The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-05-13
ABOUT Porto RICO.
One of the Most Important of the West
Indies, I

oN-~ - NN~~ -NNA~~ ~--N 49,
Indies.
Porto Rico, Spanish province, lies
southwest of Cuba and seventy five
miles east of Hayti or st. Domingo. 1t
$3.50 square miles, or half the size of
New York state. 1t is forty miles from
the northern coast to the extreme
southern point and one hundred and
ten miles from east to west. The ISL
and is traversed from east to west by
a range of mountains 1,5O0 feet in
height, though one mountain Ell
Yunque, rises to height of 3,670 feet.
Rich alluvial tracts extend from the
base of the mountains to the sea on all
sides and are watered by innumerabie
short streams. The higher parts of the
island are covered with forests. AS the
hills intercept the northeast trade
winds with their rain clouds there is
sometimes almost a superabundance of
moisture in the northern lowlands,
while in the southern part of the island
droughts occur and the land demands
artificial irrigation, as yet carried out
| with little cooperation and system.
The chief crops are sugar, coffee and
rice, though tobacco, maize, yams, ban
anas, plantains and tropical fruits are
| also grown. Large herds of cattle and
horses are fed on the lowland pastures.
The imports in the past have consisted
of cotton, woolen goods, metals and
hardware and provisions, and they have
amounted in one year to between 2,0O0,-
900 and 100000 sterling. They have al
ways been supplied principally by the
United States, Great Britain and Spain
in nearly equal proportions. The ex-
ports are sugar, coffee, molasses, tobac-
co and cattle, valued at several mil
lions. Spain and the United States
have been the chief customers, France
and Great Britain coming next.
Porto Rico was discovered by Colum-
bus in 1893. In 1910 Ponce de Leon
| founded the Town of Caparra, which
| is now known as Puerto Viejo. The
native inhabitants of the city were
| soon subdued and in 1895 the capital
was sacked by Drake and three years
| later by the Duke of Cumberland. Ear
| ly in the seventeenth century history
| tells us that Baldwin Heinrich, a
| Dutchman, lost his life in an attack on
| the CASTILLO del Mono. The English
made an attempt to capture the town
at the close of the century, but were
unsuccessful. In 1897 Abercomby, who
led an attack on the island, had to re-
tire after three days siege. A move
ment was started to shake off the
| Spanish yoke in 1920, but it proved up-
successful and Spanish supremacy was
completely re-established in 1928. In
| 1878 the last traces of slavery were
abolished by the abrogation Of the
| forced labor system.
| Geographically, Porto Rico is divided
| into seven parts. Really there are
eight parts, as the Island of Vieques,
used as military penal station, forms
| the eighth department. The total pop
| ulation of Porto Rico is estimated at
considerably more than1 100000. Among
| the people Of European origin are
| Spaniards, Germans, Swedes, Danes,
| Russians, Frenchmen, Chuetas and
| Chinese. The small land holders of the
| country are of an old Spanish stock
| modified by Indian blood.
| San Juan Bautista, the capital of
| Porto Rico, is town on Moro Island
and is connected by bridges with the
| main land. 1t is said to be town of
some strength and contains among
other things the governors palace in
| the old fort of Santa Catalina and an
| other palace which 1t is claimed was
| erected by Ponce de Leon. San Juan
| harbor is said to be one of the best in
| the West Indies. 1t has an unob-
structed entrance and only a depth of
water of about five feet. The other
| chief towns are Viquest, Ponce, Fajar-
! do, Maqaguez, Aguadilla and Neguabo.
Mayaguez has military barracks.