Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1920-03-16
LAND CHIPS FRANCE
MIGHT cash IN"
French Colonial Possessions In
American Waters May
Cancel Debt
DUE THE UNITED STATES

French possessions in American wa
tiers take on special interest at present
because Of recent agitation. both in
France and in the United States, con
corning possible cession of these pos
sessions to the United States in lieu Of
the French Indebtedness.
OF all the vast lands once held by
France in North America. the sole rem
nant of her colonies today is the col
ony composed OF the two islands. St
Pierre and Minquelon. 10 miles off the
south coast Of Newfoundland. and of a
combined area of about 81 square
Jniles. Their importance is due to
their proximity to the Grand Banks,
which makes them the center of the
French Atlantic fisheries. These fish
cries are kept up by French Govern
ment, which considers them of great
importance in training sailors for the
navy. The ownership of the islands
has alternated between Great Britain
and France since 1860, but they have
been in the undisputed possession of
the French since 1914 through the
Treaty of Paris.
The French possessions of import
ance in American waters consist of the
islands Guadeloupe and Martinique, in
the West Indies, and French Guiana.
! situated on the northeast coast of
South America. Figures given out in
Paris recently by the French Colonial
Minister show that French Guiana pro-
duced in taxation in 1919 almost 4,000,-
600 francs (normally about $S00,000),
which was equivalent to all admins
! tration costs. In the same year Guade-
loupe's contribution was 750O,0 900
francs, which also covered full admin
istration costs. Martinique in 1916 ex-
pended its full taxation returns of S.
| 100000 francs for administration The
| Governors of these three colonies re-
ceive from $1,000 to $4,000 annually.
French Guiana is the largest of
these possessions, having an area of ST.
] 600 square miles. It's population is 80
1 900, of which about 5000 belong to the
penal colony. In 1S85-S7 French Guiana
was appointed as a place Of Danish
ment for confirmed criminals and for
convicts sentenced for more than eight
years hard labor. A large proportion
of these men have been found unfit for
employment upon public works. Be
longing to the colony are the three
Safety islands (Rayale, Joseph and Du
Diable, the last notable as the island
where Captain Dreyfus was imprison-
ed; the Enfant Perdu Island and five
Remire islands. Gold mining is the
most important industry in the colony,
| but wages are high. transportation
costly and labor scarce, al of which re-
trads production The industrial es-
Establishments of the colony also include
sawmills, distilleries, brick works and
| sugar works.
OF the possessions concerned, only
| Guadeloupe and Martinique give
basis for French sentimental attach
ment, this being true because they are
old remnants of the ancient colonial
empire.
Looking at a map of the West Indies.
one discovers the colony of GuadeIoupe
to consist Of two -Basse- Terre
and Grande.Terre, totaling an area of
a little more than 500 square miles.
The first-named island is mountainous
and is covered with valuable woods.
| The other island is lowland and grows
many important crops, including GER
eals, cotton, rubber, vanilla, coffee,
bananas, tobacco and cocoa. Sugar is
the principal product of the island,
but it also, manufacturers rum and
Liquors. The population of Guade-
loupe was 1S2,182 at the census of
1900, the larger portion being made up
Of negroes and mulattoes, the latter be-
/ ing famous for4heir beauty and grace
of form and face. The islands were
discovered in 1893 by Columbus, and
alternated between British and French
possession until 1916. from which time
| they have belonged to the French.
Around Guadeloupe are. grouped its de
Ependacies-n namely. La Desirable, Marie
Galante. Les Saintes, a group Of seven
small islands and one Of the strategic
points of the Antilles, with an excel
lent and strongly fortified naval haI
bor.N and St. Martin and st. Bartholo-
new
Martinique is an island belonging to
the chain of the Lesser Antilles. 1t
came dramatically to the attention Of
the world in 1902 when the eruption of
Mont Pelee destroyed the town of St.
Pierre and killed some 10000 people.
The area of the island is about $50
square miles, and in 1905, following
the eruption of Mont Pelee, the popu-
lation was $4,000 The chief product
of the island is sugar, and some Cocoa,
tobacco and cotton are grown. The
island was discovered by Columbus,
probably in 1902. and has been con-
tinGally in possession of the French
since 1914. Martinique was the birth
place of the Empress, Josephine. kan
sas City Star.