Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-11-27
An Annexation Scheme.
PhIladeIphla Evenlng TeIegraph

The islaNd Of Dominica apparently
wants to be annexed to the United
States. Intelligence from that region,
under the GATE of October %, makes
the somewhat startling announcement
that the legislative assembly has
adopted a resolution to the effect that
the only solution of the present diff
cultics TO admitting the produce of the
colony free into the United States will
be to cede the island to America, and
memorializing the British government
to follow this course. Whether any
thing is destined to come of this prop
osition remains to be seen. As to the
island "a question, it has always been
veileI in a laore or less deep halo of
mystery. 1t belongs to the Leeward
Group, and was discovered by Column
bus ia 1893. Rising abruptly from
the sea, its shores afford few landing
places toward the interior the highest
mountain reaches an elevation of
about $500 feet, while some peaks
within a short distance of the shore
rise to height of upward of 3, 500
feet. 1t would be difficult to imagine
any more beautiful spot in the world
than the southern end of the island.
The vegetation is tropical az d abund
ant, for, owing to abundance of moist
ure, even the vertical walls of rock
are clad in living green. AT the time
of its discovery it was favorlte resort
of the Caribs. This tribe has become
greately reduced, and there are not
now over 1000 of these living seclud-
ed in the mountains of the interior.
A total population of about 5000 is
ascribed to the island, of which
Rcseau, the main spot, claims 5000.
The location of the island is south of
Guadalupe, and north of Martinique,
between Is degrees and 20 minutes
and 10 degrees and As minutes of north
latitude, and 81 degrees and Is min
utes and 81 degrees and 81 minutes of
west longitude, and it is the largest of
the Leeward Islands. It's name is due
to the fact of it's discovery by Colum-
bus on Sunday, the exact date being
November 3, 1888 The island is
twenty nine miles long and about SIX
teen miles broad, and its total area is
only 291 square miles. only small
portion of that being susceptible of
cultivation. Yet considerable quanti-
ties of wax, honey, sugar, molasses,
rum, coffee, tocacco and copper ore
are exported.
The present population IL made up
chiefly of emancipated slaves, there
being but small proportion of whites
among the number. These are chiefly
of French descent, and attached to
the Catholic Church, but the island
became British territory by conquest
in 1859, previous to which it had been
claimed by France and Spain, as well
as by England, and was regarded as
neutral territory. In 1868, the French
formally abandoned all their claims
in favor of England, but they recap
tured the island in 177S, restoring it
to England in 1888, at the close of the
war between the American colonies
and the mother country. Since then
it has remained in undisturbed posses
sion of the English.
Prominent among the mysteries of
Dominica, have always been the large
number of sprays of hot water, many
properties. Some thirty Males from
Roseau is situated a large hot spring
which is known as the Boiling Lake.
This lake is subject to volcanic erup
tions, one of which occurred or Jan
uary 4, 1880. About 8 o'clock ON the
morning of that day heavy fall of
rain commenced which lasted for sew
ersl hours. About two hours after
the commencement of the rain dark
cloud suddenly spread over the town
of Roseau, causing almost total dark
ness, and, for about quarter of an
hour there was a perfect deluge of
rain and ashes. The Roseau river be-
came much swollen, flooding a great
portion of the town and carrying
away cattle and houses. The land in
the vicinity of the Boiling Lake was
covered with lava, and when the storm
had ceased the roofs and walls OF
buildings, the street pavement, the
doorsteps, and back yards in the town
of Roseau were found covered with
deposit of volcanic debris, holding
together like clay, dark gray in color,
and in some places lying more than
an inch thick, with small, shining
metallic particles on the surface,
which could be easily identified as
iron pyrites. Scraping up some of the
stuff, it required only a Slight exam
ination 20 determine its main consti
tuents- sandstone and magnesa, the
pyrites being slightly mixed, aud sill
yer showing itself in even smaller
quantity. Taken altogether, our pro-
posed new possession would not be a
much more cheerful place of residence
than Alaska.