The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-11-21
PORTO RICO MAY REREL, TOO.
Spain Fears for Another of Her Posses
 sions.


 Madrid, Nov 20,-The government has received official advices from the Island of Porto Rico saying that ex- tensive precautions are being taken there to prevent surprises by filibusters in the event of the news received from Cuba and the Philippines being of such character as to encourage a rising of the islanders.
 The defences Of the island are being examined and strengthened, as many well known separatists have recently disappeared leading to the suspicion that they are organizing an insurrec- ton. All the houses, and their inmates as well, are being registered and the landing places where filibusters might attempt a coup are closely guarded by sentinels.
 The secret societies which have long existed in Porto Rico have recently in creased their activity, and documents recently seized by the authorities indi- cate that preparations are being made for rising at an early date.
 The island of Porto Rico is the most eaSterly of the Greater Antilles. Rec tangular in outline, it is somewhat un- der 100 miles long by forty miles wide. A low range of mountains, the Sierra Cayey, traverses the island from east to west, eliminating in Mt. Yunque at an altitude of 3,67S feet above the sea; between the numerous branches of the ro,, 1io vol leys, while near the coast are broad plains of equal fertility.
 Almost the whole area is now under cultivation although a few mountains are still covered with timber; the pas ture lands of the northern and eastern sections are unequalled in the West h. dies. Tropical fruits grow in perfec- tion, but the poverty of flora and fauna is remarkable. No minesaof import ance are worked, Agriculture Is large ly in the hands of the natives. Sugar, coffee, tobacco and cabinet woods are the chief exports; on a smaller scale are included molasses, cattle and hides. Maize is grown for home consumption, while manufactures of cloth or iron are imported.
 The exports in 1887 were valued at $10, ,1S1 ,000, of which this country took l the lions share; the imports, amount ing to $1O,19S,006, were divided chiefly among Great Britain, Spain, the United States. France and Germany The number of habitants on December 31, 1887, was 13,937, or about 216 to the square mile; the island is therefore one of the most thickly populated regions of the Western Hemisphere. Owing to the salubrity of the climate, fully one half of the population are Spaniards or 1 foreigners, leaving a smaller propor- ton of negroes and mulattoes than ob- tains in most of the neighborng is | lands.
 The island was discovered by Colum- bus in 1493, and has been held by Spain since the campaign of Ponce de Leon in 1509-1S, in which the former natives 1 were practically exterminated. The l present system of provincial govern. ment began in 1860. The language of l the island is Spanish and the religion Roman Catholic Education is not 1 highly advanced at present. The chief | towns are San Juan the capital, with l 23, ,414 inhabitants; Ponce, 37,545 San German, 3O,146 The coast is well sup piled with bays and inlets, and the north shore is lined with navigable la i goons.
 The towns are connected by 470 miles 1 of telegraph, and of the projected rail- way system to girdle the island small section is already completed. Public ! improvements during the '70s were en- l tirely arrested by the diversion of the ] surplus revenue of the island for the i continuation of the first Cuban war. l Shipping has steadily increased. In l 1892 the seaports cleared 1,0S5 vessels l of 1,010,2S6 tons. Spain has been una- ble wholly to exclude other nations 1 from the islands commerce.