The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-05
OWNERSHIP OF rHE WEST INDIES.
Wonder that Spain Has Held Cuba
and Porto Rico So Long.
kansas City journal

An inspection of map of the greater
and lesser Antilles win reveal the presence
Of a large number of islands, some of
which are so small that they are not deemed
worthy of a name, and this number becomes
greatly increased when the map is extended
to take in the Bahama islands and one other
extensive group which extend along the
northern coast of Venezuela. Some one has
spoken of the body of water surrounding
these islands as the American Medterra-
nean and the name becomes all the more
appropriate when it is remembered that
ABOUT as many nations have possessions in
1T or bordering upon it as may be found in
the same relation to its namesake across
the Atlantic ocean. No less than five Euro
pean nations own islands in this American
sea, and 1t is not at all singular that they
are watching with an interest not unmixed
with suspicion what some of them are
pleased to call an attempt of the United
States to make conquests over West Indian
soil.
Cuba. Spain held by far the largest and
richest possessions to be found in the col
ection. though not the greatest number
Outside of some barren rock peaks and
sand dunes she owned only the islands of
Cuba and Porto Rico but they have
combined area of $1,000 square miles with
population of 100000. The island next larg
est TO Cuba is Hspanola. and 1t is the only
one in the group not Owned and governed
by one Of the European powers, being divid-
ed into two states. the Spanish republic CT
Haiti.
Next to Spain the power which has the
Great Britain, her possessions there being
listed by a recent writer as follows: The
islands of the Bahamas, Turks and Cal
cos, Jamaica, st. Lucia st. Vincent, Bar
BADGES, Grenada, Tobago, Virgin islands,
st. Christopher. Nevis. Antigua, Montser-
bined area of about 1900 square miles and a
population of 100000. OF the British pos
sessions in the West Indies the most inn
portant are the, islands composing the
Bahama group, which has g. combined area
exceeding 4,400 square miles; Jamaica,
Trnda aas az and saa sS snuse
miles. While all the British islands are
valuable. and there is no doubt Great Brit.
ain would fight the United States and
Europe combined rather than lose any the
one most highly priced is Jamaica, which
from. its position, lying as IL does between
the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean sea.
with a harbor able to accommodate the en-
tire navy of Great Britain is of inestimable
practically the emporium of the British
trade with Mexico Central and South
America, for the commerce of Great Brit
ain goes first to Kingston and thence radi-
ates in every direction.
France has hut small interests in the
West Indies: her possessions being confined
to the islands of Guadeloupe. ST. Bartholo-
NEW and Martinique, with an area of 100
square miles. and a population of 250.000 "
is related that while the French have found
these islands 3 source of expense rather
than profit, they would never consent to
their surrender because of certain sentimen-
tai associations clustering about them. The
island of Martinique was the birthplace of
the Empress Josephine. and ii holds the
same place of reverence in the national
heart that is accorded to everything con-
nected with the career of Napoleon
The Dutch possessions in the West Indies
comprise the five islands of Curacao, Bo-
naire Aruba. St Eustatus and Saba with
a combined area of 400 square miles, and Il
population of 1900. AT one time the Dutch
held sway over a number OF other islands
i'm the group but they passed into the pos
session of other nations as the result of
foreign wars and conquest
The Danish possessions comprise the three
islands of Cants Cruz. st. Thomas and ST
John having combined area of 225 square
miles and q population Of SO 900. That Den
mark has been able to hold them is due
mostly to the fact that no other nation
wanted them bad enough to take them eth
er by purchase or conquest.
At the beginning of American civilization
all of these islands belonged to Spain. One
by one they passed from her as the con-
sequence OF war with England, with France.
with Denmark and with the Netherlands.
That she was able 10 retain Cuba and
Porto Rico was only because these islands
of Spaniards who fed from the revolving
Spanish colonies on the mainland of South
America and Joined the Island armies to
put down the revolutions which broke out
there also. In every Instance these revolu-
lions were brought about by the intolerance
and brutalities of the Spanish government,
and what Spain managed TO save from the
assaults of foreign arms rapidly passed
from her through rebellions on the part of
her own down trodden people. The wonder
is that Spain has been so long able 10 re-
tain Cuba and Porto Rico. in view OK her
national decadency and the beastly order of
her governmental methods
In the meantime II may occur to the
United States that in order 10 establish
herself in the American Mediterranean along
with the other nations Of the world II would
be a good thing to annex Porto Rico while
giving deliyerance 70 the Cuban republic
The. Ladies' Auxiliary of the Alhanibra