AA

NING

IN NATAL

CHAPTER XVIII

HE following interesting details, on "Mining in Natal," were supplied in 1910 by Mr. C. J. Gray, late Commissioner of Mines, Natal: —

COAL. — Though seventy-one years have passed since the British Government first recognised the possible importance of the newly-discovered coal in Natal, little more than twenty years ago Natal had no collieries worthy of mention and imported coal from oversea. The imports — which reached their maximum of 16,932 tons in 1899— may be said to have ceased in the following year, though during the recent War, importation was temporarily resumed.

Since 1889. when 25.609 tons, worth £12,805 at the mines, were produced, the coal output has rapidly but steadily increased, until, for the year 1909, it became 1,786,568 tons, valued at £633,604.

The tonnages from each of the important collieries were :—

Tons

Colliery

Natal Navigation Elandslaagte ... Durban Navigation

Dundee ......

St. George's ... South African

Glencoe (Natal) Natal Cambrian Talana ... Newcastle Hlobane Natal Steam Ramsay Hatting Spruit West Lennoxton Ballengeich ... Other Collieries

12,240 lbs.)

300.797 194,393 164,198 148,220 145,860 144,953 132,313 125,937 97,999 77,004 64.373 61,624 42,019 40,908 22,031 13,381 10,558

1,786,568

435