The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-07-15
ABOUT THE LADRONES.



and southernmost island OF the
group, the residence of the govern Il
Or general and the one on which
the American flag ". planted, lies ,
| 200 miles almost directly east OF
Luzon, the chief island OF the Ii
Philippine group. Therea are seven
teen islands in the Ladrone group,
they having an area of 420 square
miles. The population is 1912
The island of Guam is in the direct
path of steamers f-om Hawan to
Manila. so that the American fleet
did not have to 90 out Of its route
in order to stop there. This TACT
indicates that Guam may possibly
make coed point for an American
coaling station, provided it has har-
bois that car be rendered satlsiac-
tory. The Ladrones are OF valcan-
ic formation, extending GOO miles
north from Guam.
SPANISH RULE IN THE LADRoNEs-
The islands were first discovered
bv Magellan in 1861, on his voyage
round the globe, and it was his
sailors that gave TO them the name,
OF Ladrones, or islands OF the
thieves, because of the thievlng
p,opens;ties Of the inhabitants.
Since 1868 the date of the Spanish
subiugation, the group has been
officially known as the Mariana Is
lands. 30 named in honor of Maria
Anna, Of Austria, widow OF King
Philip ~, OF Spain.
The climate of the Ladrones,
though humid, is salubrious- The
heat being tempered by the trade
winds, is milder than in the Philip
pines. The yearly mean tempera-
ture at Guam is about 81 degrees
Fahrenheit. August and Septem
ber are the warmest months, but
the variation of temperature is not
great. Among the useful vegetable
products are areca and )coanu
palms, rice, maize, sugar, tobacco
cotton. indigo, bread fruit bananas
and castor beans. In consequence
2 Of the laziness of the native pcpula
J ton agricul. ure is almost entirely
neglected, despite the exceptiona
) advantages offered by climate ano
: soil.
MIXED POPULATION or THE
LADRONEs.
4 The present population consists o
4 descendants Of the original inhabi
! taris. called by the Spanish Cham
! orras, Tagal settlers from the Phil.
t lippines and Of mixed race formed
| bv a union OF Spaniards with Cham
: orras. On the island Of Saypan
: about $50 miles north Of Guam, Is ;
r colony from the Carolines- Will
the exception of these settlers, wh'
are active, the inhabitants are gen
orally wanting in energy, OF ndii
. ferent moral character and misera
bly, poor. The native population a
r the time of the Spanish subiugatioI
> i'm 1868 has been estimated at iron
/ 40. 900 to 10000. Warfare agains
(. SpaiT. and epidemics have been re
sprnsible for the decrease in popu
/ lation. The islanders once pos
I. sessed a civilization of their own
t which has been abandoned unde
/. Spanish rule, and the industrIe
4 practic,d by the forefathers are for
e gotteL.
: Agana, capital Of the archipelago
; i located on the northwest coast Q
il Guam, and conts ins more than ha.
e the population of the islands. Tn
! port i accessible only TO smal
n boats. There is postal connection
G with Manila once a year. Man
q political prisoners have been bar
| ishei 20 this region. The Spanis
,e government Of the islands has bee
|. military, the garrison consisting
) 800 natives recruited by conscriI
! ton.
D. SPANS OTHER lsLAw-s.
There are two other groups I
= islands in the Pacific easterly frol
|. y the Philippines, belonging to spail
y The Caroline islands lie almost d
= rectly south Of the Ladrones, an
- - are only from six to eight degree
north Of the equator. The Pele
or Paloas islands together is D
square miles, and tie population
7 $4,000. Neither the Caroline n
!, the Paloas islands lie so directly
the route from Hawaii to Manila
does the island of Guam, whi'
"a probably explains why the Anne
= !. can fleet going to aid Admin
n Dewey did not stop and take pc
~ session Of them on the way.