The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-08-12

found, as we'll as firchicS, or cucuvcs.
They fly at times in great masses, pro-
ducine weird and splendid effects in
the tropical nights. Poultry is ahun
dant, and the sea and rivers are full of
the finest of fish.
Railways are in their infancy and
cart roads are deficient. Trlegraphic
lines connect the principal towns, while
submarine cables run from San Juan
to St Thomas and jamaica.
Porto Eico WAS sighted by Columbus
on November 10th. 1893. Three days
later he anchored in the bay, the de-
cription OF whicn corresponds to that
OF Mayayucz. In 1910 to l3ll Ponce
de Leon visited the islands and founded
a settlement and cave it the name of
San Juan Bant;sta. The island has
had many viciSs.tu,lrs, especially at the
hands OF enemies Of Spain in times of
war, particularly the Dutch and Eng
lish. buccaneers and pirates harassed
its coasts AID plundcrcd the people
during large part of the eighteenth
century. Landings wrle effected by
the En.l.~N IN I701r Al Arrihr. in S43
at Ponce amt IN ~. at lHr capital.
but each time they were rrpul>cd 10y
the SpaniardS. An attempt of the
people to obtain independence a.tcr
three years OF turbulence was frustrated
in 1923. As to the Spanish adminiS-
tration of the island, ii differs but little,
il at all, from that imposed upon Cuba.
The capital of the pr"inrc is San
Juan BantiSta. founded hv Ponce de
Leon. rs already stated 1t is located
at the small island of VI orro. now con-
nccted to the mainland by the San
Antonio bridge. The district of its
name contains y 900 inhabitants. On
the western end of the island Ponce lie
Leon built the Governor palace, en-
closed within the Santa Catalina tnrti-
tications, where also are the cathedral.
town house and theatre This portion
of the city is now called Pueblo VieDo.
1t is an episcopal see, subordinate to
the archbishop Of Santiago de Cuba.
There are two tramways and also rail
ways to Ponce and to two other places
Its principal exports are sugar, coffee
and tobacco.
The harbor OF San jun is cnvcloped
on the east and south by swamps. On
the west it is sheltered by the islands
of Cabra and Cabrita which sandbank
practically connects with the mainland.
This site of the city comprises four
small bays and two rocks, of which the
one nearest the coast is half mile
west cf the Moro. 1t is strongly for
titled for the defense of the entrance to
the other harbor. The interior harbor
is landlockcd, capacious and safe, and
is being drcdgcd to a uniform depth
from docks to anchorage of twenty
feet.
Four wards are comprised in the old
city. Three are outside of the fortifi-
cations, and, extending up the hillsides
like an amphltheatrc represent pic
turcsque panorama when seen lr,.n'.
harbor.
The houses are of stone, usually one
story high, and have roof gardens, from
which fine marine views may be en-
joycd. Almost every house has gar
den in its patio, or court.
STERN DEFENSES
The defcnscs of San Juan embrace
San Felipe del Moro, at the entrance
to the harbor. 1t is the principal de-
fense against attacks from the sea: has
three rows of batteries, which can con-
verge their fire on any point in the
harbor, and is separated 10y strong
wall from the city at its rear. Within
this fortilicali)n are the lighthouse,
barracks, laryc water tanks. stores, a
chapel and the necessary offices \
tunnel. giving access for troops and
provisions, communicates with the
shore and is defended by battery.
San Cristobal defends the city from
the land side, and extends over the
whole width of the island on which the
city is built. Firing can be effected in
all directions Two large barracks are
therein. Higher up the hill is the
Cahallero fortress, with twenty cannon,
commanding the city and its environs
by land and sea. Santiago and Prin-
cipc are smaller Qualifications, rs are
also Abanico and Fort Cannuelo, at
the entrance of the hlrbor, vet these
forts are of the pattern of two hundred
years ago. The ordnance is old and
mostly smooth bore, an the walls are
crumhling, like most OF the forts in
Cuba.
BUSINESS OF THE ISLAND.
According to the latest Spanish sta
tistics, obtained at the bureau of the
Philadelphia Commercial Museum the
nportationS into Porto Rico during
500 am Duntcd to 1895. 1913 and the
exports to ST. 1.29J ,533.
Articles Of import are distributed
by countries aS follows: From Spain
cone wines, rice, oils, h,nr and textiles.
From Elglan |. machinery, textiles.
Saltrl provisions rice and coal From