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2 16 ECONOMIC INQUIRIES AND STUDIES
As regards the Transvaal and the Orange Free State
the problem they have had before them has been how
to keep in the field an army of from 50,000 to 60,000
men, which they have had to do along with the simul-
taneous stoppage as we have seen of four-fifths or five-
sixths of the chief industry ofthe country, namely, gold
mining. To put such a force in the field anyhow, and
at any rate with the completeness of equipment which
the Transvaal Government ~specially appears to have
possessed, must have required a considerable financial
effort. This may be said, although we are absolutely
without information upon one essential point, namely,
whether the Transvaal Government gives any pay to
the troops, so many of whom have been commandeered.
No accounts that I have seen make the smallest refer-
ence to this vital point, except one by an ex-banker
from Pretoria, dealing in an interesting manner with
the economics of the war in the Transvaal; and this
gentleman confesses, that as to this point which he had
considered, he is unable to say anything. I think we
may assume, however, that the Transvaal Government
and the Orange Free State Government pay their men
who are in the field something in money, besides find-
ing their food and other necessaries. One reason for
this opinion is, that a certain proportion of the Trans-
vaal and Orange Free State armies consists of foreign
mercenaries and other volunteers who could not be
obtained without pay; while it would be clearly diffi-
cult, if not impossible, to have some men in the armies
paid, and others not paid, especially when those others
consist of " burghers" jealous of their rights and privi-
leges, and rather apt to look down upon the mer-
cenaries associated with them. Mention is also made
in the reports as to some positions we have captured
of the existence of canteens and stores in the Boer
camps at which purchases could be made, and of course
as purchases cannot be made without money, money
must have been in circulation in those camps. I n any
case, in whatever way the cost is reckoned, the South