The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-05
ADMIRAL CERVERA,
One of Admiral SIMPSONS Prisoners.

ton, Las Marianas," in 1868, in honor
of Maria Anna, of Austria, widow Of
King Philip w. of Spain, and formed
Spanish coloney under the govern
ment of the Philippines.
The Ladrones are divided into two
groups, containing an area CT about Az
square miles, by broad channel The
northern group (Guahan, Span sh Qua
jan, the San Juan of old Spanish
charts), Rota, Aguigan, Tinian and
Saypan. On Guahan, the largest and
southernmoSt of the group, is the only
town in the colony, San Ignacto de
Agana and the fortified harbor of
Umata.
TYPOGRAPHICAL FEATURES.
The general surface of the southern
islands is far inferior in elevation to
that of the northern group, which is
mountainous, though the attitudes do
not exceed $500 to 2,700 feet. The north
ern islands are entirely of igneOus orr
gin, and on Pagan and Uraccus are
smoking craters. The coasts Of the
southern islands are in many instances
surrounded by reefs. All the islands
except Farallon de Medinilla and
Mangs Gin the northern group are
IIOIc VI less utuSSly WOOueU. Inc veg
citation Is luXuriant much resembling
that Of the Philippines.
Owing to the humidity Of the soil
cryptograms are very numerous, as
also most kinds of grasses. Among the
useful vegetable products are areca
and cocoanut palms, rice, maize, sugar,
tobacco, cotton, indigo, breadfE nit, ba-
nanas and castor Oil. In consequence
of the laziness of the inhabitants agri-
DC otin 1lxy fn1 n,,
most Of the islands there Is a plentiful
supply of water, though at Guahan
the partial clearing away Of the woods
has caused several full streams to
dWindle to mere brooks.
The fauna of the Ladrones, though
inferior in number and variety, is SIM
liar in character to that of the Caro-
lines, and certain species are indigo
nous to both colonies. Swine and oxen
are permitted to run wild, and are
hunted when wanted. The roe has
been imported from the Philippines
The climate of the Ladrones, though
humid, is salubrious, whilst the heat,
being tempered by the trade winds,
is milder than that of the Philippines.
The yearly mean temperature at Qua
han is about 81 degrees Fair. August
and September are the warmest
months, but the variations of tempera-
ture-are not great. The year may be
divided into a wet and dry season,
though even in the latter rain often
falls. From October to May the gen.
eral winds are northeasterly; during
the other four months they are often
northwesterly and southwesterly, the
latter being accompanied by much
rain.
PEOPLE.
The principal population of the La
drones consists of descendants from
the original inhabitants, called by the
Spaniards Chamorros, Of Tagal, set
tiers from the Philippines, and mixed
race formed by union Of Spaniards
and Chamorros. On the island Of Say
pan there is colony from the Caro-
lines. With the exception of the last
mentioned settlers, who are active and
have founded the village Of Garapan,
the Inhabitants are generally wanting
In energy, of Indifferent moral char
acter and miserably poor. Little has
been done for their intellectual and So
cial Improvement, with the exception
OF the establishment Of few schools,
now practically fallen into decay. The
number of the original inhabitants,
prior to the subsection Of the islands
by the Spaniards in 1868, has been va
riously estimated at from 10000 to
10000. The Spanish conquest and the
cruelties practiced by that country in
the forcible suppression of opposition
thereto by the natives, reduced their
numbers to such an extent that In
1741 the population was only 1915.
From that date, however, owing to
the Introduction Of new colonists from
the Philippines, the population began
to grow, and in 1855 was $500. In the
last year a severe epidemic carried of
more than third Of the Inhabitants.
Since 1871 the total population Of the
at 5000. All the inhabitants under.
stand and are able to speak Spanish,
which has largely supplanted the ma