95-653: The South Australian Mounted Rifles (SAMR) was a mounted infantry unit of the Colony of South Australia that served in the Second Boer War . The first contingent of South Australian Mounted Rifles was raised in 1899, followed by a second contingent in 1900. The first contingent, an infantry company, arrived in South Africa in late November 1899, and served with the Australian Regiment guarding
190-606: A velar fricative in place of the alveolar click , Groote River (derived from Kai !Garib ) or Senqu River (used in Lesotho), derived from ǂNū "Black". It is known in isiZulu as isAngqu. The Orange rises in the Drakensberg mountains along the border between South Africa and Lesotho, about 193 km (120 mi) west of the Indian Ocean and at an altitude of over 3,000 m (9,800 ft). The extremity of
285-483: A book about the colonisation of South Australia in 1835) was first approached by a group of emigrants, while the Colonial Office was considering Sir John Franklin . Franklin withdrew in favour of Napier, but Napier quarrelled with the emigrants and made two requests (for access to Treasury funds, and for troops to act as police) which were not met, and he resigned. Napier favoured Light as Governor; however,
380-624: A company to be established for the purpose of founding a colony in Southern Australia, purchasing land therein and preparing the land so purchased for the Reception of Immigrants", and the South Australian Land Company ( SALC ) was formed in 1831 to establish a new colony in the area of South Australia. The SALC sought a Royal Charter for the purchase of land for colonisation, which would raise funding for
475-528: A huge public meeting at Exeter Hall in London on the 30 June 1834, to spread awareness about the proposal for the new province and emigration scheme, chaired by Wolryche-Whitmore. The meeting was attended by more than 2,500 people, including well-known philosophers and social reformers , and the speeches and discussions continued for seven hours. Afterwards the association received hundreds of enquiries from people interested in emigration. The Association lobbied
570-690: A mounted rifle squadron, along with the other companies of the Australian Regiment; the South Australians were now designated the South Australian Mounted Rifles. With the regiment, the 1st SAMR became part of the British force commanded by Major-General Ralph Arthur Penrhyn Clements , holding positions in front of Colesberg . It lost an officer killed at Pink Hill on 12 February, when Clements' force
665-550: A natural pipe through which the diamonds gradually enter the river. Other sites said to be lairs of the creature include the pool beneath the King George Cataract at Aughrabies Falls , which is also said to be a source of diamonds, and a large rock in the middle of the river itself. In this version of the legend, the Grootslang is also said to prey on cattle from the river's banks. As the collection point for
760-701: A new Governor ( George Gawler ) appointed, who would also act as Resident Commissioner. The procedure for the founding of the South Australian province was unclear to the Board of Commissioners, so Letters Patent , specifically Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom erecting and establishing the Province of South Australia and fixing the boundaries thereof , were presented to
855-791: A proposal less radical than previous ones, which was finally supported and a Bill proposed in Parliament. The British Province of South Australia was established by the South Australia Act 1834 in August 1834, and the South Australian Company formed on 9 October 1835 to fulfil the purposes of the Act by forming a new colony financed by land sales. The first settlers arrived on Kangaroo Island in July 1836, with all of
950-414: A railway line. After being mounted, the unit fought in operations around Colesberg , and in the march to Bloemfontein , where it joined the second contingent to form the South Australian Mounted Rifles. The second contingent, a mounted squadron, had arrived in South Africa in late February 1900, participating in the suppression of a Boer uprising before joining the march to Bloemfontein. The SAMR, as part of
1045-537: A strong association with the history of colonial subjugation and has therefore no place under the current democratic dispensation." In South African folklore, the Orange River is often associated with the Grootslang , a mythical being resembling a giant serpent, which is often connected to the river's alluvial diamonds. The Grootslang is described as living in a gem-filled cave connected to the Orange River by
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#17328010794471140-582: A term in prison for abducting a minor, Wakefield turned his mind to social problems caused by over-population . In 1829, he wrote a series of anonymous "Letters from Sydney" to a London newspaper, The Morning Chronicle , in which he purported to write about his own experiences as a gentleman settler in New South Wales (completely fictitious), outlining his various ideas as a new theory of colonisation. He proposed an "Emigration Fund" payable by landlords' taxes and land sales, which would fund labour for
