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POTCHEFSTROOM

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Originally appearing in Volume V22, Page 205 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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POTCHEFSTROOM , a See also:

town of the See also:Transvaal, 88 m. S.W. of See also:Johannesburg and 222 M. N.E. of See also:Kimberley by See also:rail. Pop. (1904), 9348, of whom 6014 were whites. The town stands 4100 ft. above the See also:sea on the See also:banks of the Mooi See also:River, 15 M. above its junction with the See also:Vaal. The streets are lined with See also:fine See also:willow trees, and there are public grounds in which are nurseries and a showyard. See also:Golf links add to the attractions of the See also:place. which is one of the healthiest in the Transvaal. In the neighbourhood are See also:gold-mines; the See also:reef appearing to be a continuation of the Witwatersrand reefs. The Vaal river goldfields, of which Venterskroon is the centre, are 16 to 20 M. See also:south-See also:east of Potchefstroom. Potchefstroom was founded in See also:November 1838 by Hendrik See also:Potgieter, and is the See also:oldest town in and first See also:capital of the Transvaal.

In 1862 it was the See also:

scene of See also:civil See also:war between See also:rival See also:Boer factions. In 188o—81 the See also:garrison camped outside the town was besieged by Boers under Commandant P. A. C' onje. The See also:British troops (250 in number) were confined to a fort 25 yds. square and lost over a third of their strength in killed and wounded before they surrendered on the 21st of See also:March, the investment having begun on the 18th of See also:December 1882 Charges of treachery were brought against See also:Cronje for failing to notify the besieged that an See also:armistice had been agreed to by the Boer leaders. Of this armistice See also:Colonel R. W. C. Winsloe, who was in command of the British, became aware before the surrender took place. On the See also:suggestion of Commandant See also:General See also:Joubert the See also:capitulation was considered as cancelled and a detachment of British troops reoccupied the town until the conclusion of See also:peace. In the Anglo-Boer War of 1899—1902 Potchefstroom was occupied by the British without opposition.

End of Article: POTCHEFSTROOM

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