"Mendelssohn II, p. 199) "The writer was correspondent in South Africa for The Engineer, and during his stay of ten months in the sub-continent, wrote several articles dealing with the engineering and industrial position from the economic point of view. The view reproduces these papers together with chapters on the gold-mining industry, the labour question, irrigation, and other matters of general interest." - Mendelssohn.
In his Introduction, the author points out that the appeal of his book is far wider than its title might seem to imply:
"It is thought that, as the future of a British South Africa must depend mainly on the engineering and industrial possibilities of that country, this book should appeal to a larger class than that for which the articles were originally written." There are several excellent photographs and diagrams relating to Durban Harbour, irrigation schemes, and mining at Kimberley and on the Witwatersrand. An uncommon work."