The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-01-13
.l)ailu Argus.
Friday Evening, January IS. 1871.
The Island Of Dominica.

The New York World ia of the opinaon
that had we hereditary peersge, tue ''''e
By which our ''present' President wouio 60
down to posterity would be ''usans OF Dan
Domingo" very much for the same reason
that our late Secretary of State will be
known to fame, if no. to readers Of the
raa-ara as Seward" of Alaska. The
future Sir Bernard Burke, in describing the
place which gives the "noble aud ancient
family of Grant" this well worn title of San
Domingo might proceed TO describe it at the
time of its acquisition in the following
India Islands extending from the sixty
seventh meridian on the east. the seventy
fourth meridian on the west, OF an average
breadth Of lao miles. 1t contains nearly 28,-
900 square miles. Il is separated from
Cuba on the east BY the windward passage,
over sixty miles wide. 1t is $50 miles east
of Jamaica, IS west from Porto Rico, $500
miles north from the nearest point on '1e
coast of South America, about COZ iniioS
from Florida, and the same dis'sSce from
the nearest point of Central Aner'ca, eape
Gracos. Before annexatian 1t was oiVioeo
into two political d,yidons-Hayti and San
Domingo. Of these that On the West was
known as Hayti, occupying two-fifshs of the
island. or about 10000 square miles. It is
mountainous, broken up with rich valleys, |
well watered, having g fertile soil, and
Astounding in lumber, dye-woods, indigo, |
coffee. sugar, cocoa, tobacco and cotton. 1t |
had no manufactures worthy of the name.
B,fore annexation, which the distinguish |
ed President labored so "enterprisingly" 20
accomplish, it had a population of about
100000, and its exports at periods reached
annually s5,000,000. It's army was 10000 |
men, its school children, 5000, its schools, |
SIS. It's laws were drawn from the code |
Napoleon, and, 50 far IS It's President per
rnit,ed, Its religion was Roman Catholic.
Its six principal towns were Port al Prince,
with 10000 inhabitants; Cape Haytien, with
1000 Jacmel, with 5000; Gonaives, 1000; |
Cages and st. Nicholas, with about 5000. |
It's exports have reached 1900 600 pounds |
of cotton, 43, 100000 pounds of coffee in ono
year, in addition to drugs. dyes, and timber. |
Its mports include French wines, hard ware |
from Birmingham, and other British manu- |
features; naval stores end provisions from |
America. The eastern division, which first
attracted Mr.. Grants attention, San Do.
minco, occupied three-ffths of the Island,
5000 miles square, with nearly eight in
habitants to each square mile. The white
inhabitants were Spanish Creoles, but the
larger portion Of the population was Afri-
can. The chief towns were Santo Domingo,
with 10000 inhabitants; Azua, 900; Serbia,
2,300 Santiago, 1905 San Vega, $500.
The City OF San Domingo is well known in
history; its nausoleum of Columbus. was
world famous; its cathedral, its lombard
ment by Drake, and its periodical earth
quakes are almost equally famous. It's
religion is Roman Catholic. Education
wss neglected, as the inhabitants were too
much engaged in revolutions and wars with
the neighboring state OF Hayti. The egri
culture Of the republic was neglected. Il
was fertile and contained fine forests of Zig
numgite, mahogany, Brazil wood, and Of
various ornamental and dye-woods. They
exported hides, tobacco, fruits. and coarse
textile fabrics. It imported Merchandise
from Europe, and large quantities of pro-
visions from America. Il had navy of six
vessels and en- army of 10000 men