The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-16

THE ISLAND OF FoRMosA.
Description of the Germany OF
China" in the Pacific Ocean.

Description of the Germany OF
China" in the Pacific Ocean.
There is a great deal Of interest at
present relative to the Island OF Formosa
on account of the fact that Japan is de-
handing it from China as a part Of the
latter's war debt. A writer in the Phlla-
delphia Press describes 1t as follows:
Formosa, in Chinese Taiman. is a large
island in the Pacific. lying between what
the Chinese call Nan-hai and Tong-hai
or the Southern and Eastern Seas. and
separated from the Chinese mainland by
the Strait Of Fokien, which has a width
of about ninety-one miles in its narrow
est part. 1t extends from 12l degrees IL
minutes to 122 degrees 5 minutes, East
longitude. Foli. its most northern point
lies in % degrees 10 minutes. and its most
southern. Lin-hai-shan. or South Cape.
in p degrees "a minutes, North latitude.
Its area is estimated at 1873 square miles
or about half the size of Ireland. 1t
forms part of the long lire of islands
which are interposed as protective for
tification between the Atlantic coast and
the broad expanse of the Pacific and pro-
duces that happy immunity from the ty-
phon which is enjoyed by the ports Of
China from Annoy to the Yellow Sea- A
chain Of mountains traverses the island
from north to south. and attains in sew
eral of its SUBMITS to considerable ele-
walton. The Hottest point is named
Mount Morrison by the English, and is
said to be 1850 feet high.
The island, as far as its vertical relief
is concerned, is divided into three reg
ions-the mountains proper. the broad
western versant with its alluvial plains.
and the narrow eastern versant terminal
ing in high and precipitous coast.
Coal, sulphur and petroleum are the
only mineral productions which are
known to exist in quantities sufficient to
make them OF economical importance.
The principal coal fields, the vein of which
is three feet thick, are In the northern
part of the island. near Kelung and Tam
sui, and the coal is principally shipped in
Kelung harbor. The mineral Is highly BIZ
luminous and burns very fast.
There are several navigable streams in
the western part of the island, the princi-
pal ones being the Black river and the
Tam-sui, which allow junks of considerable
size to proceed inlanC about fifteen niles
There is a fine lake about four miles long
by two abroad, called the Tsul-sai-hai. or
lake of of the water savages not far from
Posia.
The climate. though a tropical one, is
agreeable and healthy, being tempered
both by the influences Of the sea and the
mountains. The vegetation ofsthe island
is characterized by tropical luxuriance,
the mountainous regions being clad with
dense forests. in which various species of
palms, the camphortree and the aloe are
conspicuous. The pine apple grows in
abundance. In the lowlands of the wes-
tern portion the Chinese have introduced
large number of cultivated plants and
fruit trees. Rice is grown in such guam
titles as to procure for Formosa the title
of the "Granary of China" and the sweet
potato, taro milet, barley wheat and
maize are also cultivated. Sugar. tea. in
digo, ground peanuts, jute, hemp, oil and
rattans are all articles of export and
some of them produce considerable trade.
The area devoted to tea Il considera Bile
and a large part Of this product finds its
way to America. Coffee growing is also
practiced to some extent.
Kelung and Tam-sui are the largest
towns, each with a population Of more
than 10000; Bangka, a f1ourishing com
mercial town in the north, has about so :
900 inhabitants The whole island is esti-
mated to contain about 100000 souls.