Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-04-14
"a 14,1

migration than in several of our new
States. The eastern portion Of the
island Sis constantly swept by the
trade winds, and they are much
more healthy than in Hayti, to which
the ravages of the yellow fever are
chiefly confined. The losses of the
Spanish army from illness were
largely due to the lack of sanitary
care, and the commissioners are sat
isfied that their losses have been
largely exaggerated. The commits
sioners have given special attention
to the matter of health, and, besides
getting information from other quar-
ters, they have charged two medi-
cal gentlemen to report specially
upon it, and their reports are ap-
pended. Their conclusion is this:
The popular idea that the Domini-
can territory is particularly un-
healthy, and that persons visiting
it are peculiarly liable to L ycJlS fe-
yer, is entirely erroneous, Sns .hiy-
erage general health and longevity
is quite equal to, and probably great
er than, the United States upon the
whole. Immigrants are not liable
to any more disturbance of general
health than persons passing from the
old to the new States of the United
States, and, saving upon the sea
coast, the process is 50 simple as to
escape notice. Taking the year
through, as much agricultural work
can be done without affecting the
health as can be done in our Mid
die and Western States, and with
greater results. Persons in all cir
cumstances can here, by selecting
their locality, enjoy delicious eli
mate and abundance of fruit, with
far less liability to disease of the
lungs, to scarlet fevers, and other
fearful epidemics, and without any
liability to yellow fever. The COM
mission, its attaches, and gentlemen
of the press numbered 32, and the
officers and crew Of the frigate num-
bered 400. This company of 52s
sojourned in the harbors, supposed
to be the most unhealthy part of the
country, or in the interior of the is
land, about two months. Few, if
any, had been acclimated; neverthe-
less, there was but one case of NOR
tai disease, and that from causes un-
connected with the climate. There
was no case of malignant fever, and
none Of severe sickness among them.
The steamer Nantasket, with its full
complement Of officers and seamen,
has been in the harbors Of the is-
land for about fifteen months, and
has not had single case of yellow
fever. Earthquakes have done no
serious damage in the island since
ls46, and, though slight shocks oc-
cur almost every year, they are SO
inconsiderable that scarce one in a
dozen of the inhabitants are aware
Of them. Hurricanes are not unfre-
quent, and sometimes are attended
NAvIGABLE WATERS. j
The island has several rivers nav
icable for short distance into the
interior, while three great bays
Samana, Acoa and Maazeanvilla-
admit vessels of the largest draft,
though only the first has an impor-
tance in a military point of view.
THE ADVANTAGES OF ANNEXATION.
The commissioners state the ad-
vantages of the acquisition of San
Domingo. There will be power
full military and naval station, and
doubtless an important city, that
portion of the waterfront which has
already been acquired by a citizen
of the United States being but a
small part of what would be occu-
pied by the site of great CONNER
cial city in San Domingo. Inland
communication by water and rail
would be easy, and the future of
SANTANA Bay, under the authority Of
the United States, could not fail to
be of national Importance.
THE DEBT OF TIE GOVERNMENT.
The following statement exhibits
briefly the result of inquiries as to
the debt Of the government, and its
obligations, whether funded and as
certaincd and admitted, or unadjus
ed and under discussions: