centration camps go back
at once to their former homes. They would only starve there. The
country is, for the most part, a desert, and, before it can be
generally re-occupied, a great deal will have to be done in the
way of re-stocking, provision of seed, and also probably, in the
absence of draught animals, for the importation of steam ploughs.

"Then there are the arrangements to be made for the return of the
prisoners of war. Evidently these will have to wait till the
whole of the British refugees are brought back. The latter not
only have the strongest claim, but they will be immediately
wanted when order is restored, and will have, as soon as the
railway can bring up the necessary material, abundance of work,
whereas it may take some time before the country is fit to
receive the prisoners. Nevertheless, though the return of the
prisoners may still be far distant, there are certain measures
which have to be taken even now, in order that we may be able to
deal with the matter when the time comes.

"Altogether, the number and complexity of the tasks, embraced
under the general term 're-settlement,' which are either already
upon us or will come upon us as the country gradually quiets
down, are sufficient to daunt the most stout-hearted. And yet the
tone of hopefulness among the British population who have so far
returned to the new colonies is very marked, especially in the
Transvaal. It is not incompatible with many grievances, and with
much grumbling at the Administration. But that was only to be
expected, and is of very small importance as long as people are
prepared to tackle the big work of reconstruction in front of
them in a vigorous and sanguine spirit. Nor is this hopefulness,
in my opinion, at all ill-founded, however gloomy may be the
immediate outlook.

"Terrible as have been the ravages of war and the destruction of
agricultural capital, a destruction which is now pretty well
complete, the great fact remains that the Transvaal possesses an
amount of mineral wealth, virtually unaffected by the war, which
will ensure the prosperity of South Africa for the next fifty
years; and other resources, both industrial and agricultural,
which, properly developed, should make it a rich country, humanly
speaking, for ever. Economically