Norwich bulletin., 1918-02-26

seeking more intimate relations with such a progressive country. German influence is stronger there than that | of our country. American influence,
 however, is steadily increasing there, and sooner or later will take the po- sition it should have had long ago. There are many reasons why Amer jeans should have studied more about
 our Latin American neighbors than
 they have. =9i=
 Even the most important cities on
 the Caribbean sea, many of which are 1 located in South America, have been studied about but slightly. Most of
 them are ports, through which passes much commerce between the southern
 continent and the United States. Who,
 of the readers of this article, knows
 much about the famous port of Car
 tagena, Colombia, for instance? How
 many are there in this vicinity who ever studied in their histories even a
 short, comprehensive account of Car tagena's share in the wonderful his
 tory of South America. since the city's foundation in 1533? The eity's share Colombia, but other Latin American
 countries was a highly important one,
 extremely historic and fascinating.
 What makes Cartagena of special interest just now is the fact that one of the leading newspapers of Colon1- hia, Fl Porvenir, published in that city, has just made change in its
 typographical appearance. Fl Porye-
 mir has always been very neat paper
 and the change makes it decidedly
 more attractive. E! Porvenir will ap-
 preciate the reorganization of a local
 reader on the progressive step that ii
 has taken.
 A few facts about Cartagena, be-
 sides those already given should in terest most of The Bulletins readers: There is no city in all the Americas
 where certain extremes are more pro: nounced than in Cartagena. As ofter
 as one sees evidences of the moderI spirit there, a very potent supporter : | of which is Fl Poryenir, one also sees as nowhere else in the western heIHis- phere, more ancient massive struc- tures still extant, erected by Christian hands The most perfect specimen O , medieval fortifieatien ever erected il the Americas, which is still more O
 less impregnable, is the great wal ,, with moat, still surrounding Carta gena
 No eyes were ever ksener thai , those of the great militant Spaniard [, IuuTluS tn6 MUOFlSA wars, dHu TUT long period after Americas discov the highly skilled Spanish engineer and explorers. of the site, where Car tagena is situated, as one, whicl !, would be of great strategic import 1. ance from military. naval and com mercial considerations, Its command : ing position in the north of Go1bmbi : lon the Caribbean sea safeguarded, a much as was possible for human fore :, sight, what was once proud Spain . great South American empire. Fhreug oo Cartagena for many decades went tn :. golden river, that filled to eperflewin the great ceffers of the renowned a seemingly exhaustiess mines of Der and other lands. These mines wer " worked for long period by Indian !, under the direction of famous Con auistadores, and their descendants fo IF a few generations.
 2 Cartagena waxed rich through tn '. centuries, and it's wealth finally ex '- cited the jealousy of herdes of pirate .- and buccaneers who were rePulse !, time after time as these werthies al
 tackled the formerly ainest impree
 nahle defeRses of the aity, Sometime
 However, these men were sueeessfl
 and then Gartagena had to turn | l. pockets inside cut. In compare Ie lively short time, the city would le rich again. Sir Francis Drake ens y captured the place and taek mue 'e wealth in gold. silver and precie, re stones, away with him.
 re But Gartagena's glory has not die pr as has that of many a city feunded r. the days of .Spain's greatness in u J. Americas, for she still prospers e, of eeedingiy. 1t is taday a great SCI
 elnort and before the present warid wa y, ihad an extensive commerce with maI Se of the great nations.
 a- The principal connection hetwe. r. lCartagena and the United States. ia the steamship line of the great Unit, $, Fruit Co.
 in Cartagena is very aristocratic al