1235-997: Is a river in Southern Africa . It is the longest river in South Africa . With a total length of 2,432 km (1,511 mi), the Orange River Basin extends from Lesotho into South Africa and Namibia to the north. It rises in the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho, flowing westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean . The river forms part of the international borders between South Africa and Lesotho and between South Africa and Namibia, as well as several provincial borders within South Africa. Except for Upington , it does not pass through any major cities. The Orange River plays an important role in
1330-404: Is carried by the 3rd/9th Light Horse (South Australian Mounted Rifles) , which perpetuates the unit. Colony of South Australia British colonisation of South Australia describes the planning and establishment of the colony of South Australia by the British government, covering the period from 1829, when the idea was raised by the then-imprisoned Edward Gibbon Wakefield , to 1842, when
1425-460: Is generally not navigable for long stretches. The river has a total length of 2,432 km (1,511 mi). In the dry season , the volume of the water in the river is considerably reduced because of the rapid run-off and evaporation . At the source of the Orange, the rainfall is about 2,000 mm (79 in) per annum, but precipitation decreases as the river flows westward; at its mouth,
1520-528: Is to found a Colony, under Royal Charter , and without convict labour, at or near Spencer Gulf , on the south coast of Australia, a tract of country far removed from the existing Penal Settlements... ...The South Australian Association consists of three classes of members, First, Persons who propose to settle in the Colony. Secondly, Persons willing to aid the Association without taking a responsible part in
1615-494: The South Australia Act 1842 changed the form of government to a Crown colony . Ideas espoused and promulgated by Wakefield since 1829 led to the formation of the South Australian Land Company in 1831, but this first attempt failed to achieve its goals, and the company folded. The South Australian Association was formed in 1833 by Wakefield, Robert Gouger and other supporters, which put forward
1710-643: The 1st Mounted Infantry Brigade , participated in the capture of Johannesburg and Pretoria , the Battle of Diamond Hill , and the Battle of Belfast , the last set-piece battle of the war. After advancing to the eastern border of Transvaal , the first contingent and a small portion of the second contingent returned to Australia in November, while the remainder served in Transvaal until March 1901, when they too returned to Australia. An unrelated militia unit with
1805-537: The Buffalo on 28 December. The foundation of South Australia is usually considered to be Governor Hindmarsh's Proclamation of South Australia at Glenelg on 28 December 1836. Colonel Light was given two months to locate the most advantageous location for the main colony. He was required to find a site with a harbour , arable land , fresh water , ready internal and external communications , building materials and drainage . Light rejected potential locations for
1900-557: The City of Adelaide Municipal Corporation was the first municipal authority in Australia. At its time of establishment, Adelaide's (and Australia's) first mayor, James Hurtle Fisher , was elected. However, the new corporation suffered financial woes, after several of its actions were unauthorised or reversed by the British government, leading to considerable debt and, so it wound up as insolvent in 1843. The office of Colonial Architect
1995-678: The Colonial Office . Administrative power was divided between a Governor , John Hindmarsh , who represented the Crown , and the Resident Commissioner, who reported to the Colonisation Commissioners and who was responsible for the survey and sale of land as well as for organising migration and funding. The first Resident Commissioner was James Hurtle Fisher . The Commissioner of Public Lands
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#17328010794472090-561: The Gordon Highlanders under the orders of Lieutenant-General Lord Methuen , after which it was held in reserve at the Battle of Magersfontein , in which it did not participate. During these operations, the company helped to guard the railway line from De Aar to the Modder River . The company returned to Naauwpoort around the end of January, then to Rensburg and lastly Maeder's Farm, where it received horses and became
2185-602: The Orange River at Norval’s Pont began, and engaged Boer troops until the column crossed on 15 March. The squadron participated in the subsequent march to Bloemfontein as part of the column of the Inniskilling Dragoons under Major Dauncey, on the right of Clements' force. The first and second contingents united at Bloemfontein to form the SAMR. The 2nd SAMR was raised as a mounted infantry squadron from
2280-623: The South Australia Act 1842 repealed the earlier Act, made South Australia a Crown colony , provided for the formation of an appointed Legislative Assembly and passed greater powers to the Governor of South Australia (then Sir George Grey ). There were moves towards representative self-government in the mid-nineteenth century, and South Australia became a self-governing colony in October 1856. The French Nicolas Baudin and
