Suggestions about South Africa.
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By E. W. S.
Everyone " globe-trots '' nowadays. Unhappily, the trouble does not stop there. Every " globe-trotter," as soon as he returns, sits down, and writes a book about his travels. He insists on telling a long-suffering public where he has been. what he saw, and how he. liked it. With magnificent condescension, he describes the poor unfortunate countries he has deigned to honour with his presence. He criticises their Governments, their politics, their religions, their systems of education, and methods of taxation, and he shows how very much finer these institutions might have been made, had he been consulted. He will fire off an ipse on any conceivable subject, with the air of a Solon and the cheek of a butcher-boy. Now, I am a "globetrotter " in a small way: so I am going to hurl these " suggestions " at the devoted heads of your readers. The problem of transport in South Africa is affected by two main considerations: Economic; and Physical.
Economic Considerations.
The question is, " Will it pay?" These words are a summary of the unwritten laws which govern practically all commercial undertakings. Will motor transport pay in South Africa? The answer is, Yes! if certain conditions are fulfilled, and certain factors carefully borne in mind.
All the main railway lines lead straight inland, from the coast ports. to the mining cities of Kimberley and Johannesburg. With the exception of short branches near Durban and Cape Town, there are no " coast '' rail sys. From Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, and Durban, the railways plunge straight inwards to the great centres of business. The railways are the property of the various South-African Colonies. Each Colony wished to secure for itself as large a proportion as possible of the valuable long-haulage traffic to Kimberley and .Johannesburg; hence the concentration of the linos on to those towns.
" Coastal-heft " Towns Badly off.
Now, it follows, from the above. that many of the coastal towns, and even those lying farther inland, in the " coastal belt " as it is termed, are very badly off as regards rail commonication with their neighbours, i.e., towns of the same type, and situated in the same districts. Crosscountry journeys are a byword even in England, but in South Africa they are positive nightmares! Grahamstown, in the Eastern districts, for instance, is only about 80 miles, by road, from its neighbour, King WilIMm's Town. Yet the journey, by train, takes nearly 24 hours of con
tinuous travelling: Again, even where there is a direct line connecting two places, the train service, according to European ideas, is incredibly slow and infrequent : for instance, the distance between the port of East London and King William's Town is about 41 miles; yet it is a 2,-hour journey. Even then, the trains are usually nilpunctual. Further, there are only three trains up, and two clown, per diem, as a regular thing. This is supposed to be a very good service indeed, as many places have to be content with one train a day, and, in the more remote districts, with one per week!
I have laboured the point about the " coastal-belt " towns, and their poor train service, because I believe that it is in these districts that there would he the best. opening—certainly the first for the introduction of motor transport into South Africa. I consider that it is too much the fashion to look at everything from the point of view of " how would it. suceeed on the Rand ?"
The Chances of Success on the "Rand."
Many people will controvert this, and will say that around the mines lie the best opportunities for the exploitation of the commercial-motor vehicle. Again, it may be said that, at Johannesburg, there are not only the best roads, and the best facilities for the repair and upkeep of motor vehicles, but that, near such immense industrial undertakings as the gold mines, there will be found numberless opportunities for the employment of commercial-motor vehicles. Much of this is perfectly correct. It is true that the country's prosperity depends, to a great extent, on the mines; it is also true there are many opportunities for the employment of such vehicles in Johannesburg, Kimberley, and other large towns in South Africa. Cape Town already has its taxicabs. For all that, I do not agree that the best field of development for the commercial motor is on the Rand. For one reason, there are already large numbers of private ears in Johannesburg, and, further, the town has a very good system of electric tramways. The mines are well-provided with railway sidings and mechanical haulage of all kinds. A solidly-built type of motor lorry, which could be run at low cost, would probably command a ready sale. but such a lorry would not be employed upon heavy haulage, for the simple reason that there is little or no heavy long-distance haulage to do. All the heavy stuff, consisting of machinery, etc., for the mines, is transported direct, by rail, from the seaports to the " pit's month.' On the other hand, near such vast industrial enterprises as the mines, which cover such a large area (the Rand is over 40 miles in length), there are numberless " odd jobs " for the right sort of commercial vehicle. Such a lorry or car need differ in no important particular from the one that would be suitable for use elsewhere in South Africa. A 30-40-cwt. lorry. /milt to sic ad South African ennd tions, is the type of vehicle that is regaired.
