The Irish standard., 1898-07-23

galleons were plying the seas Of the
world in search of riches and new
places to conquer, constant communica-
tion was kept up between the Ladrones
and the coast of Mexico. But now
Spain has nothing to so there for. She
has managed to kill off the greater part
of the population, she has taken every
thing in sight, and reduced the few re-
manning inhabitants to condition of
practical servitude. But the natural
conditions still exist for the raising OF
such produce as will find an easy mar
ket in the United States, and it may be
taken for granted that American thrift
and commercial energy will bring the
islands to a state of perfection.
There is little known concerning the
| native history of the individual islands.
Modern research began with the visit of
Commodore Anson, who landed on the
island of Tinan in August, 1742. Byron
visited the Ladrones in 1865, Wallis in
1867, and Crozet in 1772 During the
present century Freycinet in 1929 gave
much additional knowledge, as did the
Spanish Captain Sanchez y Zayas in
1865.
When first visited by Europeans the
| archipelago was found to contain con-
siderable population. The Chamorros,
unjustly stigmatized by Magellan as
Ladrones, or robbers, appear to have
tn no
speech; but the physical appearance of
of their few descendants would lead to
the supposition that the aborigines were
half-caste lndonesian and Papuan race.
These two elements may have been rep
resented by the two distinct classes of
| mobiles and people,, between whom mar
| riage was forbidden. But, however this
be, the Spanish conquest ended by re-
ducing all alike to common state Of
servitude
Long after the occupation of the archi-
pelago the Chamorrus continued to hold
out valiantly against the oppressive
measures of the authorities, and when
| all resistance ceased, toward the end OF
! the Seventeenth century, it was found
that of the $4,000 or 10000 natives, more
| than half had perished or escaped to the
| Caroline islands; over two-thirds of the
| $50 villages had fallen to ruins. Then
| came the epidemics, which swept away
| most of the natives Of Guam, and when
| they were replaced by compulsory I'M
migration from Tinian, nearly all the
new arrivals perished Of inanition. Tin
| Ian had been entirely ,depopulated with
out any advantage to. Guam.
In 1860 the population of the Marianas
had been reduced to 1854 souls, and it
I was then that recourse was had to Tagal
colonists from the Philippines, who alb
| In 1876 not more than 600 in total
population Of nearly 5000 We're regarded
| as of more or less pure Chamorro stock.
In Guam are concentrated six-sevenths
increased since the outbreak Of measles
in 1856. The northern islands are oc-
cupied only by a few families, engaged
In fishing. Tinian has only a single viii
! and Sayan have each not more than
few hundred souls.
The natives of the Marianas have fall
en- off in culture as we'll as in numbers.
although baptized and capable of read
Ing Spanish, they have forgotten the
industries practiced by their forefathers.
Agriculture has greatly deteriorated the
art OF pottery has disappeared, the
woven fabrics are coarser than formerly,
the perfectly symmetrical houses seen
ny Anson In Tinian are no longer con-
structed, and rude canoes have replaced
the beautiful outriggers admired by the
early navigators. Anson's crew calcu-
lated that this craft could make 20 knots
an hour running before brisk trade
wind; when driven from their proper
route, they often reached islands lying
at great distances from the Marianas
Agano, capital of the archipelago, on
tho northwest coast of Guam, contains
more than half of the population, as
we'll as all the political prisoners ban
ishcd to this region. The port is ac-
cessible only to small boats, and the
postal service in Manila is made only
once In the twelvemonth.
The government of the Marianas is
| military, the garrison consisting of 300
natives, recruited by conscription. The
cluster of islets, such us Parry and VOL
cano, scattered over the northern waters
in the direction Of the Ogasavara, on
Bonin group, belonging to Japan, are
nearly all Ininhabfted On many ma
rine charts they are still designated by
the collective name of the Magellan
archipelago, but their total area scarcely
exceeds 40 square miles.
A special dispatch from Chattanooga,
to the Chicago Times Herald, dated July
II, says: During the last week several