Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1899-07-06
sPAIN,s LOST COLONIES.
The Only Colonial Possessions Re-
manning to the Spanish Crown
Are in Africa.

In disposing of her remaining pos
sessions in the Pacific ocean to Ger
many, Spain retains colonial territories
only in Africa and the neighboring wa
tiers. These possessions are five towns
along the north coast of Morocco, name
ly, Ceuta, Tetuan, Velez de Ia Gomera,
Alhucemas and Melilla, and the Chafa-
rinas islands; the Canary islands, which
are administered as province of Spain;
the large district of Rio de Orc, front
ing on the Atlantic between Capes Bo-
jadOr and Blanco for about 500 miles
in the north to 600 miles in the south,
the whole embracing $4,000 square
miles, mostly sand, and the possession
of the eastern part being contested by
France; the little territory of Ifni, ON
the coast of southern Morocco, embrac-
ing only 81 square miles; in the Gulf of
Guinea, the islands of Fernando Pc and
AnnabOn; and near the northwest cor
ner of the French Congo, San Juan,
small section of the mainland drained
by the lower NUM- and Campo rivers,
whose possession is disputed by France,
and Corisco bay, with its little islands
Corisco and Elobey. The colonial EN-
pire of Spain is finally reduced to to-
tai area of ,3OS square miles, includ-
ing the considerable regions of which
France claims to be the rightfu1 owner.
The areas lost to Spain as the result of
the war embrace Cuba, 45,S72 square
miles; coded to the United States, 49,
| $50 square miles philippines and Sulu
| islands, 115,3OO; Porto Rico, 1868;
Guam, 3SS); and disposed of to Ger
| 4
Pelew islands, $50, and Ladrone is
lands, except Guam, 5O). SPANS colo
NAL possessions have been reduced in
the past year by 165,838 square miles of
| territory.
Spain has acted wisely in disposing
of the remnant of her Pacific posses
| siOns, because they have been nothing
to her except a source of trouble. The
Carolines embrace $50 islets and islands,
none of which is of territorial and few
of commercial Importance except zap
and Ponape, and they are 1900 miles
apart. Spanish pride was deeply
touched when the Germans raised their
flag over zap in 1885, and there was
great joy when the friendly interven-
ton of the Pope, on October % of that
year, confirmed Spain's title to the is
lands. But ever since that day Spain
has found the islands more trouble
some than ever. Mr.. F. w. Christian
who spent 1896 in scientific researches
in the Carolines, has told of the eXpen-
sive military Adjustments supported
by Spain at zap and Ponape and the
squandering of many lives in the con-
| tinual efforts to queu native risings
| Spain has derived no advantage what
| ever from these possessions, for she has
| received no revenues from the natives
and the trade has been mOnOpOliZed by
the Germans, Americans and Japanese
who have made fair living by handling
the exports of copra, beche-de-mer
vegetable ivory, and turtle and pear
shell. The copra annually exported is
about 100000 pounds, nearly one-hal1
of which is supplied by the island OF
zap.
The Pelew islands lie to the west OF
the Carolines and include some 200
islets, the principal island, Babel
Thaob, being equal in area to all the
others. The islands are we'll worth
opening to honest and energetic trade
for no islands in the Pacific of the same
size surpass the large Pelews in natu-
| raj ISSOuICSS. l. III Tic Su61lS, CO)Ti duC
| beche-de-mer are the chief products:
great quantities of yams, breadfrui1
and cocoanuts are grown, and on the
largest island there is an abundance OF
good pasturage. But Spain has done
nothing whatever with the Pelews, has
had no Spanish garrison there and ha:
not interfered in any way with the civi
wars in almost incessant progress
among the various tribes.
The islets in the Ladrones that nov
become German have an area of only
about so square miles, and are of little
Importance, the prize Of that group
Guam, having fallen to the Unitek
States. The change from Spanish t.
German sovereignty in the Caroline:
will be heartily welcomed both by the
natives and the foreign merchants il
business there, for It is we'll known tina
the traders, Protestant missionarie!
and natives have been restless and I'm
happy under the Spanish regime, anC
that the friends of Spain have been lin
tied to the garrisons and the Spanish
priests.-N. Y. Sun.
Saturn's Ninth Satellite.
Prof. Pickering, of the Harvard OBJ
servatOry, has discovered a ninth sat
elite revolving around the planet Sat