yiljoen’s Drift (120,000 tons), and Welsh Ocean Merthyr (106,770 tons). 
Colonial coals were used with economical advantage for railway purposes, as against imported 
coals, at East London. Colonial coal could also be used with economical advantage over 
Welsh coal at Port Elizabeth, but for running passenger trains up to time a mixture of 
two-thirds of Colonial with one-third of Welsh coal was more economical than the use of 
Colonial coal alone. Colonial coals could not be used with advantage over imported coal at 
Cape Town. It was anticipated that in the near future Natal coal would be delivered at 
Port Elizabeth and Cape Town at a price comparing favourably with Welsh coal ; in such 
case the Committee recommended that Natal coal should be taken in preference to Welsh 
coal. In connection with the Cape Collieries Company's private line of railway, the 
committee were of opinion that with the view of encouraging the coal industry and of 
securing to the public of the district through which the line runs the advantage of said 
railway, steps should be taken to ascertain if the Company was prepared to grant a 
reasonable tariff, in which case the committee recommended that the Government should grant 
a subsidy on the same conditions as in former subsidies to private lines. 
The following particulars of the coal and coalfields of the Transvaal and Orange River 
Colony, are taken from Brown’s Guide to South Africa, published by Messrs. Sampson 
Low, Marston and Company, Limited. 
Transvaal. — A good seam of coal is being worked in the south-west at Klerksdorp. 
The discovery of a large deposit of excellent quality at Sypherfontein in the West Rand, 
about 12 miles from Roodepoort and iS from Johannesburg, was reported early in 1898. 
Further to the east, at Vereeniging, are the collieries from which the greatest part of the 
fuel used on the Cape railways is derived. The coal is supplied at the pit’s mouth at about 
10s. per ton, and during 1S9S, 287,640 tons were produced. The clay underlying the coal, 
which lies about So feet below the surface, is suitable for making fire bricks. At Waterval, 
12 miles north of Pretoria, a large deposit was proved in 1S97. The supply is estimated 
at 45,000,000 tons, and the bore-hole showed that between the second and third seams of 
coal lay an auriferous bed of grit impregnated with pyrites, which gave an assay of II dwts. 
of gold to the ton. The district from which the chief supply on the Rand is derived is that 
discovered in 1887, and extending from Boksburg on the west to the Springs on the east, 
sixteen and thirty miles respectively from Johannesburg, w ith which they are connected by 
railway, a second line leading from the collieries to the deep level gold mines being in course 
of construction. Some eleven companies are working at Boksburg, with a yearly output of 
about 1,300,000 tons, sold at the pit’s mouth at from 6s. 46. per ton. The coal bed is close 
to the gold-bearing reef, which it is even said to overlap. Six miles to the east of Boksburg 
is Brakpan, worked by the Coal Trust Company, and by far the largest colliery in South 
Africa. A coal area of 2,400 acres, with a seam averaging 20 feet through, has been proved 
by boring, and the coal is singularly clean. It is capable of an output of 1,000 tons a day, 
and produced 248,383 tons in 1S98, Seven miles to the east of Brakpan is the Springs 
colliery, formerly owned by the Netherlands Railway Company. This is also a most 
extensive mine, with a seam varying from forty to fifty feet in thickness. It is fitted with 
first-class machinery, and turned out 158,458 tons in 1S9S. Near the Springs is the Cassel 
colliery, with an output of 255,092 tons for 1898, and power to produce about 60,000 tons a 
month. The Great Eastern colliery yielded 184,806 tons. 
It is said that the coalfields near Middelburg in the Transvaal, through which the 
Pretoria-Delagoa Bay railway passes, will prove to be the best in quality and the most 
extensive know'n, and will lead to a large export trade from Delagoa Bay, The output for 
1S96 was 69,164 tons; and for 1898, 305,150 tons. Coal is also said to exist near 
Pietersburg. The total output of the Transvaal for 1S95 was 1,152,206 tons; for 1S96, 
1,471,189 tons ; for 1897, 1,618,077 tons J and f° r 1S9S, 1,953,026 tons. The returns make 
no allowance for slack. 
Orange River Coi.onv. — Coal will probably be worked later on in many parts of 
this colony. It is known to exist near Bethulie, also 12 miles to the north-east of 
Bloemfontein, and is being mined near Kroonstad and Heilbron, also at Yiljoen’s Drift to 
the north of V Y aal river. Shafts lately sunk to the south of the Yaal have intersected the 
seams found to the north of the stream, but at a depth nearly four times as great. 
— ♦ 
BICYCLES AND AUTOMOBILES IN JAPAN. 
In a recent report, the U.S. Consul-General at Yokohama says that the importation of 
bicycles into Japan has more than doubled in the past two years, the value of the imports m 
1901 being .£53,805, over 95 per cent, of which came from the United States. The bicycle 
has not yet penetrated into the interior of the islands ; it is used chiefly as a cheap method 
of locomotion in the seaports and large cities. Being employed principally for business rather 
than for pleasure, it is not subject to the caprice which caused such an extraordinary increase 
and decline in its use in America. The demand for bicycles in Japan is likely to grow for 
some time yet, after which it may be expected to continue fairly steady. For the first five 
months of this year, the imports of wheels show an increase of 16 per cent, over the corre- 
sponding period of last year. A cheap wheel costing from £2 10s. to £5, finds most favour. 
Some bicycles for the troops have been manufactured at the Government works, and, as the 
Customs tariff on bicycles and automobiles is not conventional, the Government may, if it 
seem desirable, assist home industry by another schedule unfavourable to foreign makers ; but 
there is no present indication that this will be done. A few motor bicycles or tricycles are 
seen on the streets, but they are not at all common. 
According to the most reliable information fhat has been obtained, thirteen automobiles 
have, to this date, been shipped to Japan, but most of these still remain in the hands of the 
importers, who use them chiefly for advertising purposes. Automobiles are not name I in the 
tariff schedules, hut those brought here have been classed as carriages, which pay a duty of 25 
per cent. There are no regulations for their operations and use, except as they came under 
the head of “ steam plants,” which can be operated only by a licensed engineer. This law 
has not yet been enforced against automobiles, but it is expected that it wall be, should their 
use become more general, and especially if there should be any flagrant abuse of their 
privileges by the operators. 
The Japanese are not a wealthy people, nor are they, even when possessed of wealth, 
much given to costly, extravagant or ostentatious forms of pleasure, and it is improbable that 
the automobile will ever become the toy of fashion or the mere pleasure vehicle that it is in 
Europe and America. Besides this, the country roads are too poor, and the city streets too 
narrow and too crowded with children — who, in most cases, have no other playground — for 
automobiling to Ire indulged in freely and with pleasure. 
On the other hand, there is a fair prospect that automobiles may gradually come into use 
for the purposes of business. The postal authorities are now considering the advisability of 
purchasing automobiles for the transportation of the imperial mails at Tokyo, The mails are 
