The National tribune., 1903-11-12
THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA.

the money-lenders.
THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA..
The Republic Of Panama, the latest ad
dition to the family Of Nations. has hai
a most eventful history.
1t occupies the Isthmus of the same
name, extending from latitude g As tc
90 40, and has an area of 81 ,921 square
miles, or nearly the size of the State OF
Indiana. Its population is about 250..
600. 1t is in the shape Of an arc, curv.
ing around from east to west for about
800 miles, with breadth varying from 30
Caribbean Sea, while the concavity makes
the great Bay of Panama setting up from
the Pacific. At its mouth the Bay is 125
miles across, while it penetrates inland
12O miles. 1t has several harbors, Pan
anna on the north and San Miguel on the
east being best known. The shores are
low and unhealthy, but there are low hills
and wide plains which. are very fertile
and capable of extensive production of
all manner Of valuable products. There
are fine iron, gold, and copper mines,
| which, however, have not been worked,
owing to the disturbed condition of the
| country. The worst feature is the enor-
nous rainfall, and in July, August and
September it rains almost incessantly.
The mineral richness Of the country is
attested by its former name, Castillo de
Orc Golden Castile). The mines Of
Chiriqui once produced 100000 Of gold
annually. Fine coal is also found in sew
eral places, and there are great areas Of
timber valuable for building, interior
work, dyeing and medicine. The giant
cedars and palms are particularly men
toned by travellers. There is, however,
very little agriculture. and even less man
ufacture. The principal exports are CO.
coanuts, cocoanut oil, bananas, caOutchOuc
and tortoise shells.
Columbus in his last voyage, in 1902,
discovered Chiriqui Lagoon, and left
colony there, but it was son abandoned.
Another settlement was made in 1910 at
a different point, and Sept. %, 1913. Bal
boa discovered the Pacific. The conquest
Of Peru and the capture Of its immense
riches made the Isthmus of the greatest
Importance as a highway, and for cen
tury it was the scene of numerous battles
between the Spaniards conveying the gold
Of Peru and the buccaneers who were
lying in wait to wrest it from them. The
great English Admiral Drake took and
sackedthe Panama cities, as did also that
King OF Buccaneers, Morgan. This led
to the downfall Of the gold-mining indus
tries in Panama.
In 1886 the country was attached to the
viceroyalty of New Granda, and partici-
pated in the revolt against Spain in 1871.
It secured its independence under Bolivar
in 1919, and united with Venezuela and
Quito under the name Of the Republic Of
Colombia. This union was dissolved in
1920 by the withdra wal of Venezuela, and
in the next year Ecuador seeded and es-
tablished her independence. The remain
ing country was organized as the Repub-
lie of New Granada, in which Panama
was a State with local self-government-
the model of the new Republic being that
of the United Stats. The Constitution
Of the United States was translated into
Spanish and made the organic law Of the
country. A number Of revolutions took
place, and In 1861 the Government was re-
organized under the name Of the United
States of Colombia, with the States being
reduced to Provinces governed by appoint
ments from Bogota.
Panama has been very restive under
this association, and there have been sew
eral revolutions, in which the United
Stftes's authority has had to be exercised
to preserve the peace of the transit across
the Isthmus, and incidentally the holding
of Panama to the United States of Co
lombia.
The discovery Of gold in California re-
vived the Importance of the Isthmus, and
in 1850 an American company began the
construction Of the railroad from Panama
to Aspinwali, now called Colon. The
road, which is Az miles long, and cost
81 100000, was completed Jan. %, 1855.
1t has on it an iron bridge over the
CHdSFeS hlVeT, O[o leet long anu ~ Ieet
above water. For that day this was n
great engineering achievement. The rail-
road pays the Government 3 per cent. Of
its net revenues, and $4,000 annually in
rs compensation for the free
transit Of foreign mails There is n sub
marine cable from Colon to Kingston,
jamaica.
The city of Panama occupies a rocky |
peninsula on the Bay, and the houses are |
mostly of stone, built in the Spanish |
style. There is fine cathedral, several |
and town hall of considerable |
architectural merit. 1t is a Bishops See, |
and has number of converts, hospital, |
and several church institutions. The pop
ulation is about II 900.
STATUS OF GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN.
The overwhelming success of Tammany
in the elections in Greater New York has |
brought forward Col. George b. McCle!-