Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-01-16
THE BAHAMA ISLANDS.
Geographically, Historical and Polltica
 Facts Not Generally Known.

geographically, Historical ana Political
 Facts Not Generally Known.
 The Bahama islands form a numerous group of the British West Indies, and extend northwest from San Domingo tc the southeastern coast of Florida. The islands number twenty-nine, of which twenty are inha bited; there are besides some 661 cays Gslets, shoals, or reefs), and 2,3S7 rocks; their area is estimated at 5,450 square miles. The principal islands are New Providence, Great Ba- hama, Abaco, Eleuthera, San Salvador, EXuma, Andros, Long Island, Great lnaugua, IIartr3r Island, Mariguana, Crooked island, Waiting and Acl-lin The Islands gro formed of calcareous rocks of coral and shell hardened into limestone. hone ycombed and perforated With countless cavities: the crust is very hard, but it is softer underneath, and the stone is excellent for building pur- poses, hardening on exposure. The shores are generally low, and there are no mountains in the group. The soil is light but very productive. Some of the islands have forests of mahogany, ngnum vitae, iron and other valuable woods. Olives, oranges, lemons, lines, cltrons, pine-apples, figs, bananas, mel ons' sugar-cane, ginger, coffee. indigo, cotton and tobacco are grown in abuR- dance. Andros is the only island that has streams of running water, the water supply coming from wells, which rise and fall with the neighboring tides. Nlld geese, ducks, pigeons, parrots, hawks, doves. famingoes and humminG- birds abound, and the fish in the neigh boring waters are numerous; the turtle is very fine. The salt ponds in the low CT islands are valuable. Nassau, the seat of government, is in the island of New Providence. and has the only safe harbor for vessels drawing more than nine feet. S I Salvador claims the honor of having been the land discov- cred by Colum 'us October 12, 1492. Tho natives were P, ace able and helpful to the first explorers, but the rapacious Spaniards took them from their homes in the Bahamas by lying stories and put them to work in the mines of the West Indies, where they perished miserably. In 1899 some British ad- venturers found their way to the Bahamas and a settlement was formed at New Providence, but in 1G41 they were driven out by the Spaniards. In 1867 the British once more took posses sion, and in 1880 Charles II. made grants to the Duke of Albemarle, Lord Craven, Sir George Carteret Lord Beckley Lord Ashley and Sir Peter Colleton, by whom the Governors of the islands were ap- pointed. For years the enmity of the Spaniards and the tyranny of the Gov ernorS retarded their development. De- scents were made in 1703 by the French and SpaniardS that destroyed New Prov idence, after which it became the resort of pirates. The dcpreda tionS of these ruff ans become intolerable, and the islands were cleared of their murderous inhab- itants and respectable colonists substi- tuted. The islands were sub biected to attacks during the American revolution, and the Spaniards from Cuba were in possession for year or two, but they were restored to the British In 1854 the abolition of the slave trade is said to have retarded the development of the islands, but that this was for their permanent benefit there can be | no doubt. The Bahamas were notorious 1 for the Notwithstanding trade carried on between this British port and the Southern States. The benefits that came to the Bahamas from this traffic were short-livcd, and illusive. as crilno in- creased and sickness became prevalent.
 
 | New Providence, destroying crops and damaging spongcs, then source of great profit, and this was followed by repeated droughts. For civil purposes the colony is divided into parishes. In 1869 the act of disestablishing the Church of En- gland went into effect. The government of the Bahamas consists of a Governor, aided by an executive council, a legis- lative council and representative as sembly. The population of the islands was 43, 521 in 1881, very large number of the inhabitants being colored. There are Wesleyan, Baptist, Church of En- gland and Presbyterian churches. The schools are numerous, and some of the leading ones arc under government con. trol. New Providence is the center of the commercial. political, religious and educational life of the islands, and has many of the modern institutions, such as banks, libraries, charita ble societies, | lodges, press, etc.-Chicagol Inter- Ocean,
 DlGESTlBlltTY OF MEATS.