The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-19
THE island Of PUERTO RICO
NONE: MORE FERTILE OR REsPoNS-
I'VE To MANS EFFORT.
ton Fr0m Vale to Mountain Tops
-its Dtmensions. Geography. Har-
bors. Ports, Cities and Resources.

Puerto Rico. the smaller Of the two isa-
ands belonging TO Spain in the West Ia
dies, has been q Spanish possession almost
as long as Cuba, having been discovered
by Columbus in 1888 and occupied by sol
diers under Ponce de Leon early IN the
sixteenth century. 1t is Of vast inn
portance 70 Spain. and would be equally
valuable TO the United States. yielding
as 1t does immense crops OF tropical
products. such as caffee, bananas, sugar
and spices most OF which We cannot raisa
n this country Its horses and cattle ara
valued throughout the West Indies and
much sought by residents of other islands
On account OF their good qualities.
Probably no island of the West Indian
archipelago. OF which tt is the fourth in
point or size, is more fertile, or 80 gener-
ally susceptible Of cultivation as this.
Owing 10 the gentle slope Of i;s thousand
hills and the slight dips OF the valleys,
nearly every portion Is cultivated clear "a
the mountain tops. II Is a hilly. even
mountainous. island. but without the ex-
tremely rugged character of Cuba, and
this explains the hitherto peaceful state
or its resident population; for it would be
q comparatively easy matter for thu
Spanish soldiers TO run any revolutionislS
to earth.
Puerto Rico is only 100 miles in length
and from fifty to sixty miles n breadth.
and as square as dry goods box. East
and west and north AID south its coast
lines run almost as regularly as If pro-
jecsed by compass II is the delight of
the sailorman, and its fertile soil Is the
JOY OF the agriculturist.
Lying as il does east of Santo Domingo
and west of the Virgin islands. only sixty
miles distant from st. Thomas, all the
arguments that have been advanced for
many years past as TO the advantages to
US in the acquisition Of a coaling station
at the latter isle and In West Indian
waters, apply with yet greater force to
Puerto Rico. II Is larger and richer. ii
Is less subject TO the v.sitasions of hurri-
canes. and has four times the number OF
good harhors. In short. IL has all the
good points of all the other islands ia the
Caribbean sea and few of their bad ones.
1t is little Cuba by itself, a child of
Spain. to which country ii has looked for
the consultations of a mother, but has OBJ
tanned only the min.strations of wet
nurse. 1t is like an infant unattached and
as yet unweaned. feeling about for a ma
ternal fount OF nourishment, and is as
Likely to transfer It's as yet unappropri-
ated affe>tions TO us as TO any other power
The people OF Puerto Rico are nearly all
Spanish by birth or descent, but the for
mer are mainly the alien and governing
class and the latter the mercantile and
their prospective profits than sentimental
considerations OF ancestry. Just let one
OF our warships sail into the harbor OF
San Juan. its capital city. and open fire
on its antiquated Notifications, and most
OF the population would declare for an
nexat.on to the United States instanter.
As to that harbor. which is said To have
been mined quite recently, il Is the chief
in Puerto Rico, and one OF the best OF its
size in the Caribbean sea. 1t Is safe and
sheltered, large and land2socked and
though the entrance is somewhat foul"
ships drawing three fathoms can enter
and find anchorage within, good holding
ground being had at any depth up TO
six fathoms. The bay Is broad as well as
beautiful. and opens toward the north, so
that vessel laying her course from New
York could. IL there were no obstructions
en- route, sail directly into the harbor
There is room enough for the accommola-
ton there OF all the battieships and c~u.s-
ers OF SPANS navy-with her torpedo fleet
and torpedo destroyers thrown I'm. II
will be a happy day for Uncle Sam when
he finds that undetermined fleet inside
that harbor and his own fleet outside. for
he viii soon afterward become the proud
possessor OF such vessels as are not sunk
by our shells or scuttied In order TO save
them from defilement by the hated Yankee
They will probably huddie up under the
Notifications as they did at Manila, and
with like result.
The Notifications which surround the
city of San Juan are. Ike the Spanish peiii-
grees, ancient, f'amboyant beautiful to
look at, but as worthless withai. This city
Of about $500 Inhabitants Is completely IN
closed within imposing walls OF stone and
hardened mortar from fifty to 100 feet in
height. They have picturesque gates AMI
drawbridges. portcullises and dern.iunes
quaint old sentry boxes projecting into
the sea, frowning battlements, and all
that; but most of their cannon date back
from the last century. Some heavy rifsd
breech-loaders have been mounted there
lately: but II doesn't matter a plcayuna
II they are best and latest. nor what their
empiaeements are, for there Is a grave de-
feet IN their equipment-the men behind
them can't shoot II ts n fact, AS old AZ
Spanish history, that Jack Spaniarf cam
not pull trigger or lanyard and keep his
eyes open at the same time. He simply
cannot shaof--and there's the end of IT,
There will be voiley or two from these
grim gray walls. and then our feet will
find that whether or not the guns are
mounted on disappearing carriages the
garrison will he. Il will get cut with n
celebrity born OF fear and respect, quick
ened by the prestige Of our brave tars n
other ports.
Nssli Jualf II But5k on %ff}dH ES.dEI. con-
nected with the mainland by causeway
and bridge. 1t is an interesting but
dirty city. which the Americans will
cleanse so thoroughly that 1t won't know
itself, and yellow jack, when he comes 10
ray his annual visit. will leave II In dis
gust. The captsin-cenerai and his little
court reside here, and this is headquarters
for the garrisona. a military force of about
TOO being kepi here in times IF peace.
sA <r.~
was called the moro" or Moorish tower
because IL was generally round; and San
Juan. Ike Havana. has its Moro As the
most prominent point OF its forFifica,s0as
II stands OF a blum ju'tine out from ths
city walls and has lighthouse immett;-
ately IN the rear Of II. Against the sess-
ward front Of the massive walls the ocean
hounds and thunders but the iandward
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