The Portland daily press., 1871-04-06

| efficient existence and are composed of men,
bers OF good character and ability. The Span
lsh occupation of the island in 1861 is found to
nave Deen consummated Dy fraud, and was
most unsatisfactory and oppressive in its re-
suits Doth civil and religiousy, threatening
eannger TO the Masonic fraternity, a large and
1nnuential order in the island, and re-estab-
admo mshea slavery either by importation or by the
people revolted and drove the Spanish into
tneir stronghOlds on the coast, where the SOL
dlers died by the wholesale of malignant fevers
e9genndered en- in close and filthy barracks devoid
OF an sanitary appliances. The Spaniards
NUMBERED in all about $4,000 troops, of whom
and disease. III
Inc desire for annexation to the United
otates, the Commissioners state, was found
very wide spread and out spoken in all parts of
tne island, and was based apparently upon a
tnorough and intelligent discussion. This de-
sire ~, was also atdently shared in and sustained
ey all the colonies Of colored people formerly
from the United States, whose attachment to
.ne,r nat've land seems to have deepened with
tme and distance. The people said they would
prefer TO continue independent if it were pos
moie, but If they must lose their nationality
they would rather merge it with the Ameri-
can Union, with its free institutions, friend
people and common interests. The
principal part OF the opposition which
/ does exist appears among certain traders in the
| ports some OF which in case of annexation
| would lose control of branches Of ,busipess Of
| which in its present narrow channel they have
| monopoly. The Commissioners entirely dis
credit the reports that annexation would be re-
| sisted by desperate measures in any part OF the
| island and cite at length their own experience
and entire immunity from harm of every kind
while on the island as evidence of the correct
ness OF this conclusion.
THE SOCIAL SYSTEM.
The people Of San Domingo are of mixed
l honest. noiv nd
destitute of prejudice of class or color, pauper-
ism, begging and high crime being practically
unknown. Among the popular vices is petty
GamSnng, an Sg which is extensively INDUCED in by
| the spanish portion of the population. All are
roman Catholics except the American emil
grants, who are. Methodists and Baptists
| tnough no intolerance or religious persecution
| can pe discovered. The people generally own
| iand which they cultivate, though agricultural
operations are Hnrited by lack Of market and |
frequent political disturbances, though the Do
minican is not:averse to work when sure of |
reasonable reward. Labor is now in abundant |
supply at ten dollars or less per month. Few |
schools exist and the people generally are un- |
educated, though the commissioners believe |
that opportunities for education would be eag-
erly improved, the DOminicaHs being pos
sessed OF proverbial shrewdness and much na-
tive ability. Only one small and poorly equip |
ped printing Office exists in the republic. The |
general political capacity of the people is re-
garded favorably, there having been for years |
4
Them of their manliness. The courage and devo |
| sNopwasted in Instructions abundantly prove |
their capacity for self government, and regular |
political action. The commissioners estimate the |
actual population of the republic ct $50, 900, |
more than 19-20ths being native Domincans.
White blood preponderates largely, the maiori- |
~ being much nearer white than black. Ge- |
ologists lind the existence Of copper and gold,
with deposits of Ignite, rock salt and petro. |
leum. Iron ore is abundant and easy of access, |
ETC., etc.
MINERALS.
