Suggestions about South Africa.
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By E. W. S.
The "Roads.
The " roads" of South Africa are indeed a peculiarity of the country. They have been " evolved," like the ox-wagon, by the stress of circumstances. Part of their ruggedness is due to economic reasons, i.e., to want of money ; part to the climate; and part to the physical features of the land. To take the last-named point first, South Africa as a whole lies high. It is true there are no mighty peaks, or huge mountain ranges; even in the Drakensberg, the greatest elevation is not more than 12,000 ft. : yet, the general level of the country is very much above that of Europe. The land rises from the sea, in a series of gigantic steps or terraces, until the central plateux of the north of Cape Colony and the Orange River Colony are reached. These central plateaux lie at an average height of about 4,000 ft. above the sea. On these plateaux, the country is monotonously uniform in character, level, or gently undulating, with the curious steep-sided, abrupt, kopjes dotted about all over it like natural exclamation marks!
In the " coastal belts," however, the scenery is very different. Here, the country is diversified by deep, steep-sided valleys and hills, which rise occasionally to a respectable elevation—in short, what the French call " un aceidente." Even here, however, the general level is much higher than anything experienced in England. King William's Town, for example, is considered to be very lowlying, yet it is over 1,500 ft. above the level of the sea : Grahamstown is over 1,700 ft., and Queenstown 3,500 ft. When one remembers that, in Eng
land, anything over 2,000 ft. high is considered to be a "mountain," it is obvious that the South-African hills are both long and steep, and on the roads over these hills there are some heavy gradients, whilst such roads are liable to become mere watercourses, from the enormous quantity of water which falls during a South-African heavy rain—a matter of an inch an hour, or more. If precautionary measures to prevent this were not taken, by the time the rain had travelled a few hundred yards, it would have assumed great force and velocity, and, after two or three such rain storms, the question would be—where is the road ? It would most likely be represented by a deep crevasse, with a few stones lying at the bottom. It is extremely difficult to convey any adequate impression of the power and violence of the water, which is literally hurled on to the ground during a South-African thunderstorm ; in some places, whole farms have been ruined. Sluits," often over 6 ft. deep and 10 ft. wide, are left in the land, as evidence of the violence of the storms.
44 Shalt; " to Protect the Roads
In order to protect the roads from these erosive floods, a system had to be devised which was at once cheap and efficient. If the roads were to be constructed on the European plan, large quantities of good road metal, sound foundations, carefully-designed cambering, and excellent drainage would be necessary. This system is more expensive than the Colonies can afford still, a means of road protection had to be found. It was found, in the " sluit," which means nothing more than a runnel or rivulet.
As adapted for service on the roads. the " sluit " becomes an instrument of torture to all who travel on them. Imagine a " caniveau " of the most diabolical kind, crossing the road at a slight angle, about every 20 to 50 yds. apart. At the back of these " caniveau " and parallel to them, place largo humps or long mounds of hard road-metal. That is how the "sluit" is applied to the South-African road.
When driving along such a road in a Cape-cart or buggy, the usual plan is to slacken speed, slightly, so as to " ease" the vehicle over these humps. In fact, they form the most effective " speed-limit " device that can well be imagined. It is really surprising that the Highways Protection League has not yet endeavoured to introduce the " sluit" into England! However, the " sluits " protect the roads fairly well : they split up the volumes of water, that would otherwise flow down the road, and turn them on to the veldt; they effectively " localize " a flood, and prevent erosion of the road. Until the Colonies are able to afford properly-drained roads, with aide ditches, on the European plan, the " sluit " is likely to remain.
It is obvious that people who are content, not merely to put up with, but actually to construct, such obstacles to fast travelling on their roads, will not be very particular about matters of surface: it may be stated, at once, that roads. in the European sense, do not exist. In South Africa, the road is not even defined. When the rains come, the mud is appalling. As a result, the traffic takes to the veldt alongside, and so a new track is made, and one often finds four or five such tracks side by side ; where the roads are fenced, however, they are usually narrower than those at Home. Holes more than a footdeep are frequent. Great boulders stick up at intervals. In the wet season, deep sloughs form, whilst, in the dry weather, the dust is several inches thick.
Rivers and Drifts.
It will be obvious from the foregoing, that countries which spend so little on their roads cannot afford much in the way of bridges, except for the railways. Bridges for road traffic, except in the immediate neighbourhood of towns, are conspicuous by their absence. Where the rivers are very large, as, for instance, at the top of some of the tidal estuaries, crossing is effected by means of " ponts," or floating bridges, of the type illustrated in last week's issue. As a general rule, however. there is merely a "drift," i.e., a ford, and a South-African river "drift " is not at all like the tame and shallow fords which are met with in England.
