New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-02-07
From The Albany Eve. JOgrnal
LETTER FROM Mr.. WEED.
81. Caorx. wcs. ladies, Dec. "a. ls4i

account oil men and things upon TINS ls,aHc. Il IS
situated at the mouth of the Caribbean Sea, and
was discovered BY Columbus in 1893, then inhab
ned by Caribs with whom his men had Skin.
mish In 1925, VIXEN the English and Drrch
took possession OF it, they found i, urinhabi.ed
In l649, the English expelled their Dutch auxi
iaries bu, in the following year the Spaniards
from Porto Rico made descent upon the island,
burned the habita,ions and mcssacred The sol.
dierv, and carried the survivors in captivity 10
Bermuda. In 1851, the Spanish surrendered the
Island 10 the French, by whom lis then native for.
es,s were burned and The ,oii rendered exceedips.
" fertile In 1853, the French transferred the
Island TO the Knights Of Malta, by whom. IN
1868, it was sold TO g West India Company
from France, whose charter was aonuiied BY
Roval edict in 1914. when it was again claimed
rs an appendage to the French crown In 1886
the population consisted OF some 500 white inhab
tants and about 700 blacks. In 1920 Santa
Cruz was again uninhabited, the French, in con.
SEQUENCE OF frequent destructive droughts, having
demolished their forts, abandoned their planta.
Mons and removed 10 S.. Domingo. In l7a7.
the French, capturing some English vessels lyins
in The harbor, again took possession OF the Is
and. retaining il anil 1888, when it was sold TO
the Guinea Company an association Of Co.
nenbooen merchants, for ESQ, $50, and from them
II was subsequently, purchased by the King Of
Denmark, under whose auspices 1t was surveyed,
in 1854. into plantations, each containing $50
acres This subdivision is for the most par, pre-.
served to the present day. In 1901, the Island
was taken by the English, but soon restored to
Denmark. Again the English took it in 1907
out again restored it to Denmark in ISIS, by
which Government, with the Islands of ST,
III IDbn is still hold
Santa Cruz extends about 30 miles from Eas,
TO West and in breadth is from five 10 six miles
1t was evidently created by owe OF those volcanic
efforts TO which the laws OF nature, in these la,.
,udes. are subject Emnences, high and bold,
stretching from North TO South, constituted the
largest portion of its territory Most of these 10
their very submits, are in high state OF cultiva-
ZION. These hills, which rise from - TO 400
feet above the level, frequently take the form Of
cones, and, clothed as they with deep verduTe,
present, when seen from shipboard. beautiful pic.
turesque views.
Chrstians;oed, or Bayin-End, is the principal
town. and contains about 1000 inhabitants
This is the residence OF the Governor Freder.
s,oed. or West-End. contains abouc 5000 inhab.
,ants, and is the principal commercial town, and
the residence OF invallds, or such OF those DO
not retire 10 the Plantations. There Is an old
fort here, gurrisoned by subaliern officer with
some thirty or forty OF his Danish Majestys
troops. There are about POO troops at Barn.
End A Danish brig oi-war hovers about the Is.
land. II is remarkable that the French, who were
so long in Inc possession OF this Island, should
have left so few OF their national memorials and
land marks upon it. Their language is almost
unknown here. Nothing, indeed. reGains, TO
indicate their footsteps but the stye OF building
Nor is it less remarkable that the Danes, who
nave enjoyed almost uninterrupted possession Of
the Island for more Than century, should have
failed to nationalist it. The Island IS now cs
sentially English in its language and habits. The
natives, black and white, speak English habit.
ualy The negroes, after you become familiar
with their drawing pronunciation, do less vio-
icnce 10 Her Majesty's English than many Of
ast.anchored Isle"
! need not say that Santa Cruz Is now a far less
important Island, and that The Planters are tar less
prosperous than they were thirty forty years ago.
The Sugar competition vi Porto Rico and The Bra.
lils, 10 say nothing OF the 10 10 10000 hogs.
heads produced annually IN Louisiana has greatly
cnppled aud impoverished this Island. Indeed, bu
torlhe excellent aud superior quality Of Santa Cruz
sugar the Island must have been utterly ruined
The Planters have suffered also, for several seasons
Tor the want OF ram. The quantity OF sugar made
now, in good seasons falls lily per cent below that
produced in the pllmy days OF the Island In $50
the Island produced 10000 hogsheads OF sugar and
$4,000 puncheons OF rum. Since that time many
Plantations have been abandoned, while others are
consolidated, that th's year, which promises an
unusually prolific growth ot-Iich cane, only 20OW
hogsheads OF sugar and some 1900 puncheonsd
rum, are the estimated product.