I

do not know what they will have to eat during the week. That (pointing to the map) is only a small portion of South Africa, and it is only a very small portion; if you were to cut the map of England across, from London to Bristol, that south part would bear about the same proportion to the whole of England as that portion does to the whole continent of South Africa. I believe there is an enormous field for commerce there. You have a large population, and the centre of that continent of South Africa is not the wilderness that it has been for a long time represented to be. It is thickly populated, and as soon as you begin to teach the natives the advantages of commencing to use the products of civilisation, they very soon take to it. The native African ladies may not be at once ready for the delicate attentions of the French milliner, but they will be ready to buy yards and yards of Manchester cotton. (Laughter.) When you read, and every traveller writes, of the high price set in South Africa upon the produce of the Manchester looms, and the high price set upon the produce of the forges of Birmingham and England generally, I ask those who are looking for fresh fields for commerce, to say whether they cannot find that field in that immense country. Some years ago suggested that a line of telegraph wire should be carried through Africa, and I see from the last advices that the Government Superintendent of Telegraphs at the Cape has taken that idea up, and he shows that the question is practicable; but it was known to everyone to be practicable before he took it up. They can do the same there as they have done in Australia; the only thing they want is a small oblong piece of paper-a cheque for the amount. (Laughter.) I can tell you this, that about eight months of the bills that the Cape colonists are at present paying for their fighting in South Africa would pay for the construction of that telegraph. (Hear, hear.) They are paying about £100,000 a month, and about three-quarters of a million would carry the wire right through the country; and though I must say that if I were in command of an army anywhere, I should cut the telegraph wires, so that I should not be bothered with any instructions or advice from head-quarters --(laughter)—still in matters of commerce it would be different. If you see the necessity of finding fresh fields for commerce, to provide employment for the artisans of this country, then I say you would, notwithstanding the rumours of war, see how important it is that the sentiment embodied in the remarks I have read from Mr. Robinson's paper should be carried out, and how important it is to the real interests of England that she should take possession as soon as she can of the whole of the South African continent,

should settle all these difficulties and the form of government, and make it, as it has been called some years ago, and as it is being called in this paper, one great South African Dominion."

(Applause).

The CHAIRMAN (Mr. Henry Blaine): I think we all feel very gratified by the discussion we have heard. I have simply to move a vote of thanks to Mr. Robinson for his valuable paper, and I am sure our thanks are due to the Honorary Secretary for undertaking so laborious a task as reading such a long paper.

The votes were unanimously accorded.

Mr. FREDERICK YOUNG, on behalf of Mr. Robinson, acknowledged the vote of thanks which had been passed, and said that he should have great pleasure in communicating it to him. He was sure that Mr. Robinson would feel much gratified at the reception his paper had met with, and at the interesting and important discussion it had elicited.

$26

EIGHTH ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING.

THE Eighth Ordinary General Meeting was held at the "Pall Mall," on Tuesday, June 4th, 1878. In the absence of the President, His Grace the Duke of Manchester, the chair was occupied by the Right Hon. the EARL OF DUNRAVEN, K.P.

Amongst those present were :

Sir Charles Stirling, Bart.; Sir John H. de Villiers (Chief Justice, Cape Colony), Dr. George Bennett (Sydney), Colonel William Crossman, R.E., C.M.G.; Messrs. F. A. Ball (Canada), Charles Guthrie, A. R. Campbell-Johnstone, Henry de Mosenthal (Port Elizabeth, Cape Colony), Hyde Clarke, Thomas Massey, Mrs. Carey Hobson, Miss A. W. Buckland, Dr. W. R. Pugh (Victoria, Australia), Messrs. Frank E. Metcalfe, George Tinline, W. L. Shepherd, Henry Blaine, W. Farnham, F. P. Labilliere, Adolphus Focking, James H. Kennedy (Diamond Fields, South Africa), Dr. A. Bisset Thom (Manitoba, Canada), Rev. J. Long, Messrs. C. Holden, A. Nathan, T. H. Holt, Robert M. Holt, James B. Stephen, W. T. Deverell, D. Mackenzie Ross, Thomas Glanville (Jamaica), G. W. Kardy, E. H. Godsal, Edwin Ransome, W. B. D'Almeida, H. P. Maurice, Thomas Plewman (Cape Colony), H. W. Freeland, and Mr. Frederick Young (Hon. Sec.)

The HONORARY SECRETARY (Mr. Young) read the Minutes of the preceding Ordinary General Meeting, which were confirmed; and the CHAIRMAN then called upon Mr. YOUNG to read the following paper by GAVIN GATHERAL, Esq., H.B.M.'s Vice-Consul, Angora, entitled

NOTES ON THE ANGORA OR MOHAIR GOAT, AND ITS NATURALISATION IN BRITISH COLONIES.