Most of the South-African rivers run at the bottom of deep grooves in the soil; their banks are nearly vertical and of considerable height, and, as a result of their steepness, the descent to the " drift. " is usually cramped, slippery and awkward. The depth of water is often considerable, and the bottom rough and uneven, and accidents are not at all uncommon. At certain times of the year, the crossing of these drifts is attended with great danger, because a. South-African river, at such times, " comes down " with a speed only rivalled by its unexpectedness—a wall of water several feet high rushes down the river bed and sweeps away everything in its path. Cases of drowning while crossing " drifts " occur with the regularity of bathing accidents at Home during the English seaside season. When a river is "down," transport riders and other travellers camp on the bank until the flood subsides. On the post-cart, routes, however, a wire rope is permanently fixed across all the larger drifts. A packing case is slung on to the rope, and, when the river is in flood, passengers and mails are sent across in this primitive manner. Sometimes, the post-cart itself is attached to the rope and hauled over, the Kaffir boys swimming the horses. As a rule, however, another cart is kept in readiness on the other side.
Motor "Ox-Wagons" for Carriers.
I have already pointed mit that a very large trade is done between the
" coastal belt " towns and the ports.
mostly by ox-wagon. During part of the year, the trade is augmented by large quantities of wool, and this wool is not sent to the ports in large con
signments. Each farmer waits his opportunity, and then sends in his season's " clip " as suits his convenience; hence, during the wool season, large numbers of comparatively-small hut valuable loads of wool are transported by road. It is obvious that. for a such a trade, traction engines are not required, but rather—to use an Irishism—motor " ox-wagons," and self-propelled Cape-carts. Besides the wool, enormous quantities of all kinds of European manufactured goods are road borne. These consist of such things as blankets, cotton goods, furniture, household articles, cutlery. etc., etc. From the " coastal-belt " towns, these '' trade " goods are distributed, again by ox-wagon, to the up-country traders, in the native territories and other districts remote from the railway. The trade with the natives is a very important one, and is increasing, but large consignments are the exception.
Reason for the Success of the Ox-Wagon.
The reason why the ox-wagon succeeds is because it is cheap. It is slow and, at times, uncertain. But an ox wagon costs little to buy and repair, and, when the oxen are worn out, they will still fetch something at the butcher's. It is said, in South Africa, that no bullock is ever killed until he is at the point of death—that is why the beef out there resembles the corrugated iron used for the roofs! The South-African "trek ox " is remarkably strong, patient, and obedient, and enough of him will pull anything through anything; but his pace is very slow, and he is liable to fall sick. Though he finds his own living—subsisting upon the grass at the outspans—he requires a great quantity of fodder, and, if he be stinted, his condition will rapidly fall off, and he will become too weak to travel. Consequently, transport riders are greatly dependent on the weather, and the amount of feed there may be for their beasts. If there have not been enough moisture to keep the veldt green and fresh, the oxen are liable to break down. Even under the most-favourable circumstances, with fresh teams, good weather, and plenty of feed for the cattle, the utmost a transport rider can hope to do, on an average long "trek," say one of a fortnight to three weeks duration, is about 30 miles a day, and it would require great care and good driving to accomplish even this. After a "trek," the teams must be given a rest equal in length to the time they have been on " trek " ; transport riders usually have several teams of oxen for each wagon, and while one lot is " trekking "the other is running loose on the home farm. Ox-wagon travelling is usually done at night. whilst, during the heat of the clay, the oxen are turned loose on the " out-spans " to feed, and rest. " Outspans " are spaces on the veldt, reserved by Covernment as stoppingplaces fur transport riders, and as grazing grounds for their oxen.
The Type of Commercial Motor Most Suitable for South Africa.
Having now roughly outlined some of the difficulties in the way of motor transport in Smith Africa. I am going to state what sort of vehicle would. in my opinion, be most likely to succeed. I may say, plainly, that I have a prejudice in favour of the system which I recommend. Many people will probably think my ideas ridiculous: however, remember, they are only my ideas.
I am of opinion that the car which is going to succeed in South Africa is the 30-cwt. to two-ton lorry. It need not have a very high speed—I5 miles an hour is quite fast enough. It wilt have to be extremely simple, and of strong construction. It must be built with a very high, and, to European ideas, excessive clearance, on account of the drifts-2 ft. at least must be allowed. If possible, the vehicle should have some of the elasticity of the ex-wagon. It must be capable of covering at least 40 miles on one supply of fuel and water. It must be a capital hill-climber, and have power ful and efficient brakes. It should burn a fuel that is cheap and obtainable everywhere. It must be so easy to drive, that that cheerful child of Nature, the Kaffir, may safely be entrusted with it. All its working parts must be enclosed.
"Steam Gas."
For reasons which I give later, I am inclined to think that the most-suitable motor vehicle for use in South Africa is one propelled by " steam gas," or highly-superheated steam.
