Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-22

the great black mann THO latter holds the
coolie in disdain as u mere pigmy Of the
human race, and one whose opinion, is not
mix, coolies living on the plantations or In
villages of their own,
To these black people the demonstration
of the naval force in their waters VIII be
a revelation Brought up to believe that
England alone has sea power, the battle
ships and cruisers VIII give them to under
stand that protection may be had under
to English ships of war, they cannot fail
to be impressed by the magnificent vessels
Of the heavier class flying the American
flag. They will be more willing to trust
themselves with the Yankee on the isthmus.
When 1t Is understood that Of all the
twenty thousand Chinese who were shipped
to work the canal under the French sys-
tenn very few remain, and that there is
well-known saying that. every tie In the
Panama roadbed could have been built of
human bones from lives sacrificed upon the
work, the important part these islanders
Will play in the canals future may be I'M
To the naval officer who has never been
ashore on the Island Of Jamaica the place
will be revelation of beauty. This, of
course. lies In the scenery and not in the
productions of man. The towns are like
most of those seen in the American tropics,
and are simply picturesque, and differ from
those along the Caribbean coast principally
in regard to cleanliness. The fruit, which
sloGiu NC liie Qlet, Is VI uldAy
varieties, and person may indulge in
dozen different kinds at one meal and be
no worse for 1t. The dyspeptic may eat of
the papiae, the peculiar melon containing
itself; and he may eat until he can sWal-
low no more. He will be all the more
pleased with himself afterward, and this at
very small cost. the fruit selling from
two to three for shilling. 1t Is impossi-
BILE to send the fruit north, and he must
content himself with a mere glimpse of
paradise, going out under the trees where
the peculiar melon grows, hanging like
great pear to tempt him to renounce his
birthright and become a native
Jamaica itself is not more than usually
unhealthy. In fact, it Is just the oppo-
site, but some of the outlying islands are
not exactly health resorts. 1t is probably
due to this circumstance that the islanders
became popular for contractors outfits.
Being an English-speaking race also aids
materially, for there are not many island
negroes capable of valuable work who have
working" acquaintance with the Ian
guage.
The heavy drafts must be made on these
people for the work along the lower levels
Of the Panama cut. At Colon the climate
may be withstood by a white man for
many years. but upon the Chagres river
and along the swampy districts the fever Is
deadly. Yellow fever is bad enough, but
the peculiar variety developed in the wa
tiers of this sickIy stream is even worse,
for men who have recovered from it's fierce
heat Will often remain yellow as the
rind Of dried lemon for years afterward.
The Colombian negro apparently cannot
stand the climate, although he is much
more impervious than the Chinaman or
American black man. 1t has been found
that the Jamaican is the only human
creature who can safely risk exposure, and
even among these islanders the death rate
must not be expected to remain small.
Long, lean, muscular and lazy, the ia
maican, with his musical speech, will be
the man behind the shovel when the ditch
is started under Am erican direction. 1t will
do him good to see the white ships that he
loves come slowly in behind the land at
Kingston. 1t will awaken dreams of future
wealth, and his tax-ridden fruit garden will
seem more hopeful of unburdening itself
with the aid Of the good American silver.
He will look forward to the days when he
may sit at ease under his luxuriant bread
fruit trees and smoke the pipe of peace and
plenty, with his favortte beverage. the most
delicious drink known to man, at his side.
Then, under the gentle stimulus of rum
and kola champagne, the visions Of the
great white ships will fit before him-the
huge vessels winding up the Port Royal
channel into Kingston to show him how he
could be protected while taking an impor-
tant part in the worlds work.
The ships of the heavier class which will
take part in the maneuvers are the battle
ships kearsarge, Iowa, Illinois, Massachu-
sets and Alabama, five of the most pow
erful ships afioat. Besides these. there are
eleNeil u uiSelS ana SuLDodlS III commission
already in the European, South Atlantic
and North Atlantic fleets.
Rear Admiral Sumner will command the
attacking fleet which will be composed of
Rear Admiral Crownnshied's squadron and
his own, whose rendezvous is the Gulf of
Para. They will undertake a search prob
lem and work up the Caribbean to attack
the supposed American fleet under Rear
Admiral Higginson.
The scale of these maneuvers will be Of a
most comprehensive sort and eclipse any,
thing that has yet been attempted in the
way OF mimic marine warfare. When the
final battle has taken place between the
opposing forces Admiral George Dewey will
assume command of the combined forces
and fleet maneuvers will be taken up