The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-10

Porto Rico, or Puerto kfco, . snr snl--AA-
est and most easteriy OF the Greater An
tiles. West Indies. belonging to spain
It's area, including its dependencies.
IL 3.ssa square miles. and its popu-
iat.on abou. S.s.0e. OF whom Ss,""
are white and the remainder COR
ored. It Is separated from santa
Domingo on the west by the Mona pas
ssxe in which lies the island OF Mona. ana
from the Virgin islands on the east oy the
VIRGIN passage, in which are s:eQues ana
CuIebra. II is nearly a rectangie. the
length Of which east and west - ABOUT
100 miles. and the breadth north and south
about forty miles. The principal capes
ere San Juan on the northeast MaiA
Pascua on the southeast. Ro,o on tae
southwest, and Brucuen on the nortn-
xess. The coasts are generally regular.
but there are many bays and in.ets. and
she north coast is Incl with navisabie
lagoons. The principal ports are San Juan.
Arecibc, Aguadilla. Mayaguez, Pcnce
Guayanilla, Humacoa and Fajaruo.
range OF mountains extends through the
island from east to west. having gem
era, height of about 1900 feet above the
sea. with one peak in the northeast.
Luouilio, whose summit is called Yunque.
OF s,s7s feet. From these mountains de-
scend many small streams, some Of which
are nayigable a few' mics inland for
small vessels.
In the interior are extensive plains and
there are level tracts from five to ten
miles on the coast. The soil Is exceed
ingly fertile. In the mountains It Is red
clay, colored with peroxide Of iron; IN the
valleys it is black and less compact. and
on the coast II is sandy but capable OF
some culture. The pasture lands in the
north and east parts are superior to any
others in the West Indies. The climate.
though very. warm, - more healthful than
that Of the other Antilles. The prevail
ing winds are east and east-northeast. but
from November to March north winds are
frequent. The land winds. so constant at
night in the other islands Of the Antilles,
is felt but seldom.
The islands have suffered much from
hurricanes, OF which those in 11i2 and 1875
were very destructive. The natural pro-
ductions are numerous and valuable.
Many varieties of cabinet and dye woods.
including mahogany. ebony, lignum vitae,
cedar and logwood and plants valuable
In the arts and pharmacy abound. Tho
tropical fruits grow to perfection. Among
the agricultural products are sugar cane,
coffee, tobacco, cotton. rice and maize.
The amount Of sugar obtained from
given area is greater than in any other
West India island. The poverty Of the
fauna and fora Is remarkable, there being
scarcely any wild animals. birds or fiow-
ers. Gold, copper. iron, lead and coal
are found. but no mines are worked.
Considerable quantities of salt are pro-
cured from the lakes. Agriculture Is all
most exclusively in the hands Of the ma
tives. but most OF the business and COM
merce Is controlled by foreigners and
Spaniards from the peninsula.
The total of the commerce in 1871 was
about $50. 000 90, Of which 81. 500 900 was for
imports. The chief exports are sugar.
molasses, coffee, tobacco. cacao, cattle
and hides. The total amount OF sugar
exported in 1871 was 111,os4 tons. Of which
1.732, SGT cwt. was sent to the United States,
4s3.6SS cwt. to Great Britain. 5,374 cwt. to
Spain and Cuba, and 9,0SS cwt. to Germany.
The export of coffee in the Same year
was 21o.3e6 quintals: OF tobacco, 4.s4o quin-
tails. and OF molasses, 7.5so.sl5 gallons.
Porto Rico is connected by telegraphio
cable with the other West India Islands
and a land telegraph connects the prin-
cipal towns. There Is a great need OF
better facilities fer internal communion
ton as wei as drainage, sewerage and
water supply. but as the surplus revenue
has been used Of late years to continue
the war in Cuba few public improvements
have been made.
Porto Rico is governed under constl-
tuition voted by the Spanish Cortes In
1895. The civil governor Is president Of
the superior tribunals OF justice and Of
the superior juntas OF the capital. But
the fiscal administration has a special
chief called !Etendant. The supreme Judi
cial power lies in a royal audiencia. Jus
tice Is administered In the cities and coun-
try by Judges In the first instance and By
alcaldes. There are nine special trlbu-
nals-civil, ecclesiastical. war, marine. ar
tillery. engineers, administration, probats
and commerce. The ecclesiastical affairs
are presided over by a bishop chosen by
the crown and approved by the pope.
For administrative purposes the island and
Its dependencies are divided in nine dis
tricts.
Porto Rico was discovered by Columbus
in 1893. and invaded in 1893 by the Span
iards under Ponce De Leon who. in q few
years, exterminated the natives. then gro
GOO or 10000 in numbers. Slavery was abol-
", he al 49,