Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-28
A DASH OF JAMAICA GINGER
Significance Of American Naval Maneuvers
in caribbean Waters.
PANAMA CANAL A FACTOR IN THE PLAN
inhabitants of the Island C1assed ~
Prise Ditch DiEeers Because Inn
mune 20 Deadly Fevers
of the Topics.

Copyright, 1902, by T. Jenkins Hains.)
The decision OF the Navy department ia
hold the winter maneuvers OF the Atlantic
and European fleets In Caribbean waters
with Kingston as a possible coaling base
cannot but have a decided effect upon the
relations between Jamaica and the United
States. The beautiful tropical fruit garden
with it's peculiar inhabitants will play an
important part in the events of the near
future, and a naval demonstration Of a
friendly nature WILL surely leave a favorable
impression upon the native mind.
The harbor Of Kingston is naturally one
OF the strongest in existence from the
strategist's point OF view. The water is
good and it is protected from the heavy
"southerlies," making a safe and com
Portable anchorage for a fleet. Its forma-
tion enables it to be fortified easily, and its
position will at once mark it as the key
to the Caribbean sea. But It Is English,
and therefore not available for landing
troops or fortifying for the war game.
Our own coaling station, which Il has
been decided upon by the Navy department
TO develop, is situated off the eastern end OF
Porto Rico, upon the little island Of
Culebra. Here, Of course. the greater part
Of the sham lighting and searching for enc
mics will take place.
The successful elimination of the canal
negotiations will mean a great deal to the
native Jamaican. Being of West African
extraction and having been exposed to Pc
culiar vicissitudes Of tropical climate, the
native islander, who is, Of course. black,
has developed into a tropical immune. That
is, he is about as impervious to climate
diseases as a human being can be, and IL is
r. akt. rao,oa NrtangDaIIu that ho utlI he
the power employed to dig the great trench.
1t has been pretty well decided to use
as many native Jamaicans and .Cogman
islanders as can be induced to leave
their fruit growing and accept the sound
money of Uncle Sam. The state OF feel
ing in jamaican politics has lately been
strongly American. Among the over
taxed planters, whose burdens have not
been light, the feeling for freedom has
burst out occasionally, and there has been
SOM strong pro-American politics devel-
oped.
h jamaican, A Lover of Ships.
1t is out Of the question for a revolution
to grow, even among the most dissatisfied
OF the heavily taxed fruit planters, for tho
island is one of the best protected and
poiiced in the world. Still, in the event
Of the Panama route being chosen compli-
cations might arise from an exodus Of
the fruit growing negro.
Being a free man, like his brother in
the states, the Jamaican may work where
he pleases. There is nj law to bind him
to the plantation, as in the case Of the
imported East Indian "coolie," who is
practically a slave to the English Jamai-
can, and a heavy draft on these men can
not but have It's effect upon the affairs Of
the island.
A natural born sailor, the jamaican takes
TO the water and ships instinctively. He
is large Of bone and usually quite slender,
being a long limbed. muscular fellow,
who can work to advantage either upon a
vessels deck or upon her spars, and the
very sight Of a fine vessel gives him
delight. His language is the hybrid devel-
cped by having the English language pro-
ounced by a negro who has a leaning
toward Spanish and an acquaintanceship
with his cousin over in Cuba. A truly
tropical production and we'll suited to a
class who look upon work as an evil.
The appearance OF the beautiful white
ships of the American squadrons will DO
the signal for the black mountaineers to
gather In force at the seashore. II the
fruit company's ships attract hundreds,
men-o'-war will attract thousands, and It
would take very little persuasion at this
period to get the entire population to
emigrate in a body.
There will be probably very little feel
ing shown by outward signs, for the ia
maican Is a dignihed person, especially in
the presence Of strangers. He has n
dignihed regard, also, for a uniform.
All along the hot, white streets of the
island villages the white helmets and
blouses Of the guards have created q feel
ing Of respect for order such as is not
seen anywhere in the states. Big black
men, standing as straight as rife. barrels,
patrol the streets at all hours, and al
though they are courteous and affable at
all times, they permit no boisterous be-
havior. All this seems strange to the
foreigner, who, knowing the negro dispo-
rition. looks for an enthusiastic outburst
Behind It Is the strict discipline Of the
Jamaica regiment oniceTed by Englishmen.
Famous Bartlett Deep.
Being an English port of entry, King
ston can serve only for a coaling station,
but there are no shoals to be dreaded
along the shore, and some of the feet
maneuvers may be held within plain sight
from the htltops, except such formations
as require many miles of sea room.
To the westward of the island is the
deepest part OF the waters of the northern
hemisphere, the famous Bartlett Deep,
where IL is thousands Of feet to the ooze
below. Along the northern coast a battle
ship may run close enough to the shore
for the men aboard to hold intercourse
with the natives. The rocky slopes fall
-
20 many hundred fathoms. So steep is the
coast line that ships which have been run
ashore upon the rocks have slid on
within a few days and disappeared COM
p~letely. leaving moi a trace of their
whereabouts in the blue depths. And all
along between the island and Cuba is a