The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-18
PRETTY ISLAND
OF MARTINIQUE.
The Spirit of Unrest Pervades the
Beautiful Country South Of US
Which France Loves SO Well.

The spirit of unrest and dissenton,
which has so often, within the last few
years, brought the Republic of France
to the verge of another revolution, seems
to have transmigrated from the mother
country to the most fayored Of her colon
ies-NIartinique.
Great Britain may boast O.. the tropical
luxuries Of her Bermudas enriched with
the most beautiful lily gardens in the
world; Denmark may glory in the sugar
retineries and dfstilleries which yield
her millions annually In revenue; and ev-
en- our own America may look with
pardona BILE pride upon the riches of cuba,
Porto Rico and the Philippines; But France
loves Martinique not less for it's pecuniary
advanta ges, but more for the historic
interests that cluster around the little
island. for it is here that the beautiful
and immortalized Empress josephine
was born.
Being the EorJhernmost of the Windward
group OF the Caribbees, Martinique may
be described as verdant mountain mass
lying between the Atlantic Ocean and
the Caribbean Sea, for the island IS a
vertable chainwork Of small mountain
ranges covered with vines and shTubbery
whose beauty is unsurpassed in any quar-
ter of the globe.
1t was discovered in 1893 by the Spanish
the previous year to discover the western
hemisphere.
For long time after its discovery
the Island was held by its primitive in
habitants, the Indians, but after many
fierce struggles the Spanish succeeded
in driving the natives into the interior,
taking subsequent possessions.
EARLY HISTORY.
Early in the seventeenth century French
buccaneers and sea-rovers, attracted by:
the fertility and beauty of the island,
decided to capture it from the Spanish,
and after q protracted period of fighting
Martinique became a French possession
in 1875. The iconquarors invaded the coun-
try, and after establishing themselves
upon Individual estates set to work Gull
tivating the splendid fruit trees and yege-
ia bles which grew naturally in the soil.
The work OF cultivation has descended
from generation to genera ton, and to-day
coffee, sugar-cane, fruits and rum are the
principal products raised and exported.
While Fort de France is the most his.
toric of the cities of Martinique. having
been the birthplace of the Empress Jose
5phine, ST. Pierre is the principal city
from commercial standpoint. In fact,
these are the only cities of any conse-s
Quencc In Martinique. There are many
dense forests and woods upon the island,
that while innabitable, are not as yet;
habited.
In spite of this fact, however, A1arti-
nique isone of the most thickly populated
islands in the world. It has an area of
over $50 square miles, and its graetest
breadth is variously recorded at thirty
five and forty miles The last census
showed that the population consisted of
nearly five hundred souls to the square
mile in proportion to the Inhabited area
of the island.
st. Pierre is a beautiful city; and the
thrift and industry of3Sits citizens are
exemplifed in the cleanliness ofsits streets.
as well as by the number ofsstores and
places Of business which Inesth them. The
principal avenue is the Rue Victor Hugo.
r.amed in onor of the great author and
poet, whose memory is Eost5 sacredly
cherished by the people Of Martinique
4 The streets, owing to the @hilly surface
of the island, are very slantin 49, and on
either side there are cutters which act.
as public scavengers. 1ntosthese cutters
all the bits of paper and refuse are thrown
and the streams from the noun talnss
rush them down to the sesshore and aintos
the ocean. The cutters are. kept clean by;
'lahprers VINO act in the: same capacity
as do the street cleaners Of our American.
cities.
Owing to the volcanic construction and
geographical situation of Martinique, 1t
is subject ITO violent hurricanes which
visit the coast Fat some imes frequent
intervals between the months of June and
December.
To protect themselves from these disas-s
trous svisitntlons the people of the island
have orr inated a unique method OF cover
INK tsieir homes WI tn roofs made Of CORFU
rated band of iron to take s the Slace5
Of the picturesque red tiles used many
year. ago. In fact, among those who cam
not AFFORD the Iron roofs the tiled coverings
are still EMPLOYED. -
Although there are excellent SCHOOLS on
the Island OF Martinique. many af the