The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-10-15

Their Topography. History. Products and
Other Items Of Interest.

Their Topography. History. Products, ana
Other Items Of Interest.
The Bermudas are . group Of small
islands belonging to Great Britain.
situated in the Atlantic Ocean. $50
miles southeast Of Cape Hattsras- The
group i formed upon = coral reef, and
IS eighteen miles in length and six in
greatest breath The group contains
nearly 400 islets. most Of them being
mere points Of rocks. and not more
than twelve of them are inhabited
The area Of their entire surface i not
more than 1900 acres Bermuda. the
largest island. Il sixteen miles long
and about one and = half miles in
width The other principal Islands are:
ST. Georges. Ireland. Somerset and St
David's. The islands are nearly sur
rounded with hidden coral reefs. max
ING approach to them difficult but
there are several good harbors- St.
Georges Isle. the military station Of
the colony. commands the entrance Of
the only passage for large vessels. which
| i defended hy strong batteries The
climate Of the islands is peculiarly de-
/ lightful. the thermometer ranging from
| 81 % Sc degrees Fahrenheit in the win
| ter season and from - TO Sc degrees
\ Fahrenheit in the heat Of summer, and
the air is moist AZ all times. The soil
fertile. and vegetation remains green
< through the entire year. The chiei
productions of the islands are arrow
root. coffee. cotton. garden vegetables
and fruit A fine quality Of rum j. also
I made and exported. Cedar trees grow
abundantly. and their wood is exported
and also used in the manufacture OIL
the small. swift vessels with whose aid
the islanders visit one another for bust
ness or pleasure. The fisheries Of ths
islands are very valuable There arr
no fresh-wafe streams or wells on thu
islands. but rain-water. caught IL
cistcruS. i used for AL purposes. Thu
only large towns are Hamilton. stu
ated on Bermuda. and St. George. 81
the isle Of the same name. The Ber
muda Islands were discovered in ljz2
hy Jean Bermudez. { Spaniard. wh'
was wrecked on them. Sir GeorG'
Somcrs was also wrecked here in l6O
on his way to Virginia. He continue,
his journey after repairing his vessel
and the glowing description which h
gave Of the islands induced colon
from Virginia 70 emigratc thithcr i
1911. The groupwas first called Som
er>' Islands. bnt later the name wa
changed in honor ~ it, first discovered
In 1915 colony from England settle
on the Islands under charter froI
James l., and in 1910 a regular govern
ment was established there. Durin
the civil war many persons Of positio
and wealth took refuge on the island.
and the colony became large and pro-
porous The government Of the Be-
mudas consists Of = Governor and CouI
ell appointed BY the Crown. and an a
I semhly Of IS members elected BY n
people. The population. according
! the census taken i'm 1881, u 1898 II
. habitants. q whom about 5000 Al
: white people. There was . penal CO
, ony established here early In the cen
ury. but II was given up In 1862. The
| are a number of schools and church,
: on the islands. and the white pcrsol
! resident here are possessed Of mu,
: wealth and refinement. - Chicago lat
. OcxGyl