The herald., 1898-07-29
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+ The New American Territory !
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| The climate of Porto Rico is not unlike
that of New York in July as thermome-
ter registers it. and an agreeable pecu-
liarity of 1t is that strangers are quickly
and easily acclimated Although it is
nearer the equator than our new possess
sion in the other great ocean, Hawaii,
this climatic agreeableness has brought
to Porto Rico people of northern races
who have summed the Pacific islands,
Germans, Russians, French, Danes and
Swedes being among the $4,000 foreign
population which thrives and prospers
there. These foreigners are found prin-
cipally in San Juan-which is to be our
first point of attack-on the northeast
coast, and in San German, town larger
than San Juan, the capital. and situated
in the district of MayagueZ, on the west
ern end of the island.
Politically the island is divided into
seven districts, called departments.
These are Bayamon Containing the cap
ital, San Juan), Arecibo, Aguadilla,
Mayaguez Containing San Germany.
where our troops will find gas-ighted
streets and cafes and considerable for
eign club to entertain our officers), Ponce
with its town of the same name, also
gas-lighted and supporting an English
Episcopal church) and Guayama. An
eighth department includes the island of
Viequez, which is a penal and military
settlement.
Excluding its dependent islands, Porto
Rico contains $3.50 square miles-a very
small territory to support more than $780,
900 people, judged by ou4 conditions. Yet
all authorities agree in the seeming par
adox that the resources of the island
whereby population may be supported
have been but little drawn upon compar-
atively, while the density of population
| to the acre exceeds that Of any country
in the new world. Some figures of its
productiveness under a system only a
little improved over those which ante
dated Columbus will help to explain.
The annual coffee yield, as stated in
the latest published report on the island,
is 15,6 600 tons; sugar 81 900 tons; tobacco,
1000, 900 pounds; S7,5OO,00O plantains,
6, 500, 900 oranges and 100000 cocoanuts.
Rice which is the principal food of a
great majority of the inhabitants, grows
there on the mountain-sid without
flooding, as is necessary in most coun-
tries, and in such quantity that there is
a surplus for export. The tobacco is
nearly all sent to Havana, where it is
made into high priced Havana" cigars,
so excellent is it's quality. These are
| only few Of the products of the wonder
| full little island. Cattle of fine breed are
raised with little trouble in the foothills,
and in exportable quantity. Nearly
| 81, OO0, 900 worth of honey is exported an
nually.
The productive class of the population,
| the small landholders and laborers, are
of very old Spanish stock. which was
mixed centuries ago with the native In
dian blood. This class, called Gibaros,
are peaceful, contented, and as the vir-
| tue is measured in Porto Rico, indus
trious. They are the farmers and herd
| ers, and are content to pack their prod
| uct to mill or market on muleback; and
| 1t is we'll it Is So for majority of them
have only mule-paths by which to reach
market. The foreigners are the traders
and middlemen, and are mostly found in
Ponce, San German and San Juan.
The monetary unit on the island is the
silver peso not to be confused with it's
much less reliable peseta, and is worth
about go cents in our currency. But an
understanding of the peso will not end
the confusion of our troops when they
begin to shop and make change there.
They will also have to bother their heads
with the doblon, gold piece worth about
$5-may they have much such bother!-
the onza CT pesos), the media onza the
escuda, the escudito and the real fuerte,
to say nothing of the centen, worth IS. 30.