2375-722: The South Australian Association was established and began to lobby the government for the establishment of a colony in South Australia, with Crown-appointed governance. Robert Gouger started setting up the South Australian Association from November 1833. Between that time and August 1834, he corresponded with George Grote , Sir Edward Smith-Stanley, Earl of Derby , William Wolryche-Whitmore , Joseph Hume , Liberal MP Sir William Clay , and Charles Shaw-Lefevre . The aim of
2470-645: The Vanderkloof Dam . From the border of Lesotho to below the Vanderkloof Dam, the river bed is deeply incised. Further downstream, the land is flatter, and the river is used extensively for irrigation. At the western point of the Free State, southwest of Kimberley , the Orange meets with its main tributary, the Vaal River , which forms much of the northern border of the province. From here,
2565-528: The sluices of the dams being open, a canoeist (or rafter) can easily travel 30 kilometres (19 mi) per day. The lower reaches of the river are most popular, because of the spectacular topography. Commercial tours are available, and these expeditions depart from the border town of Vioolsdrif . The Orange River has no large animals. It lies outside the range of the Nile crocodile , and although hippopotami were once abundant, they were hunted to extermination in
2660-493: The 19th century. The Orange River has a relative paucity of species diversity. Surveys from 1995 to 2001 in the Lower Orange River found 19 different fish species from eight different families. The two non-native species recorded in the surveys were Cyprinus carpio and Oreochromis mossambicus , the latter of which had increased rapidly in abundance since the early 1980s. Another exotic species, rainbow trout ,
2755-511: The 2nd Battalion of the Berkshire Regiment after the retreat to Arundel, and participated in the repulse of a Boer attack on 20 February, followed by sustained engagements through the next eight days, during which it lost a trooper killed on 21 February. During the advance of Clements' Column from Arundel beginning on 28 February, the squadron was again in the rearguard. It was sent to the front on 8 March when preparations for crossing
2850-565: The Act, to control sales of land and the administration of revenue: thirteen Commissioners were based in London (at 6 Adelphi Terrace in 1840 ), with a Resident Commissioner appointed by the board and stationed in the colony. Those first appointed, on 5 May 1835, were Colonel Robert Torrens (Chairman), Rowland Hill (Secretary), G. Barnes (Treasurer), George Fife Angas , Edward Barnard, William Hutt , J. G. Shaw-Lefevre , William Alexander Mackinnon M.P. , Samuel Mills, Jacob Barrow Montefiore , Lt Col George Palmer , and John Wright, representing
2945-610: The British Matthew Flinders had both made exploratory voyages along the central southern coastline. On 8 April 1802, the vessels of the two explorers met off South Australia, at what is now called Encounter Bay . They each gave names to various places around Kangaroo Island and the two gulfs: Gulf St Vincent and Spencer Gulf . The British Government, not wanting to be pre-empted by the French, sent out expeditions to Port Phillip and northern Tasmania , and set up
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3040-515: The British government for years, taking part in numerous negotiations and submitting plans that underwent many modifications. Finally, after intervention by the Duke of Wellington , the bill drafted by the Association and presented by Wolryche-Whitmore was presented to Parliament , which passed the South Australia (Foundation) Act on 15 August 1834. The Act provided for the settlement as
3135-526: The Gariep Dam and the Vanderkloof Dam. The hydroelectric power station at the Vanderkloof Dam was the first power-generation station in South Africa situated entirely underground. The towns Oviston and Oranjekrag were established to facilitate the construction and operation of the new infrastructure. Irrigation in the vast area downstream of the Vanderkloof Dam, which has turned thousands of hectares of arid veld into highly productive agricultural land,
3230-534: The Orange River have grown in importance. Irrigation in the Eastern Cape has also received a tremendous boost, not only from the additional water being made available, but also owing to improvement in water quality. Without this improvement, the citrus farmers along the Lower Sundays River would almost certainly have continued to suffer losses of productivity. The Lesotho Highlands Water Project
3325-638: The Orange River inside Lesotho is known as the Senqu . Parts of the Senqu River freeze in winter because of the high altitude. This creates droughts downstream, which mainly affect goat and cattle production. The Orange River then runs westward through South Africa, forming the south-western boundary of the Free State province . In this section, the river flows first into the Gariep Dam and later into
3420-530: The Orange, where the river descends 122 m (400 ft) in a course of 26 km (16 mi). The Orange empties into the Atlantic Ocean between the small towns of Oranjemund (meaning "Orange mouth ") in Namibia and Alexander Bay in South Africa, about equidistant between Walvis Bay and Cape Town . Some 33 km (21 mi) from its mouth, it is obstructed by rapids and sand bars and
