The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-12-20

and Courier)
Dec. 3.-The whole Mediterranean
coast, so far as we have seen it, is one
continuous garden, in striking contrast
to Spain's bleak aud sandy interior. "A
succession of charming vallies, shell
tered on one hand by mountains and
washed by the historic inland sea on
the other, are cultivated to the utmost
and may we'll be described in Scriptu-
raj phrase as "a land of wheat and bar
ley and vines and fig-trees and pome-
granates; a land of oil and olive and
horey-a land whose stones are iron
and out of whose hills thou mayest dig
brass" Barcelona, on the sloping edge
of a small but wonderfully fertile plain,
Is the very garden-spot of all. It's stu
ation is one of the loveliest in Europe
between the mouths of two great rivers,
the Lloubregat and Besos, with green
foothills close behind, the blue Medi-
terranean in front and the snoW-capped
Pyrenees in view. The district round
about is thicllly set with villas amid
most luxurious vegetation; while the
smoke from many manufactures, the
q cOlSldll Will anu DdAA VI machinery
and the hustle of a busy seaport, give
it the appearance of an American or
English city, rather than of traditional
ly lazy Spain. In a colder country,
dominated by more prosaic race, it
would be another Leeds, Sheffield,
Pittsburg or Philadelphia; but in this
semi-tropical region it still preserves
intact the romance and beauty that
distinguished it in the middle ages,
when Barcelona was lord and terror of
the Mediterranean and divided with
Venice the enriching commerce of the
east. Local tradition says that the
port was fourishing four hundred
years before the foundation of Rome;
and history does not deny the asser-
ton. At any rate, it was rebuilt about
two centuries and a quarter before
Christ, by Hannibals father, after
whom it was called Barcino and it
soon became second only to Tarrago-
MIA, little farther on the Spanish
coast. Under the Cloths, who took it
about the year 400 it rose to great i'm
portance and coined money, which bore
the legend carcinoma. When the Moors
destroyed the enighboring cities, this
was wisely capitulated, and under it's
new masters became still greater me-
tropolis-one of the gardens and gran
cries of the world. During the eighth
and ninth centuries it was ruled by an
Independent Christian chief, whose
twelfth descendant dropped the heredi-
tary title of Count of Barcelona and
assumed that of King of Aragon. Then
for many years the Catamans were at
peace the struggle between Moors and
Spaniards being carried on at the other
end of the Peninsula Their CONNER
cial code, dating back to 1879, was re-
spacted throughout the maritime
world, and is still in vogue Barcelo- |
mas golden day was in the thirteenth |
and fourteenth centuries, when it was
eminently city of luxury and learn
ing, renowned among the nations of the |
earth for its announcements of art and /
cultivation of letters. Every year its I
court devoted a month to celebrating |
tournaments and literary contests pre-
sided over by masters of the "gaye sci
ence,' before whom, in the presence of
thousands of spectators troubadours
and Ministries, from England, France
and ITALY, exhibited their talents for !
Improvisation and competed for the
golden laurel-wreath that rewarded the
victor. The prosperity of those times
has left indelibe marks behind not
only in churches and buildings, but in
the character of the people Unlike the
Castilians, the no less proud Catelans
have never held trade to be a degrade
Inn nj Hr5
decorations than further south-the
merchants mark having always been
more honorable than the or
mortal charge. . The spirit of literary
ambition and of maritime enterprise
seem to have died together, or been
swallowed UP in manufacturing inter
,sts-a state of affairs which the jeal-
BUS Galatians attribute to their union
With the Spanish monarchy against
which they are perpetually conspiring
and cherish relentless hospitality. The
working classes have always been a
turbulent lot. After the restoration the
Jonde de Espana ruled Barcelona with
rod of iron, but it arose In favor of
Don Carlos in 1927, and has ever since
aiken the lead in every rebellion [
against established authority. Never
heiees, and in spite of Spain's disas- {
ers, 1t remains a prosperous hive of c
manufacturing industry, commerce, 8
and all kinds of iron '
York. S
The city, once surrounded on all sides c
y strong line of ramparts and still I
by the citadel on Montjuich t
Fights, erected by Philip V (not for de /
ance against a foreign foe, but to over l.
we its peope)-is divided into two o
etinct towns known as "La Vieja" U
nd LA Naeva"-the Old and the New a
he ancient Qualifications so restricted p
lie growth of the city that, some fifty a
ears ago, in the face of strenuous OPP n
osition by the crown. the local author p
les removed most of them. The wall t,
: the deep wide moat served as cellars e
" the new houses that soon occupied a
le ramparts, and the space between s.
as laid out in horticultural gardens.
hen a rapid extension of the city to Ii
lie northwest took place, and at last, n
,mpelled by popular sentiment, an ella II
)rate plan for laying out the new dis 81
let received royal sanction. Thus, d
lille Barcelona Vieja consists of mar 1t
wv, irregular streets lined with gloo- IL
Y brick houses five and six stories
gh, with flat projecting roofs and no 81
indows to speak of, the new section is {,