The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-06
DATA ABOUT PANAMA
NEW REPUBLIC IS UNUSUALLY RICH IN NATURAL RE-
 SOURCES.
Waterways are Many and Irrigate Productive Lands Acres--Tropical Fruits and Vegetables
 Grow In Abundance.

isthmus. ~
 The area of Panama is s2,sso square miles. of which only about one-half is in- habited. Its greatest length, from the Darien range to that of La. Cruz, on the side of Costa Rica. is about 420 miles. The
 widest part of the isthmus lies between the mouth of the Escribanos River, on the Atlantic side. and the point of Mariato on the Pacific, a distance of about 1lS miles The narrowest part lies between the gulf of San Bias. on the Atlantic. and the mouth of the River Chepe on the Pacific, distance on a straight line of thirty one miles. Panama Is thus a little smali- CT than the islands of Cuba and Hayti, and not half the size of Paraguay. If the territory of the department were to be as denseiy populated as Belgium was said to be in 1860 it would contain no fewer than s,o00.0oo inhabitants.
 A massive range. known as the Cordil- lera De Baudo, traverses the isthmus through nearly it's whole length, dwindling away in the neighborhood of Panama. This range approaches now the southern coast and again the northern, and though not a very elevated one q ,557 feet, aver age height, with peaks of from 2.290 to 2,624 feet and passes less than 900 feet higf), it gradually increases in both height and breadth as it approaches Vera guas: in Chirioui 1t reaches it's greatest elevation and runs through the middle of the department into Costa Rica. . Waterways Are Numerous. . Various rivers flow into either the At lantic or the Pacific. some through long and narrow valleys. others by shorter courses. The principal river of tho de- partment is the Tuira or Darien River. It rises in the heighas of Aspaves and re- ceives the waters of a number of tribu- taries among which may be named the Nique, Balsas. Paya. Puero, Cano. Limon, Chucunadue (which itself has several trib- utaries navigable for small vessels) and the Tayecua or Marca. As thus increas- ed, the Tuira flows into the Gulf or Miguel on the Pacific coast.
 The River Cocie is some seventy miles long, being navigable for small vessels for about forty miles. It rises in the Andes and receives the waters from fourteen tributary rivers and a multitude of brooks. The Rio de los Indios and the Calabebora rise in the desert range which traverses the isthmus and empty into the Atlantic. The first is navigable for eigh- teen miles and the second for twenty-one. The Dnraces forms the boundary with Costa Rica. The Chiriqui and the Gau- zaro flow into the Atlantic.
 Another important river of the depart ment is the Bayano, or Chepo, which rises in the Andes and flows west and then southwest into the Gulf of Panama. It is about 160 miles in length and is naviga- ble for 125 miles. 1t collects on It's course the waters of a number of tributary streams. The river Chagres is 120 miles long and navigable for about sixty miles. It receives the waters of more than twenty-one tributaries and flows first southwest and then northwest, finally s,,t ho To rfhIaaon Dart nf it's channel has been utilized in the con struction of the interoceanic canal.
 The Sambu River rises in the heights of Aspave and flows nearly parallel with the southern coast until 1t empties into the Gulf of San Miguel. It is navigable some ninety-three miles. The Chico and the Santa Maria flow into the Parita gulf. the San Pedro and San Pablo into the Ensenda de Montijo, the Tabasara. San tiago, Fonseca and Chiriqui-ievto empty into the Gulf of Alanje and the Golfto flows into the Golto Dulce. on the boun- dary of Costa Rica.
 The department of Panama has no con siderable lake or lagoon. unless we accept what is called the lake of Chiriqui, on the Atlantic coast which Is rather a large bay than a lake. There are, however. 8 number of places, chiefly on the coast. and on the banks of rivers, where marshes or ponds, more OT IcSS pclhiohShl ohN arc to be found.
 The Coast Islands.
 Both the Atlantic and the Pacific coast are sprinkled with islands. fin some spots so thickly grouped as to constitute arch ipelagoes.
 On the Atlantic side there are some 65O islands and islets. with an aggregate area of 147 square miles, of which about 115 square miles are susceptible of utili- zation for numbering or colonization. The remainder is waste, unsheItered, and Ia ckinR both water and vegetation. At certain spots fish and turtle abound.
 The islands of this department on the Pacific coast are larger and more num- erous than those on the Atlantic side. In the group known as the Archipelago de las Perlas the principal island is that of San Miguel. which is about sixteen miles long by seven or eight miles wide. The largest island on the coast Is that of Coiba a few miles from Bahia Hon da whose greatest length is some twen- ty-two miles and Its greatest breadth is fifteen miles. These Pacific islands are said to number in all 1,053, with an ag- gregate area of about 500 square miles.
 The Department of Panama has on the Atlantic side some 47S maritime miles of coast, 24O between the mouth of the Ia rena river and Colon and 23S between Co., Ion ana SOsld 1biCds OIt NlC pl tiiC Jacific the coast of Panama Is 7G7 mar itime miles in length (about S66 ordinary miles).
 On the Atlantic coast tine principal ports or bays are those of Colon or Aspinwall, Almirante. Chiriqui. San Bias, Caledo- mia and Puerto Bello. Besides these there are some twenty-five smaller ports. Col on, or Aspinwall, Is built upon the Isl- and Manzanillo. which divides an inlet of the sea of some five miles in depth into what are known as the ports of Manzanillo and Naos, or Newbay.
 On the Pacific coast the principal ports or bays are those of Panama, San Mi- g1Iel. Montijo and GoIfito. There are in addition some thirty smaller ports, among which may be mentioned that of Boca- chica. which serves as the port for the town of David
 A Variable Climate.
 The climate of the department varies very much. it being fin certain regions warm but healthful, in others damp and sickiy and in others cold and salubrious.
 The whole coast from the boundary of Costa Rica to the Gulf of Uraba, has a hot and damp climate, in which it is difficult for the white race to flourish. by reason of swampS and marshes whose exhaIations are extremely unwholesome. To this is added the intensity of the heat aRRravated by the great humidity produced by the frequent rains and by the aqueous vapors rising from the sea, which the prevailing winds carry to the wooded plains that fringe the entire ter ritorv. There is a part of the Pacific coast to which this does not apply. for from Panama to Cape Burica, where there are no marshes or wooded plains, hut on the contrary, cereal-bearing fields and rivers. which water and fertillze mat