Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-11-07
From the Charleston Courier.


the Spanish Cabinet to sell Cuba and Porto Rico to
the British Government for the sum of one hundred
and fifty millions of dollars These two islands con-
stitute the whole of the West India possessions of
Spain The former is we'll known to readers:
hut concerning the latter brief description, at this
particular juncture, may not perhaps prove unlnter-
estng.
Porto Rico is the smallest and most Easterly of
the Greater Antilles being chiefly between lat. II
deg SIS min. and Is deg 80 min. N, and long. IS
deg 40 min. and II deg. 90 min. having North the
Atlantic and South the caribbean sea- separated on
the East from the Virgin Islands by the Virgin pas
sage, and from Hayti on the West by Mona passage,
eighty miles Its shape is that of Parallel
ogram. the length from East to West being about
one hundred, and the breadth about thirty eight
miles Its area contains 3700square miles. Under
the old colonial system of Spain, in 17S8 the popu
laton did not exceed 80.650: whereas it amounted
in 1885, according to the official returns, to 357086
of whom only 4l.81S were slaves and it is now in
1851 probably little if at all short, of 100000 A
mountain chain runs Fast and West through the
centre of the Island the highest summit of which,
at the North East extremity, is about 3OOO feet in
height Numerous rivers have their sources in this
chain flowing on eith ,;de to the sea, some
vigabe from two or ;hree leagues from their mouth,
for schooners and coaSting vessels. The coast line
Is, also, indented with numerous bays and creeks,
some of which form excellent harbors for ships of
large burden
The climate is supposed to be less unhealthy and
better adapted to European than most of the Antil
les 1t differs widely, however, in different parts ;
the North coast being especially subject to heavy
rains and the south to droughts. Violent hurricanes
also often do immense damage 1t is singular fact
that there are almost indigenous quadrupeds in
the island and scarcely any of the feathered tribe
to b. found in the forests On the rivers, hOweV
en- there are a few fowl and in the forests the
green parrot. But set off to this deficiency there
are snakes and other noxous reptiles although rats
of size. and in great numbers infest the
and sometimes commit dreadful raVappS on
the sugar canes and Notwithstanding they
remitngly prosecuted, their numbers do not de-
crease
The surface of the island. which is finely divers-
ed is we'll watered and the soil is generally rich
and fertile in fact the of Porto Rico are
wholly agricultural: little comparatively nothing
being done in manufactures, nor have any mines of
gold or silver or other mineral products been kih-
erto explored The soil in many places is particu-
larly adapted to the growth of cotton. Indigo grows
spontaneously. and European vegetables of all des-
criptions could be raised without much difficulty
The pasture lands too. in the north and east are
superior to any in the West Indies for breeding
and fattening CATTLE and considerable traffic has
been carried on in cattle with the French, English
and Danish West India Islands. The forests in the
interior supply timber of the best quality for ship
and house building; and to prevent their decrease,
believe. law still exists to the effect that three
trees shall be planted for every cut down
The chief towns of the island are San Juan de
Porto Rico the Capital, Mayaguez, Ponea, Aguadl-
10 and Faxardo. The Government laws and institu-
tons are nearly similar to those established by
Spain in the rest of her Transatlantic colonies and
it is governed by Captain General. whose authority
is supreme in military affairs. and who is President
of the Royal audiencd for civil affairs, which court,
according to McCulloch is composed of the Captain
General, regent three Judges fiscal. two report
and marshal: and is superior to all other
stiued authorities, including the Ecclesiastical tri-
bunal
The Captain General has Juntd, council of the
principal mi itary officers In the seven towns and
villages. which the capitals departments justice
is administered by the Mayors and in the smaller
towns and villages by inferior magistrates, called
Lieutenants who determine debts under Sl00 act as
Justices of the Peace collect the duty of subsidy,
receiving per cent on the collections &c. They
are appointed by the Captain General, who also ap-
points the clergy to their different vings the
commentator of the Bishop. Public instruction is
backward but schools believe, the increase
Thre are military departments in the island,
each under the command Of Spanish Colonel The
regular military force generally comprises about o.,
900, and the militia about $4,000 men. The usual
naval force consists of only man-of-war, schoo-
ner. and some dozen gun boats.
The following statement to the trade of Puerto
Rico in 1849 taken from the Balanza MercanH,
published on the 28d December, 1850, in the Cap
ital will give tolersb BILE idea of it's commercial i'm
portance. The other facts given above we have
compiled from McCulloch, and official documents:
The commerce of the island for the year 1849,
amounted to S1O3S3.955 IS, giving an increase
over the previous year of S319.066 10.
The difference between the Imports and Exports,
is in favor of the latter by $420.787 ST.
The mercantile deposits have diminished from
those of the preceding year, by $276,O42 Is.
IMPORTS.
The value of the Imports amounted to S4981.583
80; including S348,376 46 which are on deposite,
as follows
Imports of Spanish products in Spanish
bottoms, ..... 81, OH, 900 43
Imports of Foreign products in Spanish
! bottoms. 23l9, O32 53
Imports of Foreign products in Foreign
| pottoms' '''' 80. 800. ...'..... lool:ooO ~
Total Imports in 1849, .......s 81 9S1,583 SO
/ " g 1885,. >. 4469,751 SO
Increase in 1849, ........... 1911. S32 81
this increase, the Spanish Flags had S3S8,582 80
" Foreign Flags q 123.249 As
i s511.832 q
In this calculation is included the amount intro
duced deposit which is reduced to $3.50 663, thus
indicating that the consumption had increased $751;
495 q.
The value of the exports amounted to S., 402 81
49, including S30925 from the deposites follows
Exported to Spanish possessions, in Spanish bot
TOMS -. S464 l28 93
To foreign ports in Spanish bottoms. 237.S23 03
To foreign ports in foreign bottoms.. 4,7O0.419 sc
Total exports in 1849. ........ SIS, 402.371 &c
i Total exports in 1913 ........ 5,595l36 81
/ Decline in 1849 ............. 1912. 765 As
This sum, compared with l848, gives the follow