New-York tribune., 1899-12-17

any other island in the group 1t has an unusual
proportion Of rich well watered land. admirably sit
uated for cultivation. few donkeys placed there
several years before. increased in numbers. until
at the time of Captain Tanners visit hundreds
were running wild in the highlands
Nasborough Island Hes three miles off the west
ern shore OF Abemarle. II is about fourteen miles
in diameter, with 200 square miles area, and has
central cone 3720 feet high. This volcano was aciNe
In 1893 and the island was uninhaDitable PhI wnTh @
the Albatross passed II Il green 10 tne sum-
nit OF the peak and the eastern shore was d ueise
y frnged with manages when dad nae aPpefbT fo show
that the entire island Is OF recehI oIt @ booroe the
most important in the group. through being IN
habied though It's resources are not equal 70 [ %se
II is the property Of Sehor Manuel j., Cohos, and
was until recently penal colony, but TINS mas @ Deeh
discontinued and free labor is procuTeo Ir9f a
count of Senior Coboss plantation, Whlch WIS IS
tablished in 1883 and is called Hacienda del Progres
James Island has an area of 1856 square miles. It's
elevated portions containing water and the heaV,,
lest % mSer NIB ronmd w Wbd ine IS ca6ab of furnishing
supply sufficient for the present ana pr0Daoie iu'-
ure demands Of the archipelago
CONVICTs ON CHARLES ISLAND.
Charles Island is circular from six to eight
miles in diameter Its peaks are more rounded
and its surface is less broken than the other ISL
ands Although one of the smallest In area, IL
has large proportion of fertile soil. penal col
ony was established on it about 1899 and hourished
mill 1879. when the convicts mutinied. murdered
those in authority. and, selling the schooners IN
the harbor escaped fIom confinement; ,,
After describing eight of the smaller lsanddsi di
which he saws are practically without confnercal
value though one Of them supports a flock OF sew
erai hundred sheep. Captain Tanner deYotes con-
siderable space to the available harbors, Whlch are
numerous but mostly exposed. The p1ncpaI Isl
land Chatham. has the only really good ahcnOt an no,
ages and OF these Stephens Bay, win some al u
fetal Improvement will afford fine faclhues IoI
naval and coaling station at all seasons.
sTRATEGICAL CONDITIONS.
Regarding the desrability OF United States owner
ship Of the group Captain Tanner reported in 1871
as follows:
The strategical value of the islands is Increasing
with the advent of modern cruisers, which are en-
trely dependent upOn steam az motive power.
They are in the direct route from san FRANCISCO
to Callao and Valparaiso and in the event OF the
completion of the Nicaragua or Panama. Cahal
they would be in the route to Australia ana New,
Zealand, and would become q regular port OF can
for steamers plying between those places.
A glance at the map will show the location OF
the group with reference TO the coasts OF NOrtn,
Central and South America, and the value OF a
coaling station at that point nearly Midway De
tween San Francisco and LOta the southernmost
coaling port in the Pacific, becomes at once ap-
In the following table will he the distance In
nautical miles between the Galapagos ana the
principal coang ports etc, OF the Pacific, Chatham
Island being taken the starting point: