THE LOURENCO MARQUES PRETORIA RAILWAY ,Dutch Republic,Portuguese Possessions,South Africa

HISTORICAL MAP CHART

In 1873-1877 Mr Burgers, president of the Transvaal, endeavoured, unsuccessfully, to get a railway built from Pretoria to Delagoa Bay. In 1878-1879 a survey was taken for a line from Lourenco Marques to the Transvaal, and in 1883 the Lisbon cabinet granted to Colonel Edward McMurdo, an American citizen, a concessionwhich took the place of others which had lapsedfor the building of a railway from Lourenco Marques to the Transvaal frontier, the Boer government having agreed (1883) to continue the line to Pretoria. Under this concessior Colonel McMurdo formed in London in 1887 a company, the Delagoa Bay and East African Railway Company. the line. Meantime a secret agreement had been come to construct the railway, should the company not complete the line in the timw as specified. The company, however, built the line to the frontier as shown on the Portuguese maps of 1883 within the time limit. The railway being opened on the 14th of December 1888. The frontier by this date had been fixed at Komati Poort, 5 m farther from the coast. Portugal had previously agreed to grant the company a reasonable extension of time to complete the line if the frontier should be traced farther inland than shown on the 1883 maps. The Lisbon government required the extension to Komati Poort to be completed in eight months (five of which were in the rainy season), an impossible stipulation. The railway not being finished, the Portuguese seized the line on the 25th of June 1889 and cancelled the concession. Portugal in so doing acted, to all appearance, under pressure from the Transvaal. Great Britain and America at once protested, Portugal admitted the illegality of her act and consented to refer the amount of compensation to the decision of three Swiss jurists. This was in 1890, when Portugal paid 28,000 on account. It was not until the 29th of March 1900 that the award was made known. The arbitrators ordered Portugal to pay in addition to the 28,000 sum, including interest of 950,000. The damages were promptly paid. Meantime the railway had been continued from Komati Poort and was opened for through traffic to Pretoria on the 8th of July 1895. In 1906-1910 another railway (4 m. long) was built from Lourenco Marques due west to the Swaziland frontier, being a link in a new line to shorten the distance by rail between the Rand and the sea by some 60 m.

1890s Wood Engraving Antique Map

Approximate Overall Size: 7 X 10 1/2 inches

CONDITION: Book Plate INTEXT MAP - Excellent Condition. Beautiful with excellent detail. There is Text on Front and Back Side.