Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

THE CAPE TO CAIRO RAILWAY. 155 means of conveyance were sought, because the cost of freight over the railway was very heavy, and during the war especially the Cape railways were so crowded with supplies for the army, and so liable to be destroyed by the Boers, that great delays occurred. Some use was then made of the Portuguese port of Beira on the south-eastern coast, whence a line of expense, to the slow movements of the trans- port trains, and to the consequent uncer- tainty of delivery,.to say nothing of frequent breakdowns. To-day therefore nearly all the necessary material and equipment for the line travels vid the railway itself, though some portion of it still comes by way of Beira and the East Coast route. It may be added that RAILWAY PIER NO. 1 AT BEIRA. railway runs to Salisbury and Bulawayo, forming a junction with the “ Cape to Cairo ” line at the latter town. For the section of the railway beyond the Victoria Falls an effort was made to import the necessary plant and material vid the British Central African port of Chinde, at the mouth of the Shiré River, and take it by bullock - wagon and mechanical transport across country to the route of the line. This method was quickly abandoned owing to the those who have been in charge of the railway since the death of Mr. Rhodes have adhered steadily to his principle, that, as far as pos- sible, everything necessary for the equipment and maintenance of the line should be bought in Great Britain. This principle has had to be departed from upon certain occasions ow- ing to British manufacturers being unable or unwilling to supply bridges, locomotives, etc., to the specifications drawn up by the engineers in charge, or to deliver material by the dates