3515-477: The Orange. Today, several commercial diamond mines operate along the final stretch of the Orange River and around its mouth. Because of the lack of dangerous animals and high water levels during summer, the river is used for recreational canoeing and rafting . Orange River rafting has become very popular with many companies using their camps along the river from which to operate. The most popular trips are four-day and six-day river trips that take place either along
3610-586: The Province of South Australia, for the sale of lands, for funding of the venture, and for governance. The South Australia Act 1834 set out the governance of the new colony by a new body known as the South Australian Colonization Commission , also known as the Colonization Commissioners for South Australia (and variant spellings ), which would be based in London. However, the Act gave control of
3705-818: The Province of South Australia. The first migrant ship, the John Pirie , set sail for the colony three days later. An amendment to the 1834 Act (the South Australia Government Act 1838 ( 1 & 2 Vict. c. 60), passed 31 July 1838) incorporated the changes. Under the emigration scheme, "worthy" labourers and their families received free passage. They had to be between 15 and 30 years of age, preferably married, and needed two references. Steerage passengers paid £15-20, middle berth £35-40, and cabin class £70. Children under 14 years were charged £3 while those under 1 year were free. Montefiore and Lt-Col Palmer helped Colonel Light to prepare two of
3800-553: The SAMR marched along the Pretoria–Delagoa Bay Line to Komatipoort on the border with Portuguese East Africa via Helvetia, Machadodorp , Nooitgedacht , Kaapsehoop , Barberton , and Hectorspruit . The unit found abandoned Boer guns near Komatipoort, where they participated in a review in honour of the birthday of Carlos I, King of Portugal at Komatipoort, then returned by train to Pretoria on 9 October, where it camped at Sunnyside . The first contingent and 25 men of
3895-476: The SAMR under Lieutenant Frank Milton Rowell and fifty Imperial Mounted Infantry under a captain were tasked with capturing the Doornfontein kopjes reservoir to the north of Johannesburg, leaving camp at 08:00. They fought their way into the city, unaware of the location of the reservoir, thus becoming the first to enter it. The SAMR were guided to the reservoir by remaining British residents and held it for
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3990-684: The South African economy by providing water for irrigation and hydroelectric power . The river was named the Orange River in honour of the Dutch ruling family, the House of Orange , by the Dutch explorer Robert Jacob Gordon . Other names include simply the word for river, in Khoekhoegowab orthography written as !Garib , which is rendered in Afrikaans as Gariep River with the intrusion of
4085-559: The South Australia Company arrived at Nepean Bay on Kangaroo Island : the Duke of York on 27 July, Lady Mary Pelham on 30 July, John Pirie on 16 August and Emma on 5 October. More ships left in the coming months, making a total of at least nine, which for convenience can be regarded as the First Fleet of South Australia . Apart from the last one, HMS Buffalo , all went to Nepean Bay first. A settlement
4180-659: The South Australian Company imported pure merinos from the German region of Saxony , and cows and goats were also shipped over. Sheep and other livestock were brought in from Van Diemen's Land and New South Wales. The wool industry was the basis of South Australia's economy for the first few years, with the first wool auction held in Adelaide in 1840. The settlers were mostly British, but some German settlers , mainly " Old Lutherans ", also emigrated in
4275-666: The Tugela River-Vaal River pumped storage scheme , which used the Sterkfontein Dam , located near Harrismith in the Free State. In 1867, the first diamond discovered in South Africa, the Eureka Diamond , was found near Hopetown on the Orange River. Two years later, a much larger diamond known as the Star of South Africa was found in the same area, causing a diamond rush. This was soon eclipsed by
4370-486: The Wakefield Scheme was that the land price should be set high enough to prevent land speculation . In 1831 a "Proposal to His Majesty's Government for founding a colony on the Southern Coast of Australia" was prepared under the auspices of Gouger, Anthony Bacon , Jeremy Bentham and Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey , but its ideas were considered too radical, and it was unable to attract the required investment. After his first proposal failed, Wakefield published his "Plan of
4465-410: The ambitious John Hindmarsh had got wind of the forthcoming appointment, and set out first to see Napier, then woo some powerful supporters in London, including the Lords of the Admiralty before approaching the Colonial Secretary (Gouger). Light was appointed Surveyor-General on 14 December 1835, and on 21 January 1836 Captain Hindmarsh was appointed the first Governor of South Australia . Hindmarsh
4560-422: The army of Field Marshal Frederick Roberts . The SAMR fought in the Karee- Brandfort action, under the command of General Charles Tucker , losing at least one wounded and one captured. It served as the advance guard of Pole-Carew's 11th Division in the march to Johannesburg , capturing seven engines while cutting the Pretoria railway under fire at Elandsfontein on 29 May. On the morning of 30 May fifty men of
