Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-06-07
PUERTO RICO ISLAND.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ITS HIS
TORY AND INTERNAL RESOURCES.
1t Is Said Germany Once Attempted to
Seize 1.-THE Staple Commercial Prod
ucts Are Like Cuba's-Facilities For In
ternal Navigation-Harbors Are Good.

The threat of the seizure of Puert
Rico by the United States is not til
first fright which Spain has had in n
cent years as to the possible loss of til
island. Nearly quarter of centur
ago, about the time of the retirement {
Admiral Polo, the father of the lat
Spanish minister, from the Spanish Il
CATION in Washington, report oStair
ed circulation in diplomatic circles tina
Germany was about to seize Puerto Ri
co under the guise of purchase, bu
actually in the rather domineering fash
ion in which she has been accustome
to treat with lesser powers since tn
war of 1870. 1t was then assumed tina
Germany's desire for the island was il
pursuance of her scheme for naval ex
pansion, as with larger navy sh
would be practically Obliged to have
foothold somewhere on this hemisphere
If only for coaling and supply station
Spain indicated then that she had NJ
desire to give up Puerto Rico, even fol
a good purchase price, but her pride
had been considerably piqued by the re
suit of the Virginius affair, and hel
desire to make the United States gov
eminent smart promised to overcome
some of her scruples against parting
with her territory, for she trusted tc
our assertion of the Monroe doctrine Of
soon as Germany should attempt to take
possession of Puerto Rico and our EN-.
broilment with great European mill.
tary power in consequence.
The matter blew over at the time, as
many believed, as the result Of an init
nation conveyed informally by our gov
eminent to that of Germany that we
should regard the proposed purchase as
an unfriendly intrusion. At any rate
Secretary Fish was able to give the
many stories in circulation their quie-
tus in due season, and the Spanish gov
ernment did the same thing on its own
side of the water and concentrated it's
attention once more upon the suppress
sion Of the Carlist revolt.
Although only about one-twelfth the
size of Cuba, Puerto Rico has compare
lively speaking, always been more pros
porous than her sister colony. Her sta.
pie commercial products are the same,
though Puerto Rico adds fine quality
of coffee TO her other output. The COM
merce of Puerto Rico has always borne
a proportion to the total commerce Of
the Antilles quite out of relation to her
size. Her remarkable prosperity has
been due not only to her excellent eli
mate and soil, but to a great extent also
to her indisposition to political upheav-
al. The revolutionists in Cuba have
vainly struggled to raise a similar party
OF some strength in Puerto Rico. The
reason for their Indifferent success is
partly historical, as may be seen by
glance backward.
Puerto Rico began to develop her nat
ural resources only abol< rs years ago.
At that time Spain was paying but lit
tie attention to her West Indian colo
MES, except as watering stations'-
fresh water being then. in the days of
sailing ships, much the same desider-
alum which coal is now. The Spanish
government was occupied chiefly with
the rich mines of Mexico and Peru, and
Puerto Rico served for long time
merely as a place of banishment for
1t is thus only since the great
of 1920 that the Antilles be-
gan to rise i'll Importance. Being less
valuable, and hence less mis-
ruled because attracting less attention,
they all remained loyal to the mother
country up to that time in spite of at
tempts to induce them to follow the COL
onies on the mainland into rebellion.
BY her geographical position Puerto
Rico is peculiarly adapted to become
the center of a flourishing commerce.
She lies close to Cuba, Haiti and ia
nalca, as well as to the gulf of Mexico
md the bay of Honduras. She is con-
iguous to the possessions of France and
Denmark, and in the right hands might
EASILY undersell these nations in their
)wn colonies
Apart from the natural wealth of her
oil Puerto Rico has the advantage of
'eing well supplied with wood and wa
er, which are generally scarce in the
Stands Of the same archipelago. Many
It these, being destitute of springs, de-
'end almost altogether on the water
objected after the periodical rains,
While for wood they have to resort to
istant colonies, Among the agencies
which have contributed much to her
rowth i'll wealth are her abundant riv-
RS. Seventeen streams, taking their
Use i'll the mountains, cross the valleys
t the north coast and empty into the
ca. Some of these are navigable for
mailer merchant vessels for distance
two or three leagues, but have trou-
lesome bars across their mouths. There I
re also few lakes, and altogether not I
ISIS than 4G water courses worthy Of
larting. The facilities for internal '
avigation, for driving machinery by {
alter and steam power and for irriga.
on are uncommon for an island of her s
re and situation. Moreover, there is I
most total absence of stagnant wa 6
+, such as does so much to vitiate I
le climate of tropical and semitropical /
,untries generally. t
The harbors Of Puerto Rico arc abun- q
INT and good, except for part of the I
EAR. In those on the north coast, with .
e exception Of San Juan, the anchor
e is dangerous in November, Decem-
II and january on account of the north
inds On the south side, Oh the other
md, the ports are not easily accessible :,
ON juno to November on account of !.
@ southcrly winds, which cause the
to break with violence at their en- .
ances, The pirates and smugglers who :.
ed to infcst the island knew these pe- =,
llaritics of the <arious ports all too ~
York Post. .