PUBLICATION No. 12 SE_PTEMBER 1965 ~==-- ~-:-~--- -- - -- -·-··-.-- ---~ ~.- ~-- -- ----- · . -.· ---- -::=__--_~--=--~ -~--- --:-_..:.: :...: ·_.:.__ ··;-· _- - ~~~---i;:£~ _-:--=::~':-::~o~'- ' .. - - - - ----- - •-• -- ------ - --- ----- ------- ----- _. ·:.:~:~;.:.:.. - . __..!-• i;::.:.·:.::-:..;:;: . .. - ~~- - . :,"'":=$:,_-= _._~-:-__ "' - _=- ~*- ~ - 1910 T ' t . .- -f~ _,.. 'f ' ... The Standard Bank, Umtali. 1965 ,, .... ....,..,..,• ]]))• . 151,4.sl>/l.~D 8A1' K 1111·· ; f ·. ,},~ ··· ■ ! :n . LlL~ ~ ,.,. --#..... ,.,-.... ~ WANKIE 1897-1965 - .,.. .; f I I ,' \,. .... • "' . , -·~ ;~~f! ~ l~ .~ ·::,t-~ . if~ ~;t.~~ ~;~ 1· ' .• -:.- -?"",,.,~.&f -~ ..:.,. ,~~..r~,~ •i : ""'~~-- _afa.: •-1 . • \ • ....,..,.,.., ~ L .. :,:;_• ,:.JI)'~~~-~ ~ ..... ,...... ,.. ..;- ... ~ ~ ' -:r:: !! -~ f;; '~:~;- . ·- j ,>- ·<;· ~ • ~ ~ -~~~-:~":1..-·. ~ ~ ~.,:-::,- ~= ~~- -_ _~:-:i -:.~- The first exploratory shaft was sunk at Wankie in 1897 after Albert Giese had pegged 400 square miles of claims on behalf of the Mashonaland Agency Limited. The first production and dispatch of coal by rail took place in 1903. {Anglo American Corporation) The coke works and by-products plant at Wankie Colliery Company Limited, today. The company first began operations in this area at No. 1 Colliery which is now on a caretaker basis with large areas worked out. After 1953, when administration of the company was taken over by Anglo American Corporation, mechanised mining methods were introduced at No. 2 Colliery and a third colliery, No. 3, was established west of No. 2 Colliery. i . from the start . since the early 1890's rail transport has been a major factor in the development of Rhodesia. Your Railway system is today one of the most progressive in the world, serving Rhodesia, Zambia and Bechuanaland with efficient, economical and modern rail transport, vital to the prosperity of these territories. :-:.. ! . ' ::i.,.~ :r j~lt-:-l:\ .~- :.;;....:.;_.;~-~..... -;·.::.. ..... RHODESIA RAILWAYS ----c=1 • ...._ .,.,,,-.-.aa.... ....- JlAIO~ II RHODESIANA Publication No. 12 — September, 1965 THE RHODESIANA SOCIETY Salisbury Rhodesia CONTENTS Page FOREWORD BY H.E. THE GOVERNOR OF RHODESIA, THE HON. SIR HUMPHREY GIBBS, K.C.M.G., O.B.E ix RHODESIA IN 1890, BY H. F. HOSTE 1 HENRY HARTLEY, 1815-1876, BY R. W.S.TURNER .. ... 27 PIONEER FORTS IN RHODESIA, 1890-1897, BY P. S. GARLAKE 37 THE MAKALAKA BY K. MAUCH, TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY F. O. BERNHARD 63 DIARY OF A JOURNEY FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO SALISBURY, I895. BY H. D. RAWSON 76 THE DEATH OF CHARLES ANNESTY, BY A. S. HICKMAN .. 93 AN EARLY ENTHUSIAST FOR RHODESIAN AVIATION: MR. C. F. WEBB IN 1912, BY J. MCADAM 103 NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS 111 LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE RHODESIANA SOCIETY 112 The cover picture is from a drawing of the Pioneer Column crossing the Shashi River into Mashonaland, 11 July, 1890. {National Archives) v The Rhodesiana Society PATRONS: His Excellency the Hon. Sir Humphrey Gibbs, K.C.M.G., O.B.E., and the Hon. Lady Gibbs. The Society exists to promote Rhodesian historical studies and to encourage research. It also aims to unite all who wish to foster a wider appreciation and knowledge of the history of Rhodesia. There is no entrance fee; the subscription is £1 1s. 0d. ($3.50) a year, and this entitles paid-up members to all issues of Rhodesiana during the year. For further information and particulars concerning member­ ship, please write to: The Honorary Secretary, Rhodesiana Society, P.O. Box 8268, Causeway, Rhodesia. Committee Members H. A. Cripwell, Chairman M. J. Kimberley, Honorary Secretary E. E. Burke, Editor V. F. Ellenberger, C.B.E., I.S.O. Col. A. S. Hickman, M.B.E. Dr. R. C. Howland H. R. G. Howman, M.B.E. R. Isaacson Rev. Fr. W. F. Rea, S.J. G. H. Tanser R. W. S. Turner Manuscripts will be welcomed by the Editor (P.O. Box 8268, Causeway, Rhodesia); they should preferably be typed in double spacing, and be complete with any illustrations. vi This special issue of "Rhodesiana" is produced in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the formal establishment of our country in 1890. It is dedicated, with respect and remembrance, to all Pioneers. vii • His Excellency The Right Honourable Sir Humphrey Gibbs, K.C.M.G., O.B.E., and The Honourable Lady Gibbs viii FOREWORD BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR OF RHODESIA, THE HON. SIR HUMPHREY GIBBS, K.C.M.G., O.B.E. GOVERNMENT HOUSE SAXISBUBY BHODESIA Seventy-five years ago, in July 1890, an expedition left Fort Tuli for Mashonaland and reached the site of what is now Salisbury in September of that year. This primary objective had been achieved successfully and without casualty and marked the beginning of the development of the country we are proud to call Rhodesia. However, the years which followed presented many hazards to those who were