Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-08
rns cs soLlAAS.


ters some description Of them timely
a~i valuable.
"Ihc Cssolines " Is more or less
comprehensive term applied to tna'
archipelago in the North Pacific lying
sicre the EQUATOR Immediately west OF
the Philippine Islands. by some VIII
ser,. in ADDITION 10 the Caroline Islands
proper, the Marshall and even the ci'-
bert groups are included in the tcrm'
The archipelago as thus defined com.
prises from SEQ TO 500 islands. = rev OF
them Of basaltic. but by far the greater
number Of coral origin. These consisted
Of bel, OF coral reef rising TO low
water mark ard enclosing lagoon, into
which usually one or moro passages
lead from the open sea. The iagoonss
which have channels are good
hsrbors. Coral islands are not
ordinarily fertile. They are cha
sac,crized by thin soil, scaaty
rainfall, aud limited vegetation. The
cocoanut. palm, and the randanus, or
screw pine, bearing largo bunch OF
juicy fruit, thrive on them, but little
else that can sustain human life. The
volcanic islands. ON the other hand
such as kusaie, Ponapc. Ruk. Peiew,
and Zap, are high, denstly-wooded' ana
fertile, yielding brcadfruit, cocosnuss'
suear-cane. oranges. and bananas. No
ratiye animals are found on the coral
islands, though pigs and chickens have
been introduced. On the whole. there
fore. the archipelago offers but limited
attractions to trade. The basalt'c
islands arc not only few but small, and
the inhabitants OF the barren coral reefs
are frequently compelled to resort to
them for sustenance.
INHABITANTS OF THE ISLANDS.
The inhabitants Of the Caroline
Islands are of the brown, Polynesian
race, having straight hair. They were
originally supposed 10 he OF Malay
origin; but later investigations by Ger
man scholars render it probable that
they may he a branch Of the Caucasian
race. They are altogether superior to
the natives Of the Fiji Islands, New
Caledonia. the New IIebriaes, and other
islands south Of the equator, who
are akin TO the African, having
the woolly hair and tho physiog-
nomy of the negro. They are, how
ever, q race Of savages who 60 nearly or
quite naked. with tattooed bodies, adj
dicted to war, intemperance. and licen-
tiousness. They seem to have no no
ton of a Supreme Being, but believe
in spirits, whose power they fear, and on
some Of the islands there has been found
a regular priesthood with rites Of wor-
ship. They pray to the spirits and
offer gifts and oblations. Their govern
ment is one of chiefs, whose authority
is hereditary. As no census has ever
been taken, estimates Of the population
vary greatly. From what is known of
the islands already explored it cannot
be less than about one hundred thou
sand.
THE MISSIONARIES.
The islands were probably first visit
ed by Alyaro dc Saavedra in 1928
afterward. in 1879, by the navigator
Drake. In 1856 they we're rediscover-
ed by the Spanish Admiral Francesca
Lazeano, who gave them the name they
now bear in honor Of Charles III. Of
Spain. They have been visited, from
time to time, by whalers and merchant
men for purposes Of trade, but their
commerce has never been extensive,
and probably will not be for many
years TO come, if ever. Such mercan-
tile intercourse with Europeans as has al
ready been had has been followed by the
usual result--the sinking of the people
to a still lower grade of barbarism.
What is known Of these islands has
come to ps in the main through Ameri-
can missionaries, who for the last
tbirty-throe years have been laboring
among these debased populations with
distinguished success. The larger
islands, such as Kusaie, Ponape, aud
Ruiz, have been occupied by eyange-
LIKING agencies, and the work OF
education and civilization has passed
rapidly from group to group. until
now almost the whole archipelago
has been brought under the III
fuence Of the Christian religion.
Five Of the barbarous dialects have
been reduced to writing, portions of the
Bible and many school-books have
been printed therein, overfifty churches
with 1000 communicates, have been
organized, schools have been estab'
lished, and radical transformation il
the character and manners of the in
habitants produced. The notable sue
cess achieved in the Sandwich Islands
by which in one short generation rac'
Of barbarians was changed into an en-
lightsned and self-respecting Christian
people, seems about to be repeated il
this Micronesian archipelago.
CLAIMANTS TO TIE ISLANDS.
The issue Of the present dispute be
tween Germany and Spain will b
fraught with weighty consequences L
this important work. The CAROLYN
Islands have at different times beer
claimed by Spain, England, Ger
many, and, in fact, almost all the En-
ropean Powers. The points to b
named in favor Of Spain are probabl
priority Of discovery, the fixing on tn
islands Of Spanish name by Lazean
and the proximity Of Spanish posses
sions on the west and north. Tn
Philippine and Ladrone islands bot
belong TO Spain. From them NOR
or less intercourse has been hs
with zap and the other western
most islands Of the Caroline archipel
ago. Zap is volcanic island OF con
siderable size, with an excellent harbo
on the southeast. The natives are at
higher level Of civilization than most {
their neighbors. They build frst-rat
boats, lay out their villages regularly
pave their streets. and construct stor
piers and wharyes. A Spanish missio
was established in the island in 1885,
With this exception nothing whatev'
has been done by Spain or any 9TH
European nation toward tho ciyilizatiC
or occupation Of the Carolines.
THE CLAIMS OF SPAIN.
The hundreds Of islands west Of Y,
~>,os,n untonched \ot q colonv IA