Iron ore is abundant, easy of access and will |
doubtless be made available for the cheap pro- |
ducton of pig iron. The copper ores are of |
fair degree of richness, and beds have been |
opened to slight extent. The reported coal |
| of the Samana peninsula and in the neighbor- |
hood OF Puerto Plata is found in liguite and is |
of little value as fuel compared with Pennsyl- |
vania or English coal. The gold region is ex-
tensive, and though worked anciently is at |
present but little known. The salt deposits |
in the mountains near Niba are believed to be |
extensive and valuable. There are five classes
of lands in San Domingo, the mountain slopes |
and valleys are uniformly productive; the ex-
tensive prairie region of the llanos, admirable |
pasture land; the rolling plain of Vega. gener-
on the island; the dry lands, where rain is |
partially or wholly wanting, which can be |
made fertile by irrigation; and the red clay |
timbered lands along the coast. There is hard |
ly any portion of the island that is not capable
OF the most fertile regions on the face of the |
EARTH -
AGRICULTURE
The Agricultural products include all tropi- |
cal fruits and vegetables as we'll as CONNER |
clal staples Sugar cane is grown most profit /
ably on low lands, and the yield is much great
er than in the Island of Jamaica, even though |
aided by artificial irrigation. Fifteen annual |
cuttings from the original root are common,
and an abundance of fuel gives San Domingo
additional advantages over the neighboring is
lands in this branch Of industry. The noun
tain region is especially adapted to the culture
The product of wax and honey is surprisingly |
large, thousands of hives of honey being de-
stroyed tor the sake of the wax alone. Wild
ginger and indigo grow everywhere in the
greatest profusion, and cotton is raised near
Astua. Cincona is successfully raised on the
higher mountains, and many vegetables and
fruits of the temperate zoLe are also produced |
IN abundance. AS an evidence of the present
nndeveloped condition of Dominican agricul-
ture it may be cited for fact that the commis-
son, during expeditions through the interior of
the island often met with beet sugar. raised
and refined in France, butter and cheese i'm
ported from denmark, and milk condensed in
the United States; but seldom with similar ar
ticles manufactured on the island. The coun-
try everywhere is adapted to the cultivation of
tobacco, and three crops of Indian cern are
raised annually, though the most valuable nat
ural grain is specie of rye More than forty
distinct varieties of tropical fruits we're found |
growing wild.
GRAZING
The grassesof Saa Domingo furnish sbsn- |
dant forage of the best quality. Tmmense |
herds of cattle feed on the great savannas, aud |
though they were multiplied ten fold they |
could could not exhaust the abundant pasturage.
haoiy hhneiy can naa BE- bought for cent pound the
and IN forests. Swine thrive in good num-
bers. Sheep are very few. Poultry is plenti-
ful, wild guinea fowl being seen in many
parts of the land. Horses are raised in great
numbers and only the marauding expeditions
have prevented great development of the
business of stock raising. One of the most re-
markable agricultural features of San Domin.
go ls the diversity of natural growths in differ
ent localities, which will give raise to extensive
internal commerce. Insects and noxous rem
tiles are not found more abundant than in our
old States.
In the forests the products are astonishing,
the variety including the choicest wood, oak,
pitch pine, lignumvit@ and an immense stock
OF OF medicinal and commercial woods, many of |
the houses being built of mahogany.
THE FISHERIES
OF the island, which were once fourishing,
nave tateIy fallen into neglect, though great |
scn0ols OF funny fish are still abundant on the
southern shore. Rlackfish are found on the |
northern shore, and every year some are caught |
and tried for oil. Turtle and several varieties /
of shell fish are taken in moderate quantities
calities, growing attached to mangrove bushes
They are eaten by the natives, but are not so
palatable as the oysters of more northern latl-
tudes.
San Domingo, according to all testimony, ia
generally healthy country, especially in the |
interior among the mountains, where white |
men labor safely and successfully The accli- |
nation of strangers present no greater obstacle |
to immigration than in several of our new |
States. The eastern portion of the island is |
continually swept by the trade winds, and is |
therefore much more healthy than Hayti, to |
which the ravages of yellow fever are chiefly |
confined. The losses Of the Spanish army |
from illness was largely due to the lack Of SAN
itary care, and the commissioners are satisfied
that their losses have been largely exagger- |
ated.
The Commissioners have given special atten- |
tiOn to the matter of health, and besides are |
getting information from other quarters They |
have charged two medical gentlemen to report |
specially upon it, and their conclusions are |
that the popular idea that Dominican territory |
is particularly unhealthy, and that persons |
visiting it are pre-lable to yellow fever is en-
| tirely erroneous. The average general health |
and longevity is quite equal and probably |
greater than that Of the United States. Asa |
whole immigrants are not liable to any more |
disturbance OF general health in the process of /
acclimation than persons who pass from the |
old to the new States of the United States, /
taking the year through. As much agricul- |
tural labor can he done without affecting the |
health as in our Middle and Western States. |
and with greater results Persons in all cir |
= nrA~