endeavouring to consolidate this initial success; not the least of which were extremely heavy rains, wild beasts, malaria, rinderpest, locusts and 'other adversities'. Had it not been for the steadfastness of our people in the face of such difficult circumstances, our country could well have disintegrated. But they won through and established for us traditions of service and foundations of civilisation which it is our duty to maintain and develop for the mutual benefit of all our people. Apart from the indigenous tribes and the Europeans of many nations, descendants of coloured people, Zulus, Pingos and Xosas, who came here with the pioneers, are also numbered amongst the peoples of Rhodesia. I am confident that all races here will be welded into a true nation of Rhodesians. My wife and I, as patrons of "Rhodesiana" would like to commend the efforts of the Committee in producing this special number to commemorate the seventy-fifth year of our development. All the articles published should prove to be of special interest to Rhodesians, and those who have contributed to their accurate composition are to be congratulated. All the articles emphasize the part played by our forbears in the advancement of our country in episodes which were both grave and light-hearted. For this edition, and those of the past, I should like to thank "Rhodesiana" and wish it every success in its praiseworthy efforts to record and make known our proud history. The Pioneer Column (from "Black and White", October 25th, 1890) {National Archives) X Rhodesia in 1890 by H. F. (Skipper) Hoste Henry Francis Hoste was one of the older officers when at the age of 37 he was commissioned as a captain in the Pioneer Corps, but he had a wealth of unusual experience to contribute. He was born in 1853 at Stanhoe, near Sandringham in Norfolk, the son of the Reverend W. P. Hoste, who was later Dean of St. Paul's, and a descendant of Admiral Sir William Hoste who fought as a midshipman under Nelson and commanded at a notable engagement off the island of Lissa in 1811. Hoste, after Haileybury, failed his entrance examination for the Royal Navy and joined the Merchant Navy instead, serving a three-year apprenticeship in a China tea clipper. From sail he went into steam in the service of the Union Steam Ship Company and he first visited South Africa as fourth officer of the R.M.S. Teuton. In 1877 he was a member of an expedition sponsored by the Foreign Office to enquire into the slave trade in Central Africa; Herbert, a brother of Cecil Rhodes, was another member of the party, which became the first to reach the north tip of Lake Nyasa overland. Subsequently he rejoined the Union Company as its Commodore and from 1883 to 1890 was captain of the R.M.S. Trojan. He describes below the circumstances in which he met Rhodes and joined the Pioneer Corps as Captain of 'B' Troop. After the disbandment of the Pioneer Corps in Mashonaland he was involved in the operations against the Portuguese in Manicaland. He cast his fortunes with those of the new country, as a prospector and miner and later as a farmer. During the 1896 Rebellion he was commissioned as a major and appointed second in command of the Salisbury Field Force. He died in January 1936. A few years before his death he compiled an account of Forty Years Ago: Rhodesia in 1890, which was clearly taken very closely from the diary he kept during his early days in the country. This diary has since disappeared but I am indebted to his grandson, Mr. P. H. Hoste-Davies, of Melsetter, for permission to publish these extracts from the later account. They have all the force of contemporary description. Some notes have been added where it has been thought necessary to clarify the text. E.E.B. The first time I heard of the expedition for the purpose of occupying Mashonaland was from Rhodes himself in August 1889. It happened thus: I was sailing from Southampton to the Cape in command of the R.M.S. Trojan belonging to the Union Steam Ship Company; we had passed through the Needles Passage, dropped the pilot, and having set a course that would take us down channel, I came off the bridge, and was just entering my cabin, when I heard a voice behind me say "Hallo, Hoste! Have you forgotten me?" I turned round to see who it was, and found Rhodes standing there. I shook hands with him, saying, "I did not know you were on board; I don't think your name is on the passenger list." "No, it isn't", he replied. "I didn't want a crowd of people seeing me off, so 1 sent a clerk up from the office to take my ticket, and I believe my name is Thompson, however now we're away I'll resume my original name." During the voyage he used to come into my cabin and sit there telling me his schemes, and what he was going to do with his new country, and how the occupation of it was the first step towards the realization of his great dream of the Union Jack flying over all the land from the Cape of Good Hope to Cairo.