The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-14

CarlDDean station. Inc Sall1ng OF Com
modore Watson's squadron eastward
means, as a first result, the selling OF
the Canary Islands. With the taking
Of these we shall have a naval base.
available for American warships oper-
ating in the Mediterranean and off the
Atlantic coast of Southern Europe and
Northern Africa.
1t is not a new feature in the worlds
geography. the Canary group Of ISL
andS, which lie west of the Morocco
coast, sixty miles from Cape JUDY on
the African mainland. They were the
Hesperides, the fortunate islands Of the
ancient Greeks. Herodotus had heard
Of them and their vines and olives, and
gold dust" found in lakes. Hanno.
the Carthaginian admiral, visited these
islands and reported their volcanoes
then in a lively condition. His visit
resulted in the opening up of trade
there for his countrymen, in which the
islanders exchanged skins, neeces and
ivory with the Carthaginians for va
rious Egyptian products. Juba, Prince
of Mauritania, landed at the islands
and from his account of the large dogs
that he saw on one of the islands came
it's name, Grand Canary, afterwards
extended in part to the island group.
Then in the Dark Ages the Canary
Islands fell out Of sight of the civilized
world, to be lost to history until they
were rediscovered by the Genoese near
the end of the 18th century. In 1404,
Jean de Bethencourt. Norman ed
venturer undertook to conquer the
Canary Islands for Don Juan of CASTLE.
and he brought four of the smaller ones
under subsection to the Spanish crown,
Between 1883 and 1900 the Spanards.
after hard fighting, completed the con-
quest of the islands, which have re-
manned part of their dominion since.
The principal islands Of the Canary
group are seven in number. They are:
La"zarote, Furteventura, Gran Cana
ria (Grand Canary, Teneriffe, Gomera.
Palma, and Hero. Besides these there
are four isletS, and some exposed
rocks. All Of these islands, about 5000
square miles, lie within two degrees Of
latitude and five degrees of longitude,
the northernmost. the Lauzarote, lying
near the 30th parallel, north. They are
mountainous, containing many extinct
volcanoes. the loftest Of these be-
ing the famous peak of Teneriffe, over
covered with calcined rock. pumice
stone and volcanic ashes, but the re-
is very fertile and productive.
In some places two crops Of corn and
one crop Of potatoes can be raised on
the same ground in one year. The cli-
mate Is dry, equable and salubrious.
In the low lands it is hot, resembling
the climate of Egypt. On the peak Of
ne, Va hn inc. orIxr
half the year. From April to October,
when the northerly winds blow, a
stratum Of sea cloud about 1000 feet in
thickness hangs over the islands, at
height Of $500 feet above the sea. In
winter the Levante sometimes blows
from the African mainland, a dry, hot
wind, which at times brings with it
swarms of locusts. The rainy season
is about the same as that in Southern
Europe.
The primitive inhabitants Of the ISL
ands, the Guanches, We're a race prob
ably of the same stock with the Ber-
bers. and perhaps others Of the dark
skinned races which have peopled
Northern Africa. They embalmed
their dead, and in warfare used flint
and stone weapons, and wooden spears
hardened by fire. They were fond Of
liberty and fought bravely against the
Spanish invaders. They ceased more
than two centuries ago to exist as a
distinct people, becoming completely
with the conquering race.
The present inhabitants, slightly dark
er than the people of Spain, are OF
medium height, we'll formed, and quick
of intelligence. They talk the Spanish
language. They are temperate in
drinking, but are gamblers, lazy, faith
less and superstitious.
There is a population Of about $780,
900 people in the Canary Islands. Ths
two largest cities are Las Palmas, on
Grand Canary Island. and Santa Cruz.
the capital of the whole Canaries group
and of Teneriffe, and the most enter
prising city of all the Atlantic islands.
Politically the Canaries form a part OF
Andalusia in Spain. The governor
general resides at Santa Cruz, but the
actual administration Of affairs is per-
formed by two acknowledgements.
living respectively at Las Palmas and
Santa Cruz. There is deputy COVER
nor and a military commander on each
Of the smaller islands. The military
force ordinarily relied on to guard the
islands is a Spanish battalion of regu-
lars, numbering 900 men, and six regi-
ments of militia enrolled as containing
5000 men. At the outbreak Of the pres
ent war the Notifications at the Cam
aries were obsolete, and the guns
mounted upon them were antiquateo.
1t is not probable that any Strength
ening of the defences has been zone
since to an extent to prevent the
speedy capture of the islands py Coin-
modore Watson's squadron.
Beyond their strategic value as nav
al base, the Canares have CONNER
cial value of their own. The vineyards
from which the celebrated Canary wine
was produced, failed early in the pres
ent century. owing to some disease;
but in recent years they nave been In
a measure restored. In 1925 the cochl-
neal insect was introduced into the
Canaries. from Mexico. together with
tho Nopal cactus, on which it feeds.
The experiment proved so successful
that bv 1875. fifty years later, the value
of the cochineal produced amounted to
over half a million British pounds ster-
Inc vearly. Enough grain and pota-
+oes are raised in the islands to supply
tho needs of the inhabitants. The ex-
norts are wine, sugar, honey, orchilla
"a n,ant valuable as dye), and cochi-
nea1 There are fisheries off the Afri-
90, ooast in which many of the island.