Kimberley

Kimberley, capital and chief town of Griqualand West, South Africa, the most important inland town of the Cape Colony, is situated 540 miles NE. of Capetown by rail (30 hours). Pop. (1891) 28,718, more than half natives. The British flag was first hoisted at Kimberley in November 1871; but Griqualand West did not become an integral portion of the Cape Colony till October 1880. The climate is healthy, though hot in summer; the neighbouring country, in all places where water can be obtained, fertile. The wants of the town have been abundantly provided for by water-works carried out at a cost of nearly half a million sterling, for which water is obtained from the Vaal River. On the outbreak of the Transvaal war it was invested by the Boers, but after a siege of over three months it was relieved on 15th February 1900. The rise of Kimberley has been rapid; and its situation is favourable to its further development. It holds the direct road from Capetown and the sea to the Orange Colony, the Transvaal, and the immense territories to the north; and is important to travellers and 'up-country' traders as the emporium and starting-place for the interior. There are a handsome town-hall, post-office, high court, public library, and botanic gardens. Kimberley owes its existence to the diamond-mines, the working of which dates only from July 1871, and of which the most important, known as Du Toit's Pan, Bultfontein, De Beer's, and Kimberley Central, were amalgamated into one huge company, with a share capital of £3,950,000. The number of diamonds found elsewhere in the whole world is comparatively insignificant (see CAPE COLONY, Vol. II. p. 734; also DIAMOND, Vol. III. p. 791).—Kimberley is also the name of a fertile district in the Fitzroy basin, in northern West Australia, where gold was found in 1893.