The late M. Leon Serpollet introduced three things: the flash boiler ; the " steam-gas " engine; and the paraffin burner. I do not wish to detract in any way from Serpollet's fame, but, although he demonstrated that the principles underlying his inventions were correct, he did not, in the strict sense of the word, succeed in working out their application. His flash generator was the strongest, the most durable, and the most-easily repaired steam boiler ever made, but it was not regular in its action ; his cylinders owing to their design, expanded unevenly, thus letting the hot steam pass the piston-rings and enter the crank chamber, from which it promptly blew out the lubricating oil ;
his paraffin burner, though powerful, was difficult to start, and to keep eleau. There were numerous other small defects of design. In spite of all drawbacks, however, the immense superiority of " steam gas," as a method of propulsion, enabled the steam cars of those days frequently to triumph over their petrol rivals. For some years past., experiments have been in progress, and the old difficnIties have now all been overcome, and by more than one engineer. A new system of boiler feeding has been adopted ; a special donkey pump, with lift valves to stand the " steam gas," has been evolved; generators have been slightly altered, so that, while being as es,sy to repair, as powerful, as durable, and as reliable as ever, they give a steadier supply of steam ; the temperature of the " steam gas," hich is much more important than its pressure, is automatically regulated; by a new system of construction, the cylinders 110 longer wear eval, and steam cannot now 13068 into the crank chamber ; new and improved paraffin burners give complete combustion at all times, with great power when necessary ; new systems of joint making have abolished leaks ; a new type of relief valve (constructed to work successfully with " steam gas ") allows any excess of pressure to escape, while still maintaining the " reserve " in the boiler ; the throttle-valve has been redesigned; and so on.
Available Fuel.
One of the first things a newcomer to South Africa notices is the ubiquitous paraffin tin. Paraffin is everywhere used as an illuminant. Even in the most-isolated little " dorps," one will find paraffin. Compared with the general run of prices in South Africa, paraffin is relatively cheapabout is. per gallon : petrol is about 2s. 6d. per gallon, and it can only be obtained in the larger towns—unless, of course, special arrangements be made.
Coal is obtainable along the lines of railway, but usually it is of a very poor quality. Wood is extremely scarce: the greater part of South Africa never contained any trees, but in the " coastal belt " there were ()nee very large forests. There, owing to the wasteful manner in which these were .eut down by the natives in the past, only two th ieldy-woodis I areas are left. One is the I: nysna Forest, not far from Port Elizabeth, and the other is the Perie Bush, on the slopes of the Ama
tole Mountains. Both are Government property, and are preserved and " worked " by the State.
The " steam-gas " car is not dependelit on wood, coal, or petrol. It uses paraffin, the most-common fuel O btainable in South Africa. Sccomily; the " steam-gas " car or lorry is unrivalled for its hill-climbing qualities. None of the power generated is wasted in sets of uneconomical change-speed gears. Thirdly, the water used by the "steam-gas" car need not be specially elean. In the Eastern districts of South Africa, there are numerous rivers and streams. Natal, too, is well watered. A ear or lorry working in those districts would have no difficulty about getting water. Farther up country, on the Karroo. or the northern plains of Cape Colony, where water is scarce, some dilficultv might be experienced during droughts. Wherever there is a town' or even a farm, however, enough could probably be obtained to "carry on" to the next stopping-place. Lastly, the " steamgas car is simple to drive and understand, and may 60 easily be controlled by its throttle, to suit the inequalities of the roads, in a way no petrol car could excel. I do not say that there is any type of " ateam-gas '" lorry, now in existence which is entirely suited to SouthAfrican conditions. but I maintain that the system is the one which would have the best chance of success in South Africa ; it would suit the SouthAfrican roads and climate.
Wheels and Casings.
Much larger wheels than those usually fitted would be advisable, and I have no hesitation in recommending that they should be not less than 4 ft. in. diameter; 5 ft. 6 in. in diameter for the back wheels, and 3 ft. 6 in., or 4 ft., for the leaders, would form a good combination. These large-diameter wheels are necessary, not only to give a good clearance, but to roll easily over the appalling surfaces of the South-African roads. I consider that wooden wheels are the best for South Africa, as, if they are damaged, any wagon maker can repair them.
On the other hand, metal wheels would stand the climate better.
A. very large and efficient condenser, and a powerful fan should be fitted. Both tile fuel and water tanks should carry enough for a 40-50 mile run in one supply.
All working parts should be most carefully enclosed, and protected against dust, and mud ; they should be efficiently lubricated. In South Africa, during the dry season, violent dust storms are common, and, driven by the wind, the dust seems to penetrate
everywhere. Mixed with the lubricant, it forms an effective abrasive compound.
Tires, Springs and Brakes.
I think that the use of solid-rubber tires would be advisable, and that a different system of springing would have to be designed. At home, springs are constructed to take a large number of comparatively-small rapidly-recurring shocks, whilst, in South Africa, the shocks would be very much greater, and much more frequent.
Very powerful and simple brakes should be provided; it would be a great advantage if the brake shoes could be made of some easily-replaceable material; or, if that be not practicable, they should be made so as to last a long time without their requiring attention. Some protection for the driver in the shape of a hood or canopy would be a useful addition, and a tarpaulin or covering for the goods should be provided: the " wagon-sails " used for this purpose in South Africa would serve admirably. They are large pieces of canvas well greased.
Conclusion.
Such a lorry as I have outlined might be introduced, first of all, to carry both goods and passengers from the railway into outlying districts. Next, the post-cart contractors might be approached, and, by demonstrating the superior speed, economy, and reliability, of the motor vehicle, might be induced to substitute mechanical for animal haulage. Then, the large firms would probably adopt it in place of their sample carts, and, if it were successful, they would probably extend the system and use the motor lorry for the general carriage of goods.