Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-14
SAN JUAN AND PORTO RICO.
Island Not So Big rs Connccticut-
Defenccs Far from Formidable.
New York SUM-

! Defenccs Far from FormIdabie'
(New York SUM-
San Juan, the principal port Of Porto
Rico. is about three-quarters Of the way
along the northern coast Of the island
| from the Haitien end. II IS not really
| built on the island at all, but on coral
reef at some distance from the shore LOT
a great part of its length, and joined TO
| the main island at the eastern end by
short bridge. The city itself has a popu-
lation of only $500, and has no very
great buildings. There is the usual cathe-
dral. bishops house, barracks, and thea
tire. But there is very little that is I'M
pressiYe in its aspect from the sea or
from it's own streets In the earlier part
of the century mariners used 10 consider
that its Notifications were imposing 10
behold, but unless they have been very
much increased within the last month or
two they are not so now. In the opinion
of one well acquainted with the island and
its fortihcations as they existed in 1880
and 1896, the task Of demolshing the foru-
fcations of San Juan, were ii not pro-
tected by naval forces, ought not 10 over
work a single ship of the capacity of the
New York or Brooklyn There are forts
all along the outer edge Of the reef, the
heaviest. of course, al the western end
where the city is. \ large number OF
rifed guns were sent TO san Juan from
Spain about three months ago. Recent
reports indicate that they may have been
mounted. The harbor OF San Juan Is be-
tween the reef and the main island. The
entrance is very narrow, but the harDoi
is big and deep. The coral formation
makes it impossible FOR ships of any con-
siderable draught 10 get up close TO the
wharves. 1t has been said I'm some news
reports from the island that not only has
the harbor been filled with mines, but
that a great merchantmen has been sunk
at the entrance. This is hardly believed
TO be true. because this entrance IS SO
very narrow that no Spanish ships would
be able to get in or out If such q measure
had been resorted 20. But it will not be
necessary for the fleet that undertakes To
reduce the town 10 enter the harbor at
all. The town at its widest is but three
miles across, every street having two
water fronts.
Porto Rico Is the fourth I'm size Of the
Greater Antilles, but although since the
beginning it has been under Spanish rule,
il Is the most prosperous This Is as
cribed by historians 10 the fact that
when the island was subjugated by
Ponce de Leon in 1911 the entire native
population was eXterminated, and from
that time on was left To fill up with
Spanish and their negro slaves. 1t has,
therefore. been very nearly a detached
section Of Spain itself. and has kept
much closer i'm sympathy with the Span
ish Government than has any Of her
other Colonies in the Western Hemis-
phere. II u.s. compared with the other
West Indian islands. level; its highest
hill, Yunque Qhe anyiD de Luquillo, is
only a little more than $500 feet above
the level OF the sea. The broad plains
have lent themselves admirably TO agri-
culture and grazing, and the island is so
thoroughly fertile and the climate so ac-
commodating TO agriculture that so long
as It's people We're at peace. j, could not
but be prosperous. The island is about
seven tenths the size Ot the State OF
Connecticut It's area is $50 square miles.
and the adjacent islands, which are de-
pendent upon il. add lSi square miles To
this total.
The climate is such that foreigners are
easily acclimated. and fevers there have
the reputation of not being as contagious
or as dangerous as in Cuba and san Do
mingO. The range known as the Sierra
Cayey runs from east 10 west across the
island, but the hills are little more than
assistants TO proper drainage.
The worst natural characteristic Of the
island is the tremendous hurricanes that
sweep across il between the months OF
July and October The principal products
are sugar coffee, and tobacco. The ex-
ports at the time of the publication of the
last census were So .29l, of which the
United States took by far the greater
part No important mineral deposits in
the island have been discovered.
According to the last census, that Of
1897, the white population was $4,000, and
there were 32i 90 negroes. The eastern
end Of the island is much less densely
populated than the western. because there
is little or no shelter there for shipping,
and the towns are inland The towns OF
Cayey. Caguas. and San Lorenzo are thus
placed well back near the hills. where the
big coffee plantations and cattle ranches
are. Guayama and HumacacO, capitals Of
the two political subdivisions, are the
nearest towns to the sea. Regarding the
value of the island for its products. and is
a thoroughly self-supporting dependency.
Elisee Reclus. in his incompleted Earth
and It's Inhabitants" said
THE prosperity of Porto Rico is shown
quite as much in its general material
progress as in its increased population.
Since the middle Of the last century the
social condition of the inhabitants has
undergone complete change. At that
time there were no towns, and the peas
antry assembled only on feast-days in
the centre of their respective parishes.
They dwelt in rude novels, without shut
ters 10 their windows or doors 10 the
entrances. and their only utensils were
calabashes An empty bottle was handed
down as an heirloom to the favorite son. J
At present more than half OF the inhabi-
tants have gravitated toward the towns. |
especially those of the seaboard. and |
modern trade has familiarized them with |
all modern inventions. In respect OF its |
internal communications, Porto Rico is a |
modern West Indian island. All the |
towns are connected by highways. which |
develop around the periphery Of the qua |
drilaterial second quadrilaterial. all the |
sides Of which are united at intervals by |