The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-05-12
THE west INDIES.
Facts About The Group Of Islands
Which Are Again The Scene Of
Naval War.
WORTH READING Now.
Boston Post.

Boston Post.
The West India Islands, the probable
scene of many great naval battles in
war between the United States and
Spain, have had more than their share
OF fighting since the romatlc days OF
the Spanish Main, when England wrest-
ed from Spain supremacy on the sea.
Nearly every one of the islands which
curve about the Caribbean Sea played
a part in the struggles between Spain
and England in the seventeenth, and
England and France in the eighteenth
centuries.
Besides Havana and Matanzas. in
Cuba, Spain has but one fortified har-
Dor among the Antilles, San Juan Bor-
rista, or St. Johns, in Porto Rico. It
is an excellent harbor, and could be
strongly defended by the Vizcaya and
Oquendo, with the torpedo boats,
against our squadron. But the latter
alone could do nothing in st. Johns
against our battleships. The fortifica-
tons are old-fashioned and the guns
are useless against iron ships.
In Southern Cuba, the harbor OF
Santiago de Cuba could be defended
with weak force, as the entrance Is
narrow and deep, with forts naturally
strong. The forts are not modern,
however, and the Spanish government
holds but a limited area around the
city, so that the Spanish will probably
make the main defense at Havana and
everything be made subservient to
holding the capital. In this case, with
the Oquendo and Vizcaya reaching
Hayana the great battle of the war Will
be fought at the entrance to the har-
Dor, or the American fleet will block
ade and starve the city>into surrender,
aided by the Cuban army.
The sympathy of both OF the black
republics in Haytl is with the United
States as against any European power.
A moments consideration of their his
tory will explain this. The two repub-
lies, Hayti in the West and San Do
mingo in the East, are the only coun-
tries in the West Indies whose form OF
government is like our own-except, Of
course, the republic of Cuba. Touss
amt lOuverture's successful struggle
against France and his capture by
treachery, followed by the complete ex-
pulsion OF the French, is one OF liberty s
favcrite tales. The Spanish invaded
San Domingo in 1861 and their defeat
left the islanders free.
There are quite million people or
the island, but they daily on the way
to civilization. There is no army, so
Hayti's only use to US would be in
lending us harbor. There are no har
bors on the north coast, but Port at
Prince, in the republic OF Hayti, is a
we'll protected port lying behind the
! island of Gonave. In the Dominican
republic there are the harbors of SantO
Domingo and Port Plate, which would
make convenient bases for operations il
| the Caribbean.
The Mona Passage, only sixty mile
wide, separates Hayti from the beautl
full island of Porto Rico. Porto Rico i
a valuable possession and Spain is put
ting up a rich stake on turn of tn,
war card when she risks her control O
that fertile island.
st. Johns is an ancient town. Tht
old buildings are curious and interest
ing, especially the palace which wa
erected by Ponce de Leon, who con
quered the island for Spain. The prin
cipsl city on the southern coast Ii
Ponce, with 10000 inhabitants, situat
ed three miles inland. Mayaguez. or
the west coast, contains 10000 people
It is separated from its port by river
spanned by an iron bridge. There is g
barracks here, but no fort. The fou1
other seaports of Porto Rico do no!
deserve notice. Their harbors-as in
fact Is the case with all the harbors Of
the island-a1e rapidly filling up with
silt and are dangerous to heavy vessels
In the group of the Virgin Islands
to the east, only the two Danish isl.
ands, st. Thomas and St. Croix, are
probable factors In the present situa.
ton. Their Importance would be con.
siderably greater if they had been 30.
cured by the United States, as was at
one time suggested by our State De
partment. The harbor OF St. Croix is
untortified and not more than sixteen
feet deep, SO that it cannot be of much
service as base. The island is a hill
that rises 100 feet out of the water
Denmark bought it from France for
$145, 900 in 1873.
St. Thomas Is but 100 miles away
from St. Johns. The harbor is nearly
land-locked and has depth of thirty.
six feet. A dry dock is here and q
steamship for small vessels. There il