4655-488: The association was to bring to fruition the idea of "systematic colonisation", as proposed by Edward Gibbon Wakefield , in the creation of a new colony in South Australia by the British government. The proposal was for a colony that belonged to the Crown but with its administration run by trustees. The aim of the Association and details of the planned administration of the proposed colony were published on 11 January 1834 in The Spectator : The object of this Association
4750-473: The colonies. Gouger, an enthusiastic supporter, edited the letters and published them as a book, helping to distribute Wakefield's document. Wakefield saw the colonies as "extensions of an old society"; all classes would be represented among the settlers. In addition, the colonies would be more or less self-governing. His ideas were not original, but Wakefield was the one who synthesised a number of theories into one plan of systematic colonisation, and who spread
4845-413: The color of its tributary, the Vaal River , which name is derived from the name ǀHaiǃarib "pale river" ( vaal being Afrikaans for pale or grey). Since the end of apartheid , the name "Gariep" has had greater favour in official correspondence in South Africa, although the name "Orange" has greater international recognition. In Lesotho, where the river rises, it is known as the Senqu River, derived from
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#17328010794474940-533: The decline of the sealing industry, the island's population had dwindled significantly by 1836. Several farms were established at Three Well Rivers , with poultry and pigs being reared and barley, wheat and vegetables under cultivation. Many residents lived with Aboriginal women – either from mainland South Australia or Aboriginal Tasmanians from the sealing colonies on Bass Strait – who were often violently abducted from their homelands and made to work as slaves. Influenced by prison reformer Elizabeth Fry serving
5035-405: The diamond rush to mine diamonds directly from kimberlite at Kimberley in 1871, although alluvial diamonds continued to be found in the Orange. Today, several commercial diamond mines operate on the last stretch of the river, as well as the beaches around its mouth. Diamond mines also operate on the middle stretch of the river. During the temperate months of March and April, given good rains and
5130-458: The early years. The first large group of Germans arrived in 1838, with the financial assistance of the Emigration Fund. Most moved out of Adelaide and to the Barossa Valley and settlements in the Adelaide Hills such as Hahndorf , living in socially closed communities, by 1842, and did not participate in government until responsible government was granted 15 years later in 1857. Established in 1840, with its first meeting held on 4 November 1840,
5225-426: The first free settlement, the Swan River Colony , in 1829. Historian Geoffrey Dutton suggests three clear phases in the foundation of the colony: first, the practical men, with their discoveries, second, the theorists, in particular Wakefield and Gouger, who had not seen Australia, and, lastly, the settlers, who had to marry fact with ideals. Prior to the establishment of a formal British colony, Kangaroo Island
5320-432: The gorge below the Augrabies Falls or along the Richtersveld area. The Orange River Project (ORP) was one of the largest and most imaginative projects of its kind in South Africa. It was constructed by Hendrik Verwoerd 's government at the height of the apartheid era. The ORP was built to exploit the waters of the Orange River—which, without the Vaal River, represents some 14.1% of the total runoff in South Africa—and in
5415-402: The government on 19 February 1836, and with its adoption along with an Order-in-Council on 23 February 1836 the foundation of the South Australian province was achieved. The main changes in the Letters Patent were to amend the wording in the 1834 document which referred to the land as "unoccupied", and to recognise the rights of the "Aboriginal Natives" to live unhindered within the lands of
5510-441: The ideas among the British public and urged the Colonial Office to push forward with such a plan. After his release from prison in 1830, he funded the National Colonization Society , with Gouger as secretary and a large number of enthusiastic members. Wakefield's ideas caused much debate in Parliament . After Charles Sturt discovered the River Murray in 1830, more interest in Wakefield's scheme followed. One key component of
5605-479: The land area of South Africa (1,221,037 km (471,445 sq mi)). Around 366,000 km (141,000 sq mi) (38%), however, are situated outside the country in Lesotho, Botswana, and Namibia. Some of the earliest precolonial inhabitants called the river ǂNūǃarib , referring to its black colour, or sometimes just Kai !Arib ("Great River"), from which is derived the Afrikaans version Gariep , and translation "Groote Rivier". The early Dutch name for
5700-418: The land. Land could be bought at a uniform price per acre, but it would go to auction in the case of more than one potential buyer. Leases of up to three years could be granted "for pasturage" on unsold lands. All proceeds were to go to the Emigration Fund, set up to help poorer people to migrate to the colony. These regulations were of great significance; the success of the Wakefield scheme to populate and fund
