Dec. 8.
THE new Government of Southern Rhodesia, concerning the inauguration of which a correspondent has written in our columns, may be regarded as the final chapter of a remarkable story—a story associated with the name of one of Britain's greatest Empire builders, Cecil Rhodes. Roughly, the history of the country, so fur us it deals with Britain's influence, dates back to 1887, the Jubilee year of Queen Victoria. At that time the struggle had started between the Western nations for the still unexploited territories in South Africa. Southern—Rhodesia which consists of those regions south of the Zambezi River known as Matabeleland and Mashonaland, was the centre of this struggle.
'The Boers, foiled' in Matabeleland, were attempting to establish themselves in Mashonaland and the Germans and Portuguese were both contending rivals for as much of this country as they could annex. The territory claimed by the Portuguese in a map laid before the Portuguese Cortes in 1887 was shown to stretch across the country from sea to sea and included almost the whole of what is now Rhodesia, as well as the British territories on Lake Nyanza. Portugal actually obtained the assent of Germany and France to a trans-continental domain, though Germany hoped to establish her authority over Matabeleland, having already secured a footing in southwest Africa.
Portugal, however, reckoned without the attitude and influence of Britain and the courage, foresight and tenacity of Cecil Rhodes who was eventually to give his name to the country. Consequently, when she. approached Great Britain for recognition of her rights in this region she received a blunt refusal. It was pointed out that there was not a sign of Portuguese authority or jurisdiction in the districts claimed by her and that it was therefore impossible to acknowledge her; rights in a country which she had not effectively occupied. Portugal's action, however, brought matters to a head for it at once became evident to Cecil Rhodes and others who shared his aims that the time had come to act quickly. At: the end of 1887 efforts were made to secure a treaty with Lobengula securing Britis) tights but these were not successful until Rhodes offered to undertake the pecuniary responsibility. Eventually, however, a treaty was signed under which Lobengula agreed not tq enter into correspondence or treaty with any State or Power without the previous knowledge and sanction of the British high commissioner for South Africa. The next step was the formation of a syndicate by Rhodes and others which obtained from Lobengula for the payment' of £100 a month, together with 1,000 Martini-Henry rifles and 100,000 rounds of ammunition, control over all the metals and minerals in his' kingdom, with power to exclude from his dominions '"'all persons seeking land, metals, minerals or mining rights therein'' in which action, if need be, he promised to render them assistance. Finally, through the instrumentality of Rhodes a charter was obtained for the company on October 29. 1889. This syndicate was the British South Africa Company who undertook to encourage emigration and colonization, fo extend northwards the railway and telegraph systems in the direction of the Zambezi River and develop and work minerals and other concessions under the management of one powerful organization, ''thereby obviating conflicts and complications between the various interests that had been acquired within these _Tegions, atid securing. to the native chiefs and their subjects the rights reserved to them under their several concessions."'
Thus began the history of the British South Africa administration in Southern Rhodesia. This administration was prescribed by Orders in Cotncil, the last dated in 1916. Under the Company's administration there was an Executive Council, consisting of not less than three members appointed for three years by the Company with the approval of the Secretary of State. There was also a Legislative Council consisting of the Administrator as President, six nominees of the Company and twelve members elected by the registered. voters. The duration of the Legislative Council was three years unless dissolved sooner. Ordinances passed by the Legislative Council and approved by the High Commissioner took effect immediately but could be vetoed by the Secretary of State within a year. A Resident Commissioner was appointed by the Secretary of State to watch proceedings who had seats in both the Executive and Legislative Councils but no vote. There is no doubt that the decision to replace the administration of the British South Africa Company by Colonial Government will be welcomed on all sides. Government by a chartered syndicate was a curious anomaly, which'at best could only be justified under. exceptional pioneering condi-. tions and was bound to. be superseded sooner or later when the European settlers increased to anything approaching influential numbers. At a time like the present when the future of the whole world may be said to depend in some degree on the stability of the British Empire, any measure—however small it may appear in itself—which may have the effect of strengthening the bonds of Empire must be welcomed as part of a progress sive movement. Fortunately, those who determined the administrative machinery were far sighted men so that it has been possible to make the changes with -a minimum of friction. Naturally, the British South
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.