The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-11-08
Our Dominican Correspondence.

Cry OF ST. DOMINGO, July 8, 1913.
Tie Face of the CouNtry-SoR-Probable Arta- -
neutrality-suspicious. Capabilities ana Pro
ducts--Back,card State of Agricaltwe--SEetch,
Digress,re and Observation-Disclosures Poll
cy in Regard to Foreign immigration Con-
.fict,ng Pubic Sentiment on the Subject.
After a considerable delay / now resume my
series of letters. The territory of the Dominican
republic, and, indeed Of the island generally, is
exceedingly diversified IN surface. 1t is IN fact,
a miniature continent Its high mountains, its
valleys, Its extensive plains, and broad table
lands; Its numerous streams flowing from the
mountains and highlands, several of which as
extent, navgable rivers; all unite to give it that
character. To particuarze: Here, on the south
side, from point SEINE distance west of this city,
onward past 1t, to the eastern extremity of the
island, the face of the country presents one vast
and ne aIly uniform PLAIN but little elevated above
the level OF the sea- This portion was desgua-
ted IN the old Spanish times as Los Llanos-the
Plains--.and at the eastern extremity, extends
across the whole breadth of the island; while, far
Their west, 1t spreads back to the highlands and
mountains that run east and west, nearly the
whole length of the island. Through this plain
there flow into the ocean, on the south, several
rivers and smaller streams, the principal of which
is the Ozama, at whose mouth this city stands.
On the northern slope of the mountains lie the
table and prairie lands, known as the Vega Real or
Royal Plain. Through this flows the Yuma the
principal river on the north side which discharges
itself into the spacious bay of SANTANA, on the
northeast, a second San Francisco This latter
tract OF country, as well as much of the former is
unsurpassed, In the general fertility and varied pro-
duchve capacity OF lis soil, by any equal extent of
country on the face of the globe. Besides every
species OF tropical production Its soil Is capable OF
producing, abundantly, almost all those which are
more peculiar to the temperate zones. Speaking
o! these two tracts, In reference particularly To The
sugar cane, Edwards the English historian of the
West Indies, says, in substance, that they are
probably capable OF producing more than all the
Britph West Indies together.
tesides the kinds of woods so well known as
the staples of the commerce of this part of the
isl and, The mountains are said to abound in the
many years unwrought, are celebrated not more
on account OF TIER produCtlveness in former times
than from the fact that, TO work them, African
negro slave labor was first introduced into the
New World. Mines of copper, and, 1t Is said, iron
ore, and coal, also, exist here Marble, also, OF
beautiful variety, is found IN some parts ma
he state OF agriculture, In this republic, may IN
scme degree be inferred, from what have SAID in
previous communication. The whole popua-
ton may, IN the entire absence OF any means of
accurately ascertalning it's amount be set down AS
ranging from one hundred and fifty to two hun
DIRE thousand. Assuming the area of the whole
island 10 be Al, 0C0 square miles, which IS probably
not lar from correct that of this portion of il may
be stated at 10000, which gives an average of
from five to little over SIX souls TO the square
mile; though, In fact. large proportion OF the
population is actually located on a comparatively
small portion OF the entire territory Were the