5795-445: The last 800 km (500 mi) of its course, the Orange receives many intermittent streams (such as the Fish River ), and several large wadis lead into it. In this section, the Namib Desert terminates on the north bank of the river, so under normal circumstances, the volume of water added by these tributaries is negligible. Here, the bed of the river is once again deeply incised. The Augrabies Falls are located on this section of
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#17328010794475890-449: The latter four days later. It marched to Britstown and joined the column of Colonel John Adye after arriving at De Aar, participating in the relief of Prieska during a Boer uprising in that area. According to one trooper, they returned 'with "whips" of loot'. After returning to De Aar, it moved to Norval's Pont by train, then marched to Bloemfontein under Major Euthoven of J Battery Royal Horse Artillery . During its independent operations
5985-420: The majority of South Africa's water, the Orange River plays a major role in supporting agriculture, industry, and mining. To assist in this, two large water schemes have been created, the Orange River Project and the Lesotho Highlands Water Project . Historically, the river played an important role in the South African diamond rush , with the first diamonds in the country being discovered in alluvial deposits on
6080-432: The militia unit known as the South Australian Mounted Rifles was expanded into the 16th and 17th Australian Light Horse Regiments. Both regiments received an honorary banner for South African service in 1904 and the honorary distinction South Africa 1899–1902 for the service of the SAMR in the Boer War in 1908; both were awarded to units who had more than twenty members serve in the war. The battle honour South Africa 1899–1902
6175-404: The militia unit of the same name. It embarked at Port Adelaide aboard the troopship Medic on 2 November, disembarking at Cape Town on 25 November, where they camped at Maitland until 1 December. On that day, the company moved to De Aar by train, after which they marched to Belmont , joining the Australian Regiment there. With the regiment, it marched to Enslin on 10 December to relieve
6270-426: The new Province hinged on land development, so land law and regulations governing it were fundamental. Sales of land had proved difficult; buyers did not rush to buy an acre of wild land for 20 shillings . It was left to the South Australian Company (formed on 15 October 1835, after talented businessman George Fife Angas resigned as Commissioner ) to purchase the remaining portion of the £35,000 worth of land that
6365-461: The new colony to the Colonial Office as well as the Commissioners, which led to tension between the two and caused problems later. The Act provided that three or more persons could be appointed as Commissioners to be known as Colonization Commissioners for South Australia, to carry out certain parts of the Act. The Commissioners formed a Board, which had responsibilities for: The British government appointed Commissioners to oversee implementation of
6460-733: The new main settlement, including Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln and Encounter Bay . Light decided that the Adelaide plains were the best location for settlement. The River Torrens was discovered to the south and Light and his team set about determining the city's precise location and layout. The survey was completed on 11 March 1837. Light's poorly paid and ill-equipped surveying team were expected to begin another massive task of surveying at least 405 square kilometres (156 sq mi) of rural land. Light, despite slowly succumbing to tuberculosis , managed to survey 605.7 square kilometres (233.9 sq mi) (or 150,000 acres (61,000 ha)) by June 1838. The settlement grew steadily. In 1836
6555-399: The only casualties of the second contingent were four died of disease. Captain John Henry Stapleton of the first contingent received the Distinguished Service Order , along with Captain Joseph Francis Humphris of the second contingent. Four men of the second contingent received the Distinguished Conduct Medal . In addition, Reade was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath . In 1903,
6650-412: The original Khoemana name. The Eastern Cape Geographical Names Committee has advertised its intention to consider a name change from the colonial name, for that portion of the river that forms the border between the Eastern Cape and the Free State, with suggestions being IGqili or Senqu . The advertisement placed in the Aliwal Weekblad newspaper states that the "present name is perceived to have
6745-435: The proceedings. Thirdly, Persons who may take an active part in the preliminary proceedings of the Association, and may become, under the proposed Charter, Trustees for carrying its provisions into effect. The members of the South Australian Association were men of varied backgrounds, from philanthropists to merchants, including Wakefield, Robert Gouger, Robert Torrens Sr and George Fife Angas . The association organised
