In 1898, a year of great progress, of the 156 mines situated in the Rand, 40 only were paying dividends, representing, on an average, a return of 8.7 per cent.

In reality, a gold mine is as entirely an industrial undertaking, as is any other form of commerce; for its proper development it requires men of the highest capacity, not a mere set of adventurers, as Dr. Kuyper and other Pro-Boers tell the simpletons who judge without examining facts.  This is what is said on the subject by Mr. Curle, who saw the mines at work during his extended and conscientious enquiry: 

“The average mine manager, whether in South Africa, or India, or Australia, or wherever I have met him, is an extremely capable man.  Of course, there are exceptions—­some managers are not capable; some are not even honest, but, as a rule, those in actual charge of our gold mines to-day are men who can be relied on, but I do not wish to confine my praise to the managers only.  The mine captain, whose valuable qualities are known more to the manager than to outsiders, is usually a most capable man, and devoted to his work.  Many and many a time, after his hard day’s work should have been over, has a mine captain cheerfully started off with me on a three or four hours inspection of his workings, only too delighted to oblige, and asking merely that his visitor should show an intelligent interest in what he saw.  To these men, and to the other heads of departments, to battery managers, cyanide works managers, assayers, samplers, surveyors, office staff; the shareholders in every mine owe a debt which they do not realise and which is often inadequately acknowledged.  Amongst these men—­I could give hundreds of examples—­there is the greatest sense of duty to their employers, and from one year’s end to another, by day and night, in the bush, on mountain tops, in fever swamps, in wild and deep places all over the world, they faithfully carry through their arduous work.”

Such is the type of Uitlander the gold mines have attracted; add to them, mechanics and the most highly skilled artisans:  for it is to the interest of the mines which pay high salaries to employ the most skilled labour.

A population such as this, has nothing in common with the adventurers who rushed to the placers of California, or with the fancy picture of the “wealthy metal-hearted mine owners,” presented to us by Dr. Kuyper.

5.—­Distribution of the Gold Production.

Dr. Kuyper speaks of “the vultures” who come to rob the country of its gold; we would point out to him that before gold can be extracted from the rock, a vast amount must be sunk in it.  We have just seen that the cost of production often exceeds the profits.

Dr. Kuyper, in his childish innocence, imagines that “the vultures” carry off the gold as soon as it is extracted.

Had he taken the trouble to ascertain the facts, he would have seen that the greater part of this gold remains in the Transvaal, and either goes to the Government, or to defray the cost of production.