New-York tribune., 1873-01-16
SANTO DOMINGO.
1r LEASE OF SANTANA RATIFIED.

sR Il viii be recollected that in 1869 there was
,ronosed treaty between the Government of the Re
rnblio of Santo Domingo and that of the United
States. known as the Convention for the lease OF
IN. Bay and Peninsula of Samana' by which the
farmer agreed to lease and convey to the latter Tor
ninety nine years the peninsula and hay OF that
name with all the rights of eminent domain In con-
alteration of an annual rent of Sl5O,OOO. The Con-
s,tion WAS considered as a Grant measure, and
tberfore defeated in the Senate irrespective of its
merits which were never fairly laid before our
reople If that Convention had been ratified, the
limited States would have had the lease for ninety
nine years of the magnificent Peninsula and Bay OF
Sanana, with absolute sovereignty thereof she
would have there established for her feet naVh
station uneQualed in natural advantages by any mar
horin those regions Her flag would have brought
the security for lack of which the immense re-
sources of the Peninsula and surrounding country
lie pndeveloped. immigration would have poured
in from all quarters a great commerce whlch now
has 10 suffer for want of good accommodations ana
has to put up with the poor ones at st. IhomaS'
would have conferred in Samana-the best one IN the
West Indies; and great city would have sprung
nm ON its borders The logical and necessary conse-
ouenee would have been that in time, the inhabit-
ants of Santo Domingo, and probably OF hayu
,voud have come under the influence OF our clVlza
t,on and our institutions and peaceful annexation
,yould have followed in the way alluded to by an
eminent Senator, when he was depicting the future
greatness of eur country, and showing how sur
rounding peoples would be irresstibly attracted to
II by our superior political and social institutions.
But although the project of the President was de-
feated by his political enemies 1t had attracted the
attention of men who. after careful study, con-
cIuded that the peaceful establishment of COM
,nercial depot and of our institutions in Samana
would soon bring under immediate influence the
whole Spanish end of the island; that such meas
ure would enlarge and strengthen our commerce;
would carry blessings to the people OF Santo
Domngo; that it would benefit the other West
India Islands, and especially that it would BRING
about the speedy abolition of human slavery In
Cuba and Porto Rico. The zeal of these men at last
interested some of our far-sghted capitalists, who
saw a rare opportunity for bold commerclal enter
prise upon grand scale which might bring back
immense profit. They therefore formed company
and sent down agents last year to ascertain II the
Dominican Government would grant to it a lease of
Samana upon the same general terms as those which
had been offered to the United States and rejected
by our Senate. President Baez and the Senate, de-
spairing of any action by our Government favorable
10 their wishes and desiring to secure more init
mate relations with the United States, which would
give them at least the moral protection of our
fac. readily agreed to this as the best thing for
their country
Having quietly arranged the preliminaries, the
Company proceeded to raise funds and to begin
operations. They dispatched agents early in last
month with a carefully drawn charter and terms OF
lease and with Sl5OOO0 in gold to be paid for the
first years lease the papers should be duly
signed by President Baez and ratified by the Senate
This has been done the charter has been ratified :
=
master of the situation. The matter has been con
Quoted so quietly that while the Quid Runcs of the
press have been explaining to the people how this
party and that party going to adopt President
Grants policy of annexation; and how the United
States is to recover the precious opportunity of Sc
curing this magnificent island, private corporation
has got possession of the Peninsula and Bay of Sama
a for 90 years thus securing the key to the whole
country; and have, moreover, obtained important
privileges and rights of preemptiOn throughout the
Republic.
SantO Domingo without the Peninsula and Bay OF
Samana is almost worthless to the United States
and she must now treat with the Company for what
ever she may need if it be only coaling station.
The Company has virtually annexed the most i'm
Sortant part of the island. and is taking measures
for such intimate commercial relations with the rest
of it as will inevitably lead to the annexation of the
eastern or Spanish end and probably in time of the
whole Island.
DESCRIPTION OF TIE COMPANY.
The general features of the Samana Bay Company
are ike those of the old East Indian Companies Of
Portugal Holland, and England, in regard,to ex-
tent OF power; and to new and vast fields in which
10 exercise it. 1t may be instrumental in bringing
about revolution in the commercial and civil con-
dtion Of the West India Islands, as important and
more beneficial than those effected in Asia.
10 hnln
Peninsula of Samana and over the vast bay with all
ats islands and reefs 1t may exercise the sovereign
power of framing laws for the government of its
territory appointing its officers of police judiciary
and commerce; leyying and collecting taxes; es-
fablishing custom-houses; fixing duties on imports
and exports; building railroads, wagon-r0ads, ca
mails and telegraph lines within its own ter
ritory; and, by special contract throughout
the whole of the Dominican Republic, TAX
dng in return alternate leagues of public land.
The Company may build officer, and man ships,
establish bank and exercise most of the general
powers of sovereignty 1t has bought up all grants
and concessions previously made by the Dominican
Government for lands, mining privileges, wharves
railroad lines, and the like, of whatever nature
The owners of almost all these grants and conces-
sions are members of the Company, and they have
formally renounoed in writing all ownership and in
terest direct and indirect. in favor of the Company
1t has the virtual monopoly of all the future oppor
tunities of establishing companies for railroads,
steamboats, mining other purposes, by an article
jim the Convention, which requires that the Domini
can Government shall never charter, authorize, or
tolerate, any such company, without first having
offered to the Samana Bay Company charter for
the same purpose on the same terms.
contemplation Of the objects and powers of the
Company, Of the wide field of it's operations and of
the rare opportunity which it has of concentrating
within its bay the Of trade between Europe