The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
SPAIN AND THE oANAR1Es.
Did England Mediate an Attacl,
During the Recent warf


We are gradually getting nght on the
uhaV0wed. now even the denied alliance
between the Mckinley Administrator and
I england The Minister CT Spain has made
significant statement concerning q report
tnat TINS Government contemplated selling
the canary Islands TO Great Britain Pre-
uier SiiFeia admits that spain feared an
attack on ne Islands By England during
tie Spanish American war. Spain has
proof, &c is alleged that England Intended
to take advantage OK her embarrassment
and seize the Islands That this purnsse
was in harmony with the apparent bur
gratuitous attitude Of friendly" neutraHtv
on the part Of England 20 the United states
is transparent. England never is friendly
except for a selfish object She confident
ly expected the Government Of the United
States 20 acqutesce 10 her design Of despOil-
ing Spain. That the issue was not brought
TO test is due only to the fortunes Of war
and he dread the Mckinley Administration
would naturally have felt over the fury
that would have burst in the country in
our association with the outrage
SPANS interest in the Canaries is more
sentimental than sOrdid They constitute
one OF the monuments OF doubt in the mist
that separates ancient from modern his
tory. They emphasize the constantly
growing query. Did not the aneients know
more Of the geography Of the world than
the surviving records prOve2" II is agreed
at least that the Canaries were the loca-
ton Of the tabled gardens OF the Hesper-
ides. 40 Greek myth is more intricately
interviewer with the mythOlogies OF other
races. The Hesperides were wonderful
maids who guarded the golden apples
Earth gave Hera at her marriage TO Zeus.
Their home was in the west on ocean Dor
ders at horizon point where the sun sets.
The golden apple tree was watched by
dragons. whom Hercules slew in his elev-
enth labor" in order to bring the golden
fruit to Athene. A new reading Of the
legend discloses the probability that the
wealth Of new world and the perils at
tendsnt upon its delivery to mankind were
not alien to the imagination OF antiquity.
It's thread runs through many literatures:
few Of the greatest Of poets Of any age
escape its pleasing snare.
In Loves Labor Lost" Shakespeare
puts into the mouth of BirOn:
For valor is not Love a Hercules
still climbing trees iu the Hesperides2
In Paradise Lost Milton aliudes to the
principal peak Teneriffe. Tassa alludes to
the islands in Jerusalem Delivered They
form the theme OF one of Horace's most
admired odes, written after the battle OF
Pharsalia and the ruin OF the republic He
shores and dare the boundless main:
Visions Of glory rush upon my eyes.
Prophetic voices rise
Sue. before Us distant glow
ihro the thin dawn mists Of the west
Rich sunit plains and hlitops gemmed with snow,
The island Of the blest.
Long the Canaries remained far mid the
western waves a secret sanctuary IN
known or forgotten. In the fourteenth cen
fbaVr rJ~o
preserved in Florence. After contentious
between Portugal ard Spain over their pro
prietary they passed to Spain. and they are
Of special interest in American history. be
cause it was there Columbus fingered to
make repairs upon the caraveis and thence
be sailed September s. 1892 the sailors on
The verge Of mutiny fastened by the ter
-ors Of an eruption OF Teneriffe
For centuries the Canaries have been
leemed for administration part Of Spain
To a freehooting, maritime country like
England they would be valuable TO a de-
gree unattained by the Spaniards Who
he original race on the islands were is
0st to history. For centuries intermar-
rage and choice have made their people
spanish Their only language is Spanish
Their institutions and traditions are Span
sh. Spain could doubtless sell them for
good sum. but no sum would heal
he national wound of their loss and the
country is fortunately able now to refrain
rom a compulsory submission to the gov
.rnment that is by turns the pawnbroker
md the highwayman. Of nations
The Canaries rise into importance now as
witnesses to an unqUestionable expectation
~ England that in return for pretended
We neither needed nor asked
Turing the Spanish war we would at least
acitly concur in her seizure OF them We
would not have cOncurred.