The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-17
A NAVAL STATION.
Concess,enaires want to Sell Gonaiv to
the United states.

Concess,enaires Want to Sell Gonaive ia
the United states.
Port au Prince, May 8.-Cnited
States Minister Powell is much inn
pressed with the idea tina the island
OF Gonaive. in the Gulf of Leogane, or
Gonaive. the largest dependency of
Hayti. would afford the naval station
which the United States has so long
desired to possess in these waters. The
island was granted under very liberal
conditions some years & to three
Haytiens. NM. Nord Alexis. b. Reiveir
n DIR. Aubrey. Only NJ. Alexis is liv-
ing. Reiveir was one of the real en-
terprising business men that Hayti
had produced. He owned the Haytien
line Of coasting steamers which connect
st. Hayti with the principal seaports
and foreign ports alike. While always
clear of personal responsibilities in
connection with the politics of the
country. he was always consulted by
the various presidents and ministers.
The island of Gonaive is almost in
calculably rich In mahogany. 1t is
mainly composed OF picturesque up
lands. which would yield enormously
in coffee IL properly cultivated. The
highest mountain peak rises about g.
900 feet above the sea and, with the
n~eighboring SUBMITS, presents a most
striking appearance, especially when
viewed from the mainland and invest
ed with the varying glamor of the sun
set. At midsummer the sun, as seen
from the Champ de Mars. Port AT
Prince. descends Immediately ehind
the sland The rugged shore, guard
ed by many hidden reefs. affords but
two c~ommodious ports, one the Bale
du Bare. on the southeastern side, aad
the other the Ansea Galets. on the
northeastern. There are several prom
ontories oommandinsly situated, which
would be available for defense.
In the Interior are numerous springs,
while the dark soil Is evenly moistened
throughout the year and has a fertility
that IL proverbial even in Hayti,. a land
possessing the richest natural means of
production in the world. Fine beef
cattle are fattened in the valleys. The
population is as yet extremely small,
but IL Is close and convenient to the
chief city of the republic.
The men who own the industrial con-
cessions of the island of Gonaive have
been unable to raise capital enough to
exploit IL. AS Is usual, the terms OF the
grant exclude foreigners from any par
ticipation in it's benefits. but there are
able lawyers here who believe a way
could be found to elude the prohibitory
provisions in this respect. The con-
c~eSsiOnalreS or tnelT nelTs are very ue-
sirous OF selling their rights. and. of
course, there IL no choice of doing so
to any but foreigners, especially in the
present distressed condition of the peo-
pie. The favorite method of evading
the constitutional prohibition of alien
ownership of real estate il hypotheca-
ton. II one of the objects of an
American naval station In Haytian
waters were to overawe the capital of
the country. certainly Gonaive would
be eligible. 1t has been suggested by
way of objection that the northern
shore of the channel of st. Marie is so
far north hat the fortifications might
command those Of the island. The
channel. however. is nearly 10 miles
wide and the heights on the northern
side are considerably removed from the
shore. j. c. Bussellman of Port au
Prince represents the concessionaires.
or their heirs. and is ready to enter
into any arrangement with the United
states government. Minister Powell is
understood to have already brought the
matter TO the attention of the state de-
partment.