"It is not unusual," he writes, "for the directors of a deep level mine to spend L500,000 before one single ton has been crushed." [Footnote 13: See the _Revue Sud-Africaine_ (Paris), February 26th, 1899.] 4 .-- _A Gold Mine is an Industrial Undertaking._ According to the report of the Industrial Commission appointed to inquire into the mining industry, there were, in 1896, 183 gold mines in the Transvaal.

Of these 79 had been gold-producing, while 104, still in process of development, had as yet produced nothing.

Of the 183 only 25 had paid dividends.
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.