New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-18

ship for the West Indies, where so
much attractive touring ground IS TO De
found. But if the sea traffic remains
omen there will be many to voyage
down TO the island countries.
An attractive description of the West
Indies as a touring ground for motor
lists is given by Edward IL. NaReheiu III
"Motor Travel" II deserves beng kept
for reference against the time wh H
there is not so much unrest, ana lhe
motorist. failing Europe, can look ior
places to motor this side oil inc Az
lantic. o.Lod
OF those islands most easily reached
from New York by tourists IN winter,
says Mr.. Wakefield, some OF the larger
of the Greater Antilles IN the CariO-
bean Sea are first brought TO mind. ma
vana, capital city of the Cuban kepuo-
lie. is but six hours by steam from inc
United States at Key West, Fla, by tne
Peninsular and Oriental Steamship
Company's boats, and not more IMAM
four davs from New York by the steam
crs of the United Fruit Company or
the New York and Cuba Mail steamship
Company.
The United Fruit Company's steam
ers leave New York for Havana every
Saturday, while the Cuba mail boats
sail twice weekly. The cost Of freight
is about $40 or $50, according to the
size of the automobile, and the troubles
on landing incidental to customs Donos'
licenses and similar formalities are re-
duced to minimum in the case OF tour
lists. =,
Cuba possesses several hundred miles
OF fairly satisfactory motoring hign.
ways in addition TO the network OF
roads leading TO all points from Ha-
vana. Quite pleasant tours can De
made to such places as Matanzas, bats
bano. the port Of departure for the Isle
of Pines. and in the tobacco growing
regions of the southwest, but there are
no suitable motor roads connecting tho
capital and the eastern end of the ISL
and. of which the chief city is Santiago
de Cuba. The principal drawback TO
motoring from the larger towns in Cuba
is the quality of the hotels, which is far
from being up to the standard that
American motorists are accustomed to.
The trip to the Isle of Pines Is one
that American visitors TO Cuba should
by no means omit. From Havana good
road leads for about fifty miles via San
tiago de las Vegas to Batabano, on the
south coast. The run should be timed
so that Batabano is reached in time for
the departure of the steamer, which
leaves about P. NJ. on Mondays
Wednesdays and Fridays and completes
the sixty-mile voyage during the night
First-cass passenger fare is IS, and
a reasonable charge is made for au-
tomobiles. Roads on the Isle of Pines
are extremely good, and there are
enough of them, together with the at
tractive scenery and interesting es-
tstes and properties, to make stay
of about a week well worth while.
Headquarters may be made at Santa
Barbara, where there is a comfortable
hotel and a good garage, and daily runs
in different directions should be made
10 the pretty beaches or to the planta-
tons in the interior.
Porto Rico's Scenery
Porto Rico may also be recommended
as a charming touring field. The auto
mobile roads are good, the old Spanish
military highways having been repaired
and improved by American engineers,
and the rivers bridged in many places
where formerly it was necessary TO
ford the stream. Scenically Porto Rico
is famous, and its winter climate is
ideal, and these advantages, together
with the improvement in its hotels, so
noticeable in recent years, offer to the
visiting motorist a powerful attraction
in this modernized bit of SPANS for
mer colonial empire.
Porto Rico, being practically part
Of the United States, presents no Gus
toms troubles TO tourists taking their
automobiles for touring purposes, while
the local license laws are very lenient
The New York and Porto Rico Steam
ship Company carries passengers cars
between New York and San Juan at
rates varying from s25 TO $50, and has
"A boat sailing every Saturday from
Brooklyn that takes four days on the
voyage. IL is not necessary for visitors
TO either Cuba or Porto Rico TO pro-
vide themselves with passports, al
though such papers may at times be
found useful for purposes of identiiiea'
tion.
The British island of Jamaica is very
for from being terra incognts "a
American tourists. Its 5000 miles OF
excellent roads. its comfortable hotels
and the simplicity Of its customs anc
=
combined with its superb scenery anc
climate TO attract large and enthusi-
astic number of automobile tourists
from the United States each winter.
Kingston, chief port and capital OF
Jamaica. is FIVE days steam from New
York by the boats of the United Fruit
Company or the Royal Mail Steam
Packet Company. Both these lines carry
passengers automobiles at the uniform
rates Of $40 each for cars weighing
less than 1000 pounds and $50 for cars
above that weight. Passports are alb
solutely necessary for visitors to ia
maiea.
SantO Domingo Is New
There is yet another West Indian
island whose claims from a scenic point
OF view are unique. Santo Domingo. OF
the Republic Of Dominica, a magniii'
cent semi-tropical region, 10000 square
miles in extent, offers opportunities
10 those tourists desiring mountain
scenery and glorious tropical forests
that are without their equal IN the
world. Unfortunately, the undevelopeo
state Of the country and the unstable
social conditions render tour IN TINS
fascinating land an undertaking OF
some uncertainty, while the total ao'
sence of suitable roads makes automo'
bile touring an impossibility.
Steamers Of the Clyde Steamship
Company sail twice monthly for San,tc
Domingo City from Brooklyn, and make
the voyage in about a week, though th'
majority Of passengers prefer TO con
,inue the interesting circular trip ar
ranged By this company around the Isl
Ind Of SantO Domingo, staying or
bosrd the ship at the various ports o.
can and 1e.ng indepeydent OF hoteI
life on shore. ~
with t.e exception Of Santo Do
L. IL. -. u cinnI Moat Indian