The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-30
PORTO RICO.
It's Climate, Population, Trade and
Strategic lmportaucsMade Clear
10 a Concise Description.

ally, are not well known, and just now
Porto Rico is one of the most interest
ing of these. It is rather out of the
line of southern tourist travel, and eX-
ccpt to the people whose business takes
them there ii is almost unknown. From
the present indications Porto Rico may
he the strategic point of the next naval
battle, and in view of this fact the
Army and Naval journal has just pub
lishcd some information about ii that
is of general interest
Porto Rico is seventy miles east of
Hayti. 1,O2j miles from Key West, 800
miles from the east coast of Cuba, l.
500 miles from New York, and 1900
miles from Norfolk, where our flying
squadron has it's base of supplies. From
Cape Verde, the rendezvous Of the
Spanish fleet it is 2,400 miles, and from
the Canares 1900 miles. 1t is about
1000 miles from Cadiz. BY occupying it,
it is believed the United states will
control the situation in the North At
lantic. The Army and Navy Journal
says:
PHYSICAL FEATURES.
porto Rico is about 10S miles long
by thirty-seven wide. Its area is about
three and one-half times that of Rhode
Island, being 800 square miles It's
geographical contour is that Of an ir-
regular parallelogram; its physical con-
ditiunS are those of most islands in
tropical countries, i. e., mountains in
the center and a moderate belt Of level
land on the coast. The average height
Of the mountain ranges, which run
east and west, iS about 1900 feet. The
highest peak, El Yungue, in the ST.
ezra de Loquillo in the northeast, is
$500 feet in height. The low coast
land ranges from five to ten miles in
width. The island is we'll watered,
having about 1900 streams, nearly nifty
of which are considerable rivers. The
climate is hot. but not unhealthy, and
the island free from beasts of prey
and scrncnts, although infested with
rats, centipedes and mosquitoes.
THE rainy season i'm Porto Rico does
not begin until September and lasts
until March Owing TO the hills the
northern lowlands have superabun-
dance Of moisture. while the south
suffers from drought, a resultant OF
the prevailing winds. 1t is extremely
fertile, its staples being sugar, coffee
and other tropical products, tobacco,
cotton, rice, yams, plantains etc. Large
herds Of cattle are raised ami it hes
undevelupod mines of gold. copper. coal
and salt It's exports are about dOUble
those of Jamaica, and amount Il in
1896 in the four principle items Of cOf-
fee. sugar, mOlasses and tobacco, to
about $4,000, 600. Its exports 10 Spain
in 1895 were over 100000; its imports
from it GbOut S9,O0O,0Oo During 1895
! or vessels about /, 900 600 tons entered
at the various ports. It's DoOul1tion
!g somewhat over 100000, half white
onc-third Creoles and the rest negroes.
IMPROVEMENTS FEW.
"The island has about 47O miles OF
telegraph, 137 of railway, and 10 miles
projected. The railroads run, first,
from Aquadilla in the northwest south
erly through Mayaguez to San Ger
man; second, from Ponce on the south
to Coamo eastward in the interior, and
third, from san Juan Bautesta on the
| northeast directly across the island
southerly to Guayama. BY building
about thirty miles from san German
to Ponce, and twenty miles from Co
amO to Guayama, the island would he
thoroughly in railroad connection. 1t
| is probable that this has been cOntem-
! plated in the 40 miles projected. Its
| four principal harbOrs are san Juan
| on the north, Ponce on the south, May
| ague2 on the west, and Maquabo on
| the east. San Juan, the capital on the
! northeast, is situated on an island
| called MOrrO, connected with the main
| land by bridges. It's population is Pa
| 600, The harbor is one Of the best in
!
! lively unOLstruCtCd entrance. with q
! depth at Wharves Of ten to thirteer
! feet at low and eleven and ono-half tC
fifteen at high water. 1t is a place OF
some strength. Ponce, on the south
is the largest town, having about 49,,
600 inhabitants. MayGgucz, on tho
west, has about 27,00o, 1t has a good
, harbor for vessels not exceeding six,
teen feet drau@ht.
EASILY DEFENDED.
porto Rico is very valuable rOG.
session to Spain both strategcally and
| financially. Its revenue for lS9i-9;
| 5,4I5,9IS pesos; its expenditure, 3905,
Coz. A peso is about 93 cents in value
| Compact and symmetrical, Porto Rice
could be occupied by a reasonable fore.
and Spain deprived OF "a considerable
revenue. our fleets could then be tc
a great extent released for effective
hostiities. The topOghaphical cOndi.
tions are favorable to its occupancy
| by moderate forces The great want
is good roads and bridges, wheeled
traffic along the coast is at times in
terrupted, but as we would simply need
to occupy the three or four important
! a tf
against the operations.
"The island is the most healthy ot
the Antilles, and the land breczes, 50
constant at night in the other island,
of the group, are seldom felt here. The
winds are east and east-nurtheast
with frequent breezes from the nortl
between November and March, Mucf
injury is done at times by hurricanes. ;
Becoming civilized.
ITS WONDERFUL" said the man who is
always earnest, ITO see how they can de-
yclop the intcllcCts of the lower animals
lt