The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-11
the WASHINGTON Star.

The Canary archipelago will undoubt-
edly be the first point of attack in
case we are obliged to carry the war
into Europe. From the Canaries as a
base we could coal our fleets and pro-
ceed with advantage against the Span
ish coast cities, while without them
we will be acting under much greater
difficulties than Spain has done in send
ing her fleet to American waters, for
there are nc friendly French islands
where we can coal unannounced. 1t is,
indeed, a case exactly comparable to
that of Hawaii if Japan were contem-
plating an attack on our western coast.
Spain is now hurriedly attempting to
erect modern fortifications in the Can
aries, which are in reality her most
vulnerable point.
The islands are seven in number, and
lie off the coast of Africa, opposite the
desert of Sahara. Their combined area
is nearly 5000 square miles, and their
population something over 300.0 This
population is thoroughly Spanish in
language ard national feeling, quite
as much as Spain itself, and the archi-
pelago constitutes province of Spain,
not a colony, like Cuba and the Philip
pines. Nevertheless, the officials are
Administrative offices of all kinds seem
to have been multiplied out of all rea-
son to make sirecures where pensions
may be drawn by the friends and re-
tainers of Madrid politicians. Even
the smaller and more secluded villages
have several OF these peninsula Off
cials. the commandant and officers Of
the inevitable local garrison, the tele-
NH tor OF he
registrar, the tax collectors and numer-
Gus others, making a heavy burden for
the impoverished peasantry, who must.
however in addition, pay taxes on all
produce taken into towns to be sold,
rents and taxes on their miserable huts
or caves in the hilsides, and taxes on
the very daylight, since they cannot
let it into their houses through win
| dows without paying. Some forms of
taxes are still farmed out TO the high
est bidder who is thus in position to
exhort indefinitely from the ignorant
| and helpless people, for whom justice
| and redress are alike impossible. The
| Canary peasants arc an unusually
kind and peaceable people. Crimes of
| all kinds are very rare, and stabbing
| affrays are almost unknown. The
| smaller land owners and tradesmen
ard artisans have also many promising
| qualities. and with any reasonable op-
portunities much progress might be
| expected
FRUGAL AND INDUSTRIOUS.
| The islanders consider themselves
| highly civilized, and are doubtless cor
rect from the Spanish standpoint. The
| peasantry are frugal and industrious,
as they are, indeed, compelled to be in
| order to make a living under the hard
conditions of wretched government
and over-poDulation.
Probably less than quarter Of the
| superficial area of the islands is un-
der cultivation, owing to its very brok-
| en- and mountainous character. Wher-
| ever the water supply is sufficient the
| volcanic soil gives the usual evidence
| of great fertility, and under an en-
| lightened government improvements
| would be made by which the area of
cultivation could be largely extended.
| This would be readily practicable with
| a better system of reservoirs and aque-
ducts, as the winter rainfall is ade-
quate except in the two eastern is
| lands.
The equable, sunny climate permits
the continuous growth of crops. so
that the returns of efficient agricul-
ture would be very great and land is
even now held at a rather high valua-
ton. The islanders, while reckoning
themselves as loyal and patriotic Span
iards, chafe in secret over the govern
mental oppression of the peninsula,
and while under the present circum-
stances there is no thought of revolu~
ton among them, they have seen en-
ough of the superior justice and busi-
ness methods of the English to be able
at once to appreciate the improved con-
ditions under which they would find
themselves We're their government
justly administered.
English interests in the islands,
especially in Grand Canary, have
! greatly increased in the last two dec
AIDES. Several of the largest mercan-
tile firms both at Las Palmas and
Santa Cruz, are English, and these,
with the numerous English steamship
and coaling companies, conduct by far
the larger part of the business of the
islands. A line of small steamers ply
ing between the islands is also owned
by an English company. These inter-
ests, especially those Immediately con-
cerned with shipping, center chiefly
at Las Palmas. which has outgrown
its competitor, Santa Cruz, in popula-
tion and commercial importance. Las
Palmas and Santa Cruz are located
near the northeastern corners of their
respective islands, Grand Canary and
Tclerife, and are fifty-three miles
apart.
Both towns are built on narrow
shelves between the sea and the steer
hills which rise behind them, and be-
ing thus at low elevation and sheltered
by their fianking hills. they become in
summer uncomfortably warm and
dusty. On the somewhat more ele-
waited and exposed parts of the islands
however, the climate is simply heaven.
ly for the entire year. The winter
rains fall almost entirely at night
while the days remain gloMously
bright weeks together from Novem-
Der to May are like our finest sprine
weather. In more sheltered p'Rces OF
low elevation bananas 'are grJwn fol
the English market, and the graceful
date palm is everywhere in evidence
but the climate is as a whole strictly
temperate, the thermometer averaging
about 70 degrees, seldom reaching 81
and seldom falling below so except a
higher elevations.
Several books have been written by
English medical men to show that par.
ticular places in the Canaries have
really the finest climate in the world
being dry, salubrious, equable. sunny
and everything else that goes to make