6840-525: The process, to satisfy an increasing demand for water. The main objectives of the project were: The Gariep Dam near Colesberg is the main storage structure within the Orange River. From here, the water is supplied in two directions, westward along the Orange River (via hydroelectric power generators) to the Vanderkloof Dam and southward through the Orange-Fish Tunnel to the Eastern Cape. Eskom operates hydroelectric power stations at both
6935-538: The rainfall is less than 50 mm (2.0 in) per year. The factors that support evaporation, though, tend to increase in a westerly direction. In the wet season (summer), the Orange river becomes a brown coloured torrent. The huge mass of sediment carried constitutes a long-term threat to engineering projects on the river. The total catchment of the Orange River (including the Vaal) extends over 973,000 km (376,000 sq mi), i.e. equivalent to about 77% of
7030-561: The remaining men departed Cape Town aboard the transport Tongariro , arriving at Sydney on 1 May. Moving overland to Melbourne , the remaining portion of the 2nd SAMR participated in the Commonwealth inaugural celebrations before reaching Adelaide on 12 May, where it was given a bonus of 30 days' pay by the South Australian government, being disbanded three days later. The first contingent suffered casualties of two killed or died of wounds, one captured, and three died of disease, while
7125-462: The rest of the day, capturing ten prisoners. Returning to camp at 16:00 they retreated under fire, having lost two horses and expended most of their ammunition. Johannesburg was surrendered on the next day, and the SAMR entered the city behind corps commander Colonel St. George C. Henry and his staff. Lieutenants George Lynch and Rowell were handed the keys to the fort , over which the Union Jack
7220-512: The river flows further westward through the arid wilderness of the southern Kalahari region and Namaqualand in the Northern Cape province to meet with Namibia at 20°E longitude. From here, it flows westward for 550 km (340 mi), forming the international border between the province and Namibia's ǁKaras Region . On the border, the river passes the town of Vioolsdrif , the main border post between South Africa and Namibia. In
7315-510: The river was just that translation, Groote Rivier, meaning "Great River". The river was named the Orange River by Colonel Robert Gordon , commander of the United East India Company (VOC) garrison at Cape Town, on a trip to the interior in 1779. Gordon named the river in honor of William V of Orange . A popular but incorrect belief is that the river was named after the supposedly orange color of its water, as opposed to
7410-676: The same name was formed by the merger of the South Australian Adelaide Lancer and mounted rifle militia units in 1895. The 1st South Australian Mounted Rifles (SAMR) were raised as the South Australian Infantry Company in late 1899, under the command of Captain Frederick Henry Howland. The company was mostly composed of men with prior military experience, and numbered six officers and 121 men; it had no relation to
7505-628: The same types of men as the 1st contingent. It numbered seven officers and 112 men, under the command of Captain Charles James Reade. Among its men was Lance Corporal Harry Morant , executed for killing civilians during his subsequent service with the Bushveldt Carbineers . It left Adelaide aboard the troopship Surrey on 26 January 1900, disembarking at Cape Town on 25 February. The squadron encamped at Maitland before departing for De Aar by train on 2 March, arriving at
7600-579: The second contingent departed from Cape Town aboard the troopship SS Harlech Castle on 3 November, arriving at Adelaide on 30 November. There, these soldiers were given a bonus of 30 days' pay by the South Australian Government and were disbanded. The remainder of the second contingent was attached to Brigadier-General Edwin Alderson 's Mounted Infantry Brigade, serving in east and northeast Transvaal until March 1901. On 29 March
7695-567: The ships later sailing north soon afterwards to anchor in Holdfast Bay on the advice of Surveyor-General , Colonel William Light . The foundation of South Australia is usually considered to be the proclamation of the new Province by Governor Hindmarsh at Glenelg on 28 December 1836. However, after the government under the Colonisation Commission set up by the 1834 Act failed to achieve financial self-sufficiency,
7790-407: The ships, Rapid and Cygnet . They proposed a new code for emigrant ships carrying more than 100 passengers, which meant having a minimum deck height and including a medical practitioner on board. These reforms reduced mortality and were later adopted by all British emigrant ships. Four ships chartered by the South Australia Company set sail for South Australia in early 1836: All four ships of
7885-582: The squadron was under the overall command of Generals William Forbes Gatacre and Reginald Pole-Carew . At Bloemfontein, the unified South Australian Mounted Rifles joined the Fourth Corps of the 1st Mounted Infantry Brigade , along with the Victorian Mounted Rifles , Tasmanian Mounted Infantry , 4th Battalion Imperial Mounted Infantry, J Battery Royal Horse Artillery, and two QF 1-pounder pom-pom guns, providing reconnaissance for
