The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-06-15

Ignorance of the Inhabitants Re-
 garding the War and Foreigners
 Splendid Resources Neglected.
 We were probably the last Ameri- cans in Teneriffe and were glad to get away when the crisis became acute. Not that we were in danger or insulted, but only unpleasantly watched, stared at, whispered about. To be sure, the Spaniards, even the poorest and most ignorant, are quite courteous to strangers, and always less excitable than Frenchmen or Italians. But we knwe they had already smashed the windows of the American consurs house, and there was no telling what they might do to a pair of inquisitive Yankees strolling about the streets. This did not prevent me from sizing up'' the forts of the place. They are trumpery affairs, mounted with old fashioned guns, and could be knocked to pieces in twenty minutes by Uncle Sams warships. Except for the new earthworks and Krupp guns, which may have been provided since we left, there is absolutely nothing to protect Santa Cruz from an attack by the sea mo outlying defences, no guarded ap- breaches. A fleet can sail in as close as it likes with plenty of deep water. The city slopes back to the hills, every white house offering target. Only --dont hit the mole. It has cost Spain a mint of money and years to build. When completed it will be useful to the United States or England as owner of Teniriffe. Quien sabe?
 I assisted-as the French say-at several reviews and parades of troops. The men are above the average height, wiry and tough, physically ahead of French and Italian soldiers well equipped and drilled and admirably of ficered At Camacho's table d'hote we had taste of the officers every day. The army and navy were in force there, quite dignified and the pink of propri- ety. Between the dishes they would read Madrid papers that had just ar rived, full of canards and appeals de- signed to fire the Spanish heart against Yankees and their English sympathiz- CTS. But they never made gesture, or shot a glance or said word to of fend the little knot of Anglo-Saxons near them. The more of the hosts s good Valdepenas they put under their gold-laced jackets the graver and more self controlled they seemed to be. It will never do to underrate Spaniards in Cuba or elsewhere. They are patriotic and proud. Their great fault-which is the national foible-is the inveterate habit of putting off till tomorrow what ought to be done to-day. Apart from their unreadiness they are foemen 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 ignorant, if possible, of all foreigners. 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 prejudice of the Unit ed, States. The little papers of the Canaries pipe the same tune of boast ing and defiance. Dewey's glorious victory at Manila is already explained away. They expect better luck at Santa Cruz and Las Palmas Whereas really the capture of the whole Can- ary group is a bagatelle compared with that of the Philippines. I mean, of course, as job for the navy. The military occupation of the islands is another matter.
 If England gets mixed up in our quarrel, at any point, that is as likely to happen at the Canaries as else- where Englishmen have large inter- ests at stake there. They run two big lines of steamers-the Castle and the Union-to South Africa, touching at the Canaries with passengers and freight; also two lines to New Zealand and several to West Africa. Both Santa Cruz and Las Palmas are good repairing and coaling stations for the longer voyages. English capital is build ing great first class hotels in the islands. One at Orotava, Teneriffe, cost at least $500, 900, including the spacious grounds exouisitely laid out with palms and flowers. These houses are the winter homes of hundreds. of Englishmen-in- valids or idlers. Now, imagine the Spanish dislike of England, as the good friend of the United States, pushed to an extreme point. Fancy some yexa- tious obstruction put to the landing of John Bulls passengers and freight or the coaling of his ships. Any little needless delay or hindrance would be very annoying to him. Suppose move to confiseate or levy 8 discriminating tax on English property or-most sers- ous of all-some outrage inflicted on