The National tribune., 1909-12-02

1t became an inuepeiideHt SIdle anu
since that time has had a turbulent
history. In the earlier stages Of the
gold excitement in California Great
Britain. foreseeing vantage, established
herself on the eastern coast with a pro-
tectorate over the chief of the Mos
keto Indians. This at one time threat
ened TO involve us in trouble with Great
Britain, but ii was finally settled by the
Clayton Bulwer treaty of 1850. Great
Britain then ceded her claims over the
coast. Next came DR.. William Walker.
ths ''gray-eyed man of destiny" who
was an agent and accomplice of the
conspiring slave holders and attempted
to set up government in Nicaragua
with view to having it a part of the
contemplated Southern Confederacy.
Walker obtained a large number OF re-
cruits from the Southern States and
fought on with varying success for five
years, when he was finally captured and
shot In 1894 President Zelaya came
into power and showed at first great
energy and capacity. He tried to form
the Greater Republic of Central Amer
ica by uniting all the little States, but
he was too highhanded and unjust and
the union broke up after three or four
years trial in spite of the fact that the
United States and Mexico strongly fav-
ored such confederation.
The State has an area Of $4,000
square miles, or about the size of the
State of New York, with frontage of
900 miles on the Caribbean and 200
miles on the Pacific. The country on
the two coasts is separated by two high
chains of mountains which run from
the northwest to the southeast, parallel
with the Pacific coast. This barrier
makes united action difficult, and inter-
feres with the solidarity OF the little
State. On the Gulf of Mexico side the
rr,ff =, Oli Gatn int -lly
hot and humid. There are three ports,
all of shallow entrance. These are
Greytown, formerly the principal port,
Gracias a Dios and Bluefields, which is
now the most important. On the Pa
cific side the coast is higher and the
water deep close to the shore. The har-
Dor of Coriuto is one of the best on
the Pacific coast. and San Juan del
Sur is also a good harbor. The Pacific
seaboard is narrow, however, being only
from 10 TO 20 miles wide. There are
several volcanoes in this range of noun
tains, and some of them are active at
present. On the Caribbean side the
rainfall is exceedingly heavy. averaging
from 200 $50 inches. CT from 16 to
% feet annually. 1t rains nearly every
day in the year. This part of the coun-
Try is covered with a dense forest of
great trees with some 54 varieties OF
fine hard lumber, 40 varieties of trees
supplying gums. balsams, resins. oils.
extracts, etc, and "A kinds of fruit
trees. On the Pacific side of the noun
tainS the rainfall is much smaller and
different class of products is obtained
The main agriculture on the Carib-
bean side are bananas, cocoanuts and
rubber. A number of Americans have
entered Nicaragua to develop its indus
tries, but they have been having hard
time under the robber rule of Zelaya.
4
is no doubt that American capital would
be largely invested and we would get
great portion of our rubber and ba-
nanas from thence. Undoubtedly very
many other products could be profita-
bly, exported. There is believed to be
many rich gold and silver mines in
the country. and tin. nickel, arsenic and
other metals are there in commercial
quantities. The Germans are success
fully raising coffee on the mountains,
and have exported as high as 10000
900 pounds in year. Cotton is in
digenous, sugarcane grows spontaneous
ly. and it is believed that the finest
grades of tobacco can be produced.
The banana industry is already large
and is increasing every year. Cattle
raising is quite profitable, and there is
a large export of hides. The census
returns are largely estimates. with the
returns for 1900 giving total popula-
ton of 100000, which is believed to be
greatly exaggerated. Managua is the
Capital. with 10000 inhabitants The
other cit S are: Leon, $4,000; Grenada,
$4,000; Masaya, 10000. and Chinandega, !
10000. OF these half million people |
only about 1900 are of pure Spanish |
descent. while the remainder are In |
dians. negroes and mixed bloods. The |
Indians are said to be valuable laborers !
under proper management, as they are
docile and industrious.