The animal known in Europe as the Angora Goat is the Capra hircus of naturalists, and has for many centuries been a native of the central plateaus and mountains of Asiatic Turkey. Some information regarding it from one who has resided several years in that district, and made its history, habits, and peculiarities a subject of observation and study, may prove of interest to colonists.

From a very early period these beautiful animals have attracted. the attention of travellers and naturalists, and efforts have been made to introduce them into Europe; as early as the year 1554, Busbek, the ambassador of Holland at Constantinople, having

drawn up a report on the subject, and urged his Government to import some specimens. That attempt and other similar ones met with little success, the climate being found unsuitable; humidity being a great enemy to the length and lustre of the fleece, these being the qualities that make this staple esteemed as next in value to silk.

The characteristics of the climate and soil of Central Asia Minor are extreme dryness, an average elevation of 2,500 feet above the level of the sea, and an abundant growth of oak, either in the form of trees or scrub-brush, the leaves of which furnish the goats with their favourite food, not only whilst green in summer, but dried for winter fodder. In addition to the varieties of oak mentioned, these plateaus grow only a scant supply of the short tufted grass common to most high levels. During the intense heat of summer even this meagre herbage is burnt up; but these goats seem to thrive and find sustenance when any other animal would perish.

In appearance they are somewhat smaller than the common goat; the fleece, when full-grown, hangs in natural ringlets almost touching the ground; the head is small and shapely; and both sexes have flat, corrugated horns, from eighteen to twenty-four inches long, according to age, that diverge from the top of the head. On the wide plateaus and in deep gullies of Central Asia Minor these goats are tended in flocks of from 200 to 5,000 head, generally mixed with sheep, which is found advantageous to the pastures, as they are more enterprising than the latter, and by breaking up the flock, prevent the sheep cropping the scant-herbage too short. To an enthusiast on such subjects there are few more beautiful objects than a large flock in full fleece scattered over some rugged mountain side, under the unclouded blue of an Asiatic sky, their snowy fleeces glittering like silver in the brilliant sunshine. The shepherd attaches small bronze bells to the necks of the rams, and these make a monotonous but musical chime as they move about. They are very tame and not at all timid, and will readily approach when called to lick the hand held out to them: they become, accordingly, household pets and the favourite playmates of children.

The folds constructed by Turkish goat-farmers are of the most primitive description, consisting generally of some sheltered enclosure surrounded by a low wall, and is little used except during heavy and continuous rain. They evince great attachment to home, and can be depended on to return to their evening shelter at sunset. During heavy snow which sometimes covers the ground for two or three months, they suffer no inconvenience, as the shep

herds strew the surface with chopped straw or dried leaves, on which they subsist. There is, therefore, little expense in grazing them, as one goat-herd with a dog-to keep off wolves, which abound-suffice for a thousand head. But in early spring, when the kids are born, they require more attention, as the young are singularly helpless during the first week of their lives, and the ewes show little maternal instinct; and if the kids are born during cold or wintry weather, they require to be sheltered and nourished indoors after nightfall. A running stream or good well is indispensable to a goat-run, as they drink a great quantity of water; and as they are passionately fond of salt, it is advisable to place pieces of rock-salt at the watering-place for them to lick.

Whilst referring to their habits and the advantages of rearing this species of stock, it must be admitted that no ordinary fence will restrain them; and they are so restless, energetic, and destructive, that cultivation in their vicinity has to be carefully guarded. Ornamental shrubs or hawthorn hedges have great attractions for them. Gorse and briars are eagerly sought for, and are kept carefully trimmed where these goats have access to them.

This class of stock does not, therefore, supersede sheep on good grass lands, but there are immense tracts in many of our Australian and American Colonies now practically idle and value. less, that, were these goats introduced, might be taken up and utilised in the production of a very important staple, both for local manufacture and export to Great Britain.

The breeding of the mohair goat and cross-breeding it with the common species is a most important part of the subject, especially for colonists, and with regard to it there are two different theories. One is that the best mode of beginning a flock is to commence with a few thoroughbred goats of both sexes, and trust entirely to their natural increase. The objection to this is the outlay at the outset, and the time that must elapse before a large number can be reached. The alternative plan is to introduce a small but choice selection of thoroughbred rams, and crossing the common ewe-goat with these, in three to five years a large and valuable flock is collected, only limited by the number of common goats procured at the outset. Theorists object to this system that perfect purity of breed cannot be reached, but, practically, every trace of underbreeding can be eliminated and the standard of the pure goat reached; the mohair being as fine, as long, though perhaps scarcely so abundant, as in the thoroughbred, whilst the silky lustre so much valued by spinners is undoubtedly greater. In practice, a combination of the two methods has been found the most profitable;