Griqualand West

Griqualand West

Griqualand West is an area of central South Africa with an area of 40,000 km² that now forms part of the Northern Cape Province, which was inhabited by the Griqua people. In 1873 it was proclaimed as a British colony, with its capital at Kimberley, and in 1880 it was annexed by the Cape Colony. When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 Griqualand West was part of the Cape Province, but continued to have its own "provincial" sports teams.

History

In the years 1870-1871 a large number of diggers had settled on the diamond of the fields near the junction of the Vaal and Orange rivers, which were situated in part on land claimed by the Fi Griqua chief Nicholas Waterboer and by the Boer Republic of the Orange Free State.

The Orange Free State established a temporary government over the diamond fields, but the administration of this body was satisfactory neither to the Orange Free State nor to the diggers. At this juncture, Waterboer offered to place the territory under the administration of Queen Victoria. The offer was accepted, and on October 27, 1871 the district, together with some adjacent territory to which the Transvaal had laid claim, was proclaimed, under the name of Griqualand West, British territory. Waterboer's claims were based on the treaty concluded by his father with the British in 1834, and on various arrangements with the Kok chiefs; the Orange Free State based its claim on its purchase of Adam Kok's sovereign rights and on long occupation. The difference between proprietorship and sovereignty was confused or ignored. That Waterboer exercised no authority in the disputed district was admitted. When the British annexation took place a party in the Orange Free State volksraad wished to go to war with Britain, but the wiser counsels of President Brand prevailed. The Orange Free State, however, did not abandon its claims. The matter involved no little irritation between the parties concerned until July 1876. It was then disposed of by Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon, at that time secretary of state for the colonies, who granted to the Free State payment "in full satisfaction of all claims which it considers it may possess to Griqualand West."Fact|date=November 2007

Lord Carnarvon declined to entertain the proposal made by Mr Brand that the territory should be given up by Great Britain. One thing at least is certain with regard to the diamond fields - they were the means of restoring the credit and prosperity of the Orange Free State.

In the opinion, moreover, of Dr Theal, who has written the history of the Boer Republics and has been a consistent supporter of the Boers, the annexation of Griqualand West was probably in the best interests of the Orange Free State. "There was," he states, "no alternative from British sovereignty other than an independent diamond field republic." At this time, largely owing to the exhausting struggle with the Basutos, the Free State Boers, like their Transvaal Republic neighbours, had drifted into financial straits. A paper currency had been instituted, and the notes, known as "bluebacks", soon dropped to less than half their nominal value. Commerce was largely carried on by barter, and many cases of bankruptcy occurred in the state. But as British annexation in 1877 saved the Transvaal from bankruptcy, so did the influx of British and other immigrants to the diamond fields, in the early 1870s, restore public credit and individual prosperity to the Boers of the Free State. The diamond fields offered a ready market for stock and other agricultural produce. Money flowed into the pockets of the farmers. Public credit was restored. " Bluebacks " recovered par value, and were called in and redeemed by the government. Valuable diamond mines were also discovered within the Orange Free State, of which the one at Jagersfontein is the richest. Capital from Kimberley and London was soon provided with which to work them.

References

External links

* [http://www.britishempire.co.uk/maproom/griqualandwest.htm The British Empire: Griqualand West]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Griqualand West — a former district in S South Africa, N of the Orange River and W of the Orange Free State: diamonds found 1867. * * * ▪ region, South Africa       historical and contemporary region in Northern Cape province, South Africa. The region lies… …   Universalium

  • Griqualand West Griquas — Sport Rugby à XV Emblème Antilope …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Griqualand West cricket team in 1971–72 — See also: 1971 72 South African cricket season Northern Transvaal v Griqualand West (5 8 November) Northern Transvaal (19pts) beat Griqualand West (5pts) by 130 runs Griqualand West won the toss and chose to field at Berea Park, Pretoria, but did …   Wikipedia

  • Griqualand West cricket team — The Griqualand West cricket team is the first class cricket team that represents the province of Griqualand West in South Africa. For the purposes of the SuperSport Series, Griqualand West has merged with Free State to form the Eagles from… …   Wikipedia

  • Griqualand West — geographical name district NW Republic of South Africa in NE Northern Cape N of Orange River; chief town Kimberley …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Griqualand West — a former district in S South Africa, N of the Orange River and W of the Orange Free State: diamonds found 1867 …   Useful english dictionary

  • GRIQUALAND, WEST AND EAST —    British territories in South Africa. The former (83, 30 whites) lies to the N.E. of Cape Colony, between the Orange River on the S. and Bechuanaland on the N.; the diamond industry, of which Kimberley is the centre, is the chief source of… …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Griqualand —   [ grɪkwəlænd], zwei Landschaften in der Republik Südafrika, benannt nach dem Volk der Griqua (Hottentotten Mischlinge), die sich, aus dem Gebiet um Kapstadt kommend, zu Beginn des 19. Jahrhunderts in der Trockensavanne nördlich des mittleren… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Griqualand — Westgriqualand und Ostgriqualand auf einer Karte von 1885 Griqualand war der Name von zwei räumlich getrennten Distrikten – West und Ostgriqualand – in der britischen Kapkolonie im heutigen Südafrika. Er war benannt nach dem heute fast… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Griqualand — /ˈgrɪkwəlænd/ (say grikwuhland) noun the name given to two districts in the Republic of South Africa: 1. Griqualand West, in the province of Northern Cape. 2. Griqualand East, part of the Transkei region of the province of Eastern Cape …  

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”