The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-09

swampy. With many lagoons. Small as
The island Is, as many as 1900 streams
have been found in it, forty-seven OF which
are large enough TO be called rivers. The
largest OF them flow northward owing to
the slope of the mountains. the highest OF
which, in the northeast, rises to an alti-
tude of 1860 feet,
In the northern lowlands the climate Is
extremely damp. while on the south side
there is such dearth OF moisture IN the
air that droughts often occur. and arth-
ciaI irrigation is necessary TO secure sat-
isfactory agricultural results. During the
rainy season, from September 20 March,
the general climate is eneTating and I'M
healthfu The higher mountains are gem
orally covered with dense growth of for
osts, in which thers are strange fern
trees, varieties OF trees with large beau
tiful flowers, and many trees that yield
valuable hard wood colorine matter, dber
gums. etc. In the cultivated regions CO.
coanuts, oranges and other tropical fruits
are grown. In the mountains special
variety of rice. the principal food of the
laboring classes, can be grown without
irrigation.
In the lowands sugar and coffee are the
main products of agriculture, and there
are extensive pastures. on which cattle are
raised, not only for home consumption, but
for other markets Of the West Indies. In
general Porto Rico has been described as
being extremely fertile. its exports beng
more than twice the value OF Jamaica S.
These exports7-chiefy of tobacco (Which Is
sent so Havana, sugar molasses coffee,
cotton, hides, and rum-had increased from
about 81. 600 IN 1850 to Sl6S64, 1866 ia 1891.
The latest estimate of the population is
SG6,7C The island is greatly IN need OF
roads and of bridges over the numerous
streams The hills can only be crossed
on horseback, and wheeled traffic Is liable
to interruption even along the level coast.
| Among the imports are -four, potatoes,
fish, meat, rice, manufactured articles, aud
coal. Horses are abundant on the island;
less so sheep. hogs. aud goats. Among
the mineral products gold. Iron, lead, cop
per. silver, and sulphur are OF value. Wild
animals, birds, turtles, and snakes are es-
pecially abundant, and there are numerous
troublesome insects.
The only safe harbors st all times of the
year are these of San Juan HoVas, and
Guanca. They are regularly visited by
English, American. and German steamers.
IN 1891. 800 vessels entered these har-
bors one of the principal towns Is the
capital. St. Johns, with over $500 inhab-
itants. 1t lies on the small island of Nor
TO- which is connected with the large ISL
and by bridges. II has an excellent har-
Dor. well fortified the water at the
wharves being 10 to l4ia feet deep. Ponce
has about 10000 inhabitants, and lies three
miles from the south coast Mayaguez
has perhaps $1,000 inhabitants and Is pro-
vided with military barracks Its harbor
Is accessible to vessels drawing less than
sixteen feet The seaports Of Porto Rico
are st. Johns Ponce. Mayaguez, Nagua-
DO, Fajardo, Aguadilla. Viequez
/
1893, by Columbus. In 1903 Ponce de Leon
| was appointed governor by the King OF
Spain and founded the first settlement on
the Island now known as Puerto Viejo
| The original name of the island was BO-
riquen, or Burenquon. Columbus called Ii
Isla de San Juan Bautista- The native
CARDS. whose number WIS put at the ex~
travagant figure OF 10000, were treated
so cruelty In the mines that bloody upris-
ings resulted, as a consequence of which
they We're gradually exterminated. Inter
esting relics of them are preserved in the
| Smithsonian Institution at Washington and
the Berlin chronological Museum. For a
long time the island was used chiefly ne
a penal colony, and was subject to fire.
queut attacks by the English and French
nayies and by pirates. In 1863 Spain first
began 10 pay greater attention to the isl
and, which first rose to prosperity under
the rule OF Captain General Miguel de Ia
Tore in 1923. An unsuccessful attempt al
a declaration of Independence had been
made three years before. Slavery was en-
trely eliminated in 1873
The island Is divided into seven depart
ments. the island of Vequez being attach
ed as an eighth and used as a military
penal colony station. The present popula-
/ ton Is very mixed including besides Gil
baros, who have some Of the aboriginal In
| dian blood in their veins, Spaniards Ger
mans, Russians, Scandinavians, Chinese,
Moorish Jews and Canary Islanders
/