New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-12
"THE FORTUNATE ISLES. y
TENERIFrE AND THE CANARIIss.

We were probably the last Americans III rene
rife and glad to get away when the crisis
became acute Not that were in danger Or
insulted but only unpcasantly watched stared
al and whispered about. To be sure the span |
iards the poorest and most ignorant are
quite courteous to strangers and always less
excitabln than Frcnchmen or Italians. But we
knew that they had already smashed the WIN |
dows Of the American Consurs house, and therc
telling what they might DO 10 par OF
induisitive Yankees srolling about the streets
This did not prevent from sizing up the
forts of the place. They are trumpcry afalrS. |
mounted with old fashioned guns. and could he
knocked to pieces in twenty minutes by tnc'e
Sans warshpS. Except for the new earth-
works and Krupp guns. which may have been
provided since we left. there is absolutely npth-
ing to protect Santa Cruz from an attack Ivy
the Sea-no outlying Dc fences. no guarded APP
proaches. \ fleet can sail In as close as II ilkes
with plenty of deep water. The city slopes back
to the hills. every white house offering target
Only-dont hit the mole. 1t has cost spain
mint of money and years To build When com
pleted it will be useful To the United States or
England owner Of Teneriffe QUEEN Sabe'
| assistcd-as the F.enCh say-at several re-
views and pavades of troops The men are
above the average height. wiry and tough.
physically ahead Of French and Italian sol
diers, well equipped and drilled and admirably
differed At Camacho's table d'h0tc we had A
taste Of the officers every day. The army and
navy were N force there. quite dignified and
the pink Of prOprety. Between the dishes they
would read Madrid papers that had just arrived,
full Of canards and appeals designed to fire the
Spanish heart against Yankees and their Eng
lsh sympathiz But they never made
gesture shot a glance. or said word to
Offend the little knot Of Anglo-Saxons near
them. The of the hosts good Valdepcnas
they put under their gold-laced Jackets the
graver and more scf-controed they seemed 10
be. 1t will never do TO underrate Spaniards IN
Cuba or elsewhere. They ar, patriotic and
proud. Their great fault-which is the national
fOble-is the inveterate habit Of putting OF till
tomorrow what ought to be done to-day. Apart
from their unreadinesS they are fOcmcn worthy
OF our steel. They are more likely to stand
and die in their tracks with Castilian pride than
to run at the first fire.
If We know little about Spaniards by actual
contact with them. they know less about US.
They are more gnor mt. if possible. Of all for
eigners' than the French themselves. Volumes
could not say more. And the Madrid journals
studiously increase their blindness by their
wilful and reckless inventions to the preju-
dice Of the United states. The little papers Of
the CanarieS pipe the same tune Of Boosting
and defiance Dewey's glorious victory AZ Manila
Is already explained away They expect better
luck at SANTA Cruz and Las Palmas. Whereas.
really, the capture OF the WI hole Canary group
Is bagatee compared with that Of the Philip
pines mean. Of course. 4 job for the Navy
The military occupation Of the islands is another
matter.
II Eng and gets mixed up in our quarrel n
any poin'. that is az likely 10 happen At the
Canaries as elsewhere. Englishmen have large
interests at stake there. They run two big
lines Of SteamerS-the Castle and the UnIon--tO
- South Africa. touching At the Canarics with
pass, myers and freight; also two lines to New
Santa Cruz and Las Pamas good repairing
and coalng stations for the longer voyages
English capital = building great - 80
hotels Oh The islands. one At Orotaya. Tcnc-
rife. cost least S3OOOU including the spa
cous grounds exquistely laid out with palms and
flowers. These houses the winter homes
of hundreds Of EngliShmen-invllids .dlcrs
Now. imagine the Spanish dislike OF England.
, as the good friend Of the United States. pushed
10 an extreme point. Fancy some vexatIOus OBJ
struction put 20 the landing OF John Bulls pas
scngers and freight the cOaling Of his ships
Any little needless delay hndrance would be
very annoying To HIM. suppose move to con-
fiSCatc or levy Il discriminating tax English
property or-most serious Of ais IN" outrage
inflicted or Her Britannia Majestys Consul or
insult 10 the Union Jack Any Of thesn things
are possible. And il would be just like Spain
10 quibbc automatically about amends and
apologies. with the desperate hope Of pnSting
France on her SIDE. And 50 John Bull. who ~
not IN the habit Of pockcting iffrOntS and turn
ing the other check to the smiter. may b..
driven TO take hand IN The game ~ war n
so. goodby to the Spanish flag in the Canari"s
What splendid priv for Uncle sam or our
sturdy old friend, y the islands fan our
possessior We might trade them of with him.
gay. for the Hlnamas. whiCr are handler for us
o we right r,csen; thcro - hun. They are
jest what the dear Old l.oy IS 80 fond Of picking
up all over the globe Natrr has placed them
there for coal bins exactly in the track Of his
enormous commerce with Africa. New Zealand
and his West IGdIa colonies The miserable
great potential resources but half developed. |,
Since the collapse Of The COchincal industry. !
owing to the discovery Of aniline dyes nothing |
has been introduced to take its place. English /
capital. under the protection Of the English nag. |
would exploit all the late mt values Of the can |
aries and add much to the worlds wealth and
happiness All Of the profitable products IF the /
sub-tropics. a. well AZ Of more temperate re-