The Dutch Governments.
'Before turning to The ' SouthAfrican conditions," one word about the economic position of the railways. On account of the severe commercial depression, which fastened upon South Africa after the war, the receipts from the railways diminished in an alarming manner ; consequently, the rate, of necessity, were soon largely increased. These high rates were imposed by the Boer Governments—it should always be remembered that South Africa is governed by the Dutch from the Limpopo to Cape Point, from Romati Poort to the German border, they hold the reins of power. These Dutch, following what appears to be the general habit of majorities, so adjusted the railway rates as to tax their political opponents more heavily than their own supporters. The traders in the towns paid considerably higher rates than the Dutch farmers, but this policy was unsuccessful, as it drove a considerable amount of traffic away from the railways. The traders in the towns, finding that the railway rates were almost prohibitive, and that the service was both unpunctuai and inefficient, ceased to send their goods by rail, and fell back upon the ox-wagon.
0x-wagon Competition With the Railways.
it is the fashion to talk as if the ox-wagon were extinct. It is said that the days of " transport riding," as it is called, are over ; that the railways have killed this form of carriage. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The trader found that oxtransport was not only,' cheaper, but actually quicker, in many cases, and more reliable, than the railway. The Governments, finding that the railways were losing much valuable
traffic, took up the " " attitude. In other words, an attempt was made to crush the ox-wagon competition by restrictive legislation. In order to drive freight back to the railways, a law was passed imposing prohibitively-high landing charges on all imported goods, which were not sent to their destination by rail. As the Government owns all the wharves, as well as all the railways, it was master of the situation. This drastic measure caused a great outcry, and I believe it was eventually somewhat modified. Since then, too, the new Act of ITnion has been passed, and by this it is enacted that, in future, the railways will not be used as taxing machines, but that any profits there may be from their working are to go in the reduction of rates. Further, the rates are to be equitably and " indifferently " adjusted towards every
one. At the same time, it should never be forgotten that many of these railways have not paid working expenses for some years past.
Any competitor with the railways is not likely to be regarded with a favourable eye by those in power in South Africa, and anyone who wishes to take advantage of the excellent opening there is for the right type of commercial vehicle in South Africa, would do well to bear this fact continually in mind. The powers that be, would welcome the motor vehicle— as a feeder for their railways ; but, as a competitor with tliem—well?
I have written about this " railway problem " at what may appear to be inordinate length, because I consider that it merits the most-careful consideration by those who wish to see the commercial-motor vehicle successfully introduced into South Africa.
Physical Considerations.
Besides the railways, there arc two other regular methods of communication in South Africa : the ox-wagon and the Cape-cart. The ox-wagon is made in various sizes, to carry from 2,000 lb. to 10,000 lb. The one in most general use is intended for a load of about 6,000 lb.—" six thousand weight," as
the phrase goes out there. With the exception of the platforms, of deal boards, and the necessary ironwork, such wagons are constructed almost entirely of native woods. Though clumsy to look at, and roughly made, they are very strong, and eminently adapted for the work they have to do, and although not provided with springs, the peculiar method by which they are put together gives them an extraordinary amount of elasticity. It is remarkable how the lengthy, creaking vehicle adjusts itself to the irregularities of the surface. An ordinary English lorry would "break its back" under such conditions as exist in South Africa. Designers of motor vehicles for the Colonies would do well to bear this in mind.
As the tractor is to the delivery van, so is the ox-wagon to the Capecart. Vehicles of the latter class are large two-wheelers, immensely strong and heavy, and designed so as to stand any amount of rough usage. They will carry nearly a ton of goods, or, if used for passengers, five or six persons, all sitting racing forwards towards the four or six horses or mules by which they are drawn. Cape-carts are largely used by the big South-African firms, to send round their samples, and it is a curious sight to see a " sample cart " starting out, oiled high with hags and boxes of all kinds, with a little " commercial " wedged in among them, the outfit being driven by a dusky driver. Cape-carts are also used to carry the mails, and all the outlying districts are served by these " post carts." Passengers are carried in the " post carts." but prices are high, and seats are not guaranteed. The " post carts," which cover about 80 miles a day, are run by contractors, who have relays of horses ready at intervals along the road. The pace is just as fast as the slate of the road will allow. Occasionally, when a cart has " taken " a 3-ft. bump in its stride, as it were, the Hottentot driver will turn to the passengers with the tender inquiry " All in F"