THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA (1912) (Presentation copy)

First edition, first impression presentation copy bound in red cloth hardcover with "The All Red Series" in gilt over the title to the front cover. With 24 photographic plates (including frontispiece) and folding color map of the "Union of South Africa" at the rear. Front paste down and front free endpaper with colored map of "The British Empire in 1800"; rear free endpaper and rear paste down with colored map of "The British Empire in 1900". Also contains numerous tables and statistical informations, many on the mining, diamond and gold industry (including the Transvaal Gold Production from 1892-1910, Witwatersrand and Rhodesian Gold Production, etc.).

This uncommon and less known work on The Union of South Africa is consisted of five parts:

Part I - "The Land and the People" (with chapters: Physical Characteristics; The Native Races; The Semitic Occupations; European Colonisation - Portugal in Africa; The Dutch East India Company; South Africa under British rule);

Part II - "The Governement" (with chapters: The Union Constitution; The Provincial Administrations; Financial and Administrative Reorganisation; The Supreme Court of South Africa);

Part III - "Rhodesia and the Native Territories of the High Comission" (with chapters: Rhodesia; Southern Rhodesia; The Native Territories);

Part IV - "Industrial Development" (with chapters: The Labour Supply; Transport and Communications; The Mines; Agriculture and Stock-raising; Trade And Commerce);

Part V - "Political and Social Conditions" (with chapters: Finance and Taxation; Local Government and Municipal Development; Law, Order, and Defence; Education; Immigration, Land Settlement, and Cost of Living; Social and Intellectual Development).

The chapter "The Mines" contains sections and descriptions about Silver and Base Metals, The Diamond Mines, Kimberley and Rhodes, Systems of Mining, Amalgamation of Mines, Mining Processes, The Crime of Illicit Diamond Bying, Kimberley Compound, Condition of Natives Employed by De Beers, Kenilworth, The Diamond Production of the Cape Province, The Diamond Production of the Free State Province, The Diamond Production of the Transvaal Province, The Danger of Over-Production, The Gold Mines, Rhodesian Gold Output, Gold Mining in the Transvaal, The Discovery of the Witwatersrand Goldfields, Discovery of the Rand, The growth of Johannesburg, The Gold Industry of the Witwatersrand, Transvaal Gold Production, The Character of the Deposits, Profits of the Industry, The Present Position of the Transvaal Gold Industry, Taxation of Mines, The New Law, etc.

The chapter "The Dutch East India Company" contains sections of The Cape Settlement, The Company's System, The Hottentot Question, Huguenot Immigration, The Boer Stock, Origin of the "Taal", Growth of the Settlement, Condition of Colonists, Position in 1795, and British Occupation.

The chapter "South Africa under British Rule" contains sections of Exceptional Difficulties, British Policy, Abolition of Slavery, The Great Trek, The Boer Republics, Natal Retained, Industrial Progress, Discovery of the Rand, and The Great War.

The chapter "Rhodesia" contains sections The Pioneer Expedition, The Matabele War, The Chartered Company, Financial System, Railway Construction, Native Insurrection, Causes of Rebellion, Administrative Changes, Rhodes in Rhodesia, and Industrial Progress.

The chapter "The Native Races" contains also a detailed description of all five stages of development of the "Native policy of Great Britain":

I. From the date of the permanent occupation of the Cape (1806) to the Great Trek (1835-8);
II. From the Great Trek to the recognition of the independence of the Boers under the Conventions of 1852 and 1854;
III. From the Conventions to the Discovery of Diamonds (1870);
IV. From the discovery of diamonds to the Bechuanaland Settlement (1884-5);
V. From this date to the Union (1910).

"For the gift or loan of official papers, used in the preparation of this book, the author desires to express his grateful thanks to the High Commissioner for the Union of South Africa (The Hon. Sir Richard Soloman, G.C.M.G.) and J. R. Stopford, Esq., of the High Commissioner's Office; the British South Africa Company; the Rhodes Trustees; the Central Mining and Investment Corporation, Ltd.; and the Town Clerk of Johannesburg (J. Taylor, Esq.)." (From the "Note" by the Author)

Original publisher's red cloth hardcover; Text in English; Collation complete - Front paste down and front free endpaper with colored map of "The British Empire 1800", Half-title, [1], Frontispiece, Title page, ix, 530 pages, with 23 photographic plates, folding color map of the "Union of South Africa" at the rear, rear free endpaper and rear paste down with colored map of "The British Empire 1900"; Binding is tight and firm, with usual shelf wear, little rubbed and bumped to the extremities. Spine sunned, some traces of discoloration to the boards. Othervise the binding is strong and secure, joints and hinges are whole and stable. Ink signature and dedication with name dated "London, June 1920". A blind "Presentation Copy" stamp on the title page. Othervise, the text block/pages in very good condition, very bright and clear, with little yellowing and a few pages with very light yellow foxing dots. No any markings or undelayings, no brown foxing. A sound copy of this extremelly rare title.

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