New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-14

claly the eastern coast, but they ere OF slight
The main island Is psrallelogram In general
outline; rs miles from the east to ire west: "nt
h" an f,e e9mPgsd =, s s4hnTe n Gs or ' on
the east Of Visquez on which is the town OF Gabel
Seguada. Is military penal staten -.- .
+7i923 we're white. 246,41 mliattoes and 1905 ne
eroos. Slavery abolished in 1873. TAree years
later tho colony declared to be representative
province OF Spain and divided into seven depart
the island. Going thence southwark along tho east
coast the Port Fajarlo IL reached. which Is nothing
Obispo Zarcudo ana Ramos. Therc are other ports
and anchorares on this coast where the sea -
,raJrs Near IN" northeast cast runs the sierra
De Loquillo. In which the peak OF FL Yunquo reach
ere Int thd eaSst is STokcn ana fohdinT TIE nor,n
saore Is almost straight. and presents no shelter
name thirty miles west whch T. de',r,oed fur;her
swell tumbies IN heavy breakers Further west lies
II is the least dangerous port between San Juan
and Areciho. although il Is an open roadsteat, and
In the windy season vessels cannot reach the
shore. Rounding Punta de Br1quGn' which Is the
Sana Carlos Dc AguadA. Ia reached. on the west
coast. 1t IL on the banks o. nne stream OF water
affords fine anchorage IN summer. close 70 shore.
but IN winter It is unsafe.
Passing Punta San Francisco. the most western
point o. the island. there comes ato vlev PuntA
ern boundary Of the BAY ot Mayasues The city
o, this name Hes inland few miles, near river.
a, the mouth OF which i,s port Is located. II has
twelve thousand inhabitants. military barracks an
IRON bridge good rae snsnshi, arg mere c arc
is iincuit
Punta Ciuanaji5o forms the southern shore. Pilots
nre needed all along this coast
Cape Agulla is the south%cs,er9 extremity o; the
Roo IS the Bay o. Srlinas. with from ten to twenty
feet OF water hu, not well protected Navigation
f Te ' Gape Rojo and TG Pui'a c Ia rca long
line Of cliffs called De la Marguerite between which
o n. ~ Maine or New-JersSy arordng many
good anchoragcs but these cannot be reached with
out pilot.
The port q Guaniro. tho largest anchorage ground
on the southern coas, o; Porto Rico. lies fifteen
miles s q Sss HG 2s wf bao on 50 sand Sd
broken rock. The coast pres"ats no further inter.
est until We 10 Ponce. which mort Is one Of
the most important on the island. san further
is Guayama. with the PORT % Arroyo near 10y on
Porto Rieo : iFayeTTscd from east 10 west by a
mountain range. di'dinE me Stand mo TWO IN
north nat the rivers on mat coast are much the
From hs chain sy sFrnSei sp ysgSe
,sr,nas or Rarros It's northeast spur is known
as the Sierra de- Loquilo that on the northwest is
The most of the population Is located the low
lands AT the front OF the hill For lack OF roads
the interior il accessible only by mule trains or
Thsrc are Interesting caves in ne mountains those
q, Aguas Buenas and Ciaies being the most notable.
Considerable rivers having BEEN ennmerated They
are short and rapid. especially on the Caribbean
intercept the norheas, trade winds. blowing from
the Atlantic and wiring !heir moisture rom them
copious south of the mountains severe drouths
occur. and agriculture "marts u'gatlon but such
work IL unsys.eratl, ~ carried on
The principal minerals forrl Ia Porto Rico are
S Sctic ox,dc OF Iron in nrxc quantities. Ignite Is
found At I'tuado ard M'ra. AL also yellow amber.
Suidlne stones are Deposited on the island. but
these resources are un,evciopsd. There are salt
Snd at Cane Rojo on the vest and this constitutes
the principal mineral industry In Porto Rs9 , HOY
Diaz San Sebastian. San Loronzo and Ponce. but
the most famous is at Coamo. near the town OF
The climate is hot. hut mn,h nrevia;ed by the
ens sss e" BUT seldom
cceds 81 dcsre", In The shdc t 70 tss hottest
The rainy Season iasts from August to December.
and the rainfall IS at times 90 copl9us north o. ,ne
dsc" swamps The rainfall Tor 1875 was 81 Inches.
Its mean annual average IS 6i.. inches ,o. ala.
phamtIasl- tcianus. marsh fever and dysentery
Porto Rico is unusually fertile and It's dominan.
vated regions the vegetation OF the temperate zone
var npt Of Trees round in the and the
plains are full OF palm orange ana other 'ree ;
ton and maize; but bananas. rice. pineappes and
many other fruits are Important
on the Island and he chiefly attacks pigs and
Mice but ,0 hsy ws kept SSw
length OF from six to nine feet Numerous species
OF ants and bees found. well as freties. or
cucuyos They fly Mt times In great masses. pro
ducng weird and splendid effects In the tropical
nights Poultry r. abundant. md the seas and
rivers are full Of the finest OF fish.
Railways are In their infancy and cart roads nre
deficient Telegraphc lines connect the principal
towns. while submarine cables run from San Juan
to st. Thomas and Jamaica.
Porto Rico was sighted by Columbus Novem-
Der l6, 1893 Three days later he anchored In the
OF Mayagues In 1910 and 1911 Ponce de Leon WIS.,
tied the Islands and founded settlement; and gave
IL tho name OF San Juan NNutsta. The island has
had many vicissltudcs c7rociGlly at the hards Of
the enemies OF Spain In tr - OF war. particularly
the Dutch and English. uccaneers and pirates
hnra.scd It's coast and r'uriered the people dur
ing a large part OF the eighteenth century. Land
ngs were effected by the English In 1902 at Arecibo
In i749 at Ponce and In 1877 nj the capital but each
time they were repulsed by the Spanlards An
three years Of turbulence. was frustrated In 1922
As to the Spanish administration OF the islands II