7980-587: The transport of immigrants, and for the governance of the new colony to be administered by the SALC. The company anticipated that the centre of government would be on Kangaroo Island or at Port Lincoln on the western side of Spencer Gulf , based on reports from Matthew Flinders . However, the scheme, which included free trade, self-government and the power to select the Governor, was not approved as these ideas were considered too radical and republican. In 1833
8075-666: Was appointed to act under the orders of the Commissioners. All monies were to be submitted to the Lord of His Majesty's Treasury , and be audited in the same manner as other public accounts. A report was required to be submitted to the Secretary of State at least once a year. Robert Gouger was Colonial Secretary to the Commission, John Hindmarsh was appointed Governor and William Light Surveyor-General. The Commission
8170-541: Was attacked by a superior Boer force. Following the engagement the British retreated towards Rensburg and to Arundel on the night of 13–14 February, where the regiment suffered multiple casualties while serving as the rearguard of the column. After reaching Arundel, Acting Adjutant Captain G.R. Lascelles of the Royal Fusiliers went back to the battlefield with a mainly 1st SAMR mixed volunteer group to "help infantrymen who had been left behind." The 1st SAMR joined
8265-912: Was conceived to supplement the water supply in the Vaal River System. Water is delivered to South Africa by means of the delivery tunnel which passes under the Lesotho South Africa border at the Caledon River , and then under the Little Caledon River south of Clarens in the Free State, and discharges into the Ash River about 30 kilometres (19 mi) further to the north. The scheme became viable when water demands in Gauteng reached levels that could no longer be supported economically by alternative schemes such as
8360-414: Was established by July 1840, with George Strickland Kingston the first appointee to the role. Other architects who served in this role included Richard Lambeth; William Bennett Hays ; and Edward Hamilton , with George Soward acting in the position for six months after Hamilton's resignation in 1860. Orange River Quthing , The Orange River (from Afrikaans / Dutch : Oranjerivier )
8455-553: Was inhabited by sealers more or less continuously from 1803, when American sealing captain Isaac Pendleton established an outpost at what was named American River . The island soon became a target for sealers based in the British colonies of New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land . In 1826, The Australian estimated that Kangaroo Island had a population of around 200 people, who in addition to sealing also traded in salt and wallaby and kangaroo skins. However, following
8550-512: Was made possible by the construction of the Gariep and Vanderkloof Dams. Old established irrigation schemes such as those at Buchuberg , Upington , Kakamas , and Vioolsdrif have also benefitted because regulation of the flow is now possible. On the Namibian side of the river, Aussenkehr produces grapes with the help of water from the Orange. In recent years, the wine-producing areas along
8645-415: Was raised; 85 Boers surrendered to them that day. After participating in the capture of Pretoria and the Battle of Diamond Hill , it camped at Donkerhoek and Rhenoster Fontein between 13 June and 28 July. They marched through Bronkhorstspruit to Middelburg and fought in the Battle of Belfast on 7 September, the last pitched battle of the war, in which they suffered multiple casualties. After Belfast,
8740-423: Was required for settlement to proceed. The South Australian Company acted as a "third power" in the control of the colony and the one which saved it. The South Australia Act was finally ratified on 19 February 1836 and the first appointments made. The appointment of Governor of South Australia , as the most well-paid position and the most important one, proved complex. Sir Charles Napier (who had written
8835-514: Was responsible for land sales and for land surveying , including choosing the site for the capital city. However, the Act did not clarify the powers of the Commission vis-à-vis the Governor, which led to discord for some years. The South Australian Commission Land Sale Regulations 1835 , authored by the Colonization Commission in 1835, stipulated that surveys were to be undertaken and maps to be made available prior to sale of
8930-650: Was rewarded handsomely, while the salaries for the other men were small. Hindmarsh reported to the Colonial Office, while James Hurtle Fisher , Resident Commissioner, was paid far less, despite having practical control of the colony. Not only did Fisher head up the board of Commissioners, but the Treasurer, Emigration Agent, the Surveyor-General and the storekeeper were responsible to him. Hindmarsh and Fisher quarrelled frequently and could not work together harmoniously, so in 1838 both were recalled to London and
9025-597: Was started at Kingscote , at Reeves Point on Kangaroo Island (now a heritage-listed site, as the earliest formal European settlement in South Australia), on 27 July 1836, but this was soon abandoned in favour of a settlement on the mainland. Some of the original ships sailed on to Holdfast Bay in November and December, with Gouger, now Colonial Secretary and Chief Magistrate, arriving on the Africaine on 8 November 1836. The settlers set up camp, to be joined by
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