The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-13
Where Spain Would Be Vulnerable.

In the event of n war between Spain and
the United States, probably we should not
confine ourselves to operations in Cuba.
There are other islands, or insular groups
in various quarters of the globe, and there
are points on the Iberian peninsula it.
self, which would be assailable by a power
possessing the command of the sea.
For instance, there is the island of Porto
Rico, which has an area OF $500 square
miles, or, in other words, is about as
large as the State of Connecticut 1t has
q population of nearly a million, three
ffths of whom are white. 1t is extremely
fertile its exports are in value more than
double those of Jamaica. The harbor of
San Juan Bautista is one of the best in the
West Indies, has a comparatively unob-
Atructed entrance, and along the wharves,
even at low water, a depth of ten to thir-
teen feet. 1t will be no new thing for
Porto Rico to undergo an attack from an
English-speaking people. In 8 9 the cap
ital was sacked by DRAKE, and later, by
another English commander. In 1897,
however. ABERCRoMBY had to retire after
. three days siege. There are now no forth
5acations at San Juan, or at any othero of the
hsland's harbors, which could Withstand
modern battleships, and an insurrection
against Spain unquestionably would break
out on the appearance of an American fleet.
Tit Canaries. which nave been In the
possession of Spain since the fifteenth cen.
fury, were probably the Fortunate Isles"
of which the Greek geographers, as we'll
Ss the Greek poets, spoke. The seven prin.
cipal islands cover an area of 1886 square
miles, and have about SOC, 900 inhabitants.
The soil upon their lower levels Is remark.
ably fertile in some places, two crops of
Indian corn and one of potatoes can be OBJ
tanned from the same piece of ground In q
twelvemonth. A great deal of sugar was
manufactured formerly. and, before the ap-
pearance of the grape disease in 1853, no
fewer than 100000 pipes of wine were ex-
ported. The Canaries have been coveted
by all the maritime powers since the dis
covery Of America and the Cape of Good
Hope, and they would be of particular
value to England, as constituting a con-
venient station on one of the two routes to
India. Santa Cruz, on the island of Tene.
rife, is the residence of the Governor
General of the group. 1t was formerly so
well fortified that NELSON was repulsed
"hOh NC iiS w tuhc ~ III l1UE. ~ COulu
not resist a modern battleship, however,
and we should find 1t easy to gain control
OF the Caparies. If we retained them at
the end of the war, We could find a pur-
chaser for them in England.
Still more grievous to Castilian pride
than the loss of the Canarics would be that
OF the Balearic Isles. which have been as.
ISOLATED with the Iberian peninsula since
Carthaginian times. These islands col
lectively comprise about $1,000 square miles,
and contain some 100000 inhabitants.
Majorca, which is much the largest and most
fertile member of the cluster, has an annual
Import trade of about $4,000, 900, the ex.
ports amounting TO rather more. Minorca,
the second Of the group In size, was oc.
cupied by the English during the greater
part OF the last century. To a maritime
power this island is of peculiar value, it's
chief harbor, Port Mahon. being one of the