Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-07-21
G. ograp!nic News
Bulletins by the
National Geographic Society
PIRATES HAVE YIELDED


Stringent restriction OF Chinese
immigration to Jamaica, announced
because of the rapid increase of it's
yellow population, draws attention
to this most important OF the West
Indian units of the British Empire,
which may be taking advantage of
our w experiences with orientals
in Hawaii. This bit OF British ter
ritory near our own shores is the
subject of the following bulletin
from the Washington, d. c., head
quarters of the National Geographic
Society.
Jamaica already has one race
problem" says the bulletin, for this
might almost be called ar African
island with a thin veneer of British
government, so great is the prepon-
derance of negroes in the popula-
ton. OF the approximately S5S,O00
inhabitants fully 95 per cent are
blacks or mufattoes, and the num-
bers of the dark skinned races are
still further increased by the pres
ence of about 10000 East Indians.
Barely two per cent of the popula-
ton consisted of whites in 1911,
and at thai time the Chinese were
less than one per cent.
Isle of Fountains
Jamaica like Hawaii, lies just
in the edge of the tropics; and ma
ture seems to have intended it to be
a fairy island. Heavily wooded
mountains occupy much OF the inte-
rior, and among them countless
streams tumble. 'Xaymaca,' the
native Indian name of the island,
which has been Europeanized,
means Isle of Fountains.f
Palms of several sorts including
coconuts, bamboo, bananas and a
wide variety of other tropical trees
Clothe hills;des and valleys. Some of
the views from the high central hills
over rough foot hills, valleys and
plains out to the deepest OF blue seas
are hardly to be surpassed elsewhere
in the world.
But there are other aspects TO
Jamaica than beautiful scenery.
Much of the country is undeveloped
and hat in cultivation in the inte-
rior is largely in the hands of negro
peasant proprietors, who tend their
few fruit trees, their yam gardens,
and their practices of the root that
made Jamaica famous'-ginger.
Many gaurt chimneys stand in the
plains to mark the sites of sugar
plantation manor houses of the
islands PALMER days. Along the
coastal swamps swarms Ct MOSQUE
toes attack worimen and wayfarers,
who must carry smouldering brands
or continually wave branches about
their heads.
Port Royal "Wickedest City" 9
"Kingston, the capital, is almost as
much a black mans town as
au-Prince. The two white persons
m every hundred negroes VINO nonii-
nallv are "a part of the citys popu-
,ation. live in special anu
manage shops and the larger enter
nrises. and the streets are siven up
ain, ost entirely to negroes. wen tiie
policemen and many of the JUDGES
are black.
"Jamaica's history has in many
WAYS been like that of Haiti. but 1t
has stopped short of the Haitian
climax. Columbus discovered lhe
island and called it Santa Gloria for
! a century and a half it was
then it fell to British
sem out by Cromwell. Port Royal
it's chief port, became the rehueN-
vo,1s of British buccaneers under lle
leadership of the notorious sir fieii-
nv The town, peopled larSe,,
Nv nv the men and women VINO iiVeu
on pirate gold, and gilded by theii
easily spent loot, gained the reputa
tion of being the richest n WICK
eldest city of it's day. But IKE 81
dom and Gomorrah it was s.ruck
down A severe earthquake occurred
in 1892 and Port Royal, It's very
stones stepped in iniquity' silppeo
into the sea.
peeominr Island of Rpnanas
"Jrnder Spanish exploitation the
Indian inhabitants of Jamaica wele
k;lIed or died. The Spahiarus
brought in some negro slaves ~
replace them, and in the lotl cen
t,,rv British plantation owners I'M
norted more than 100000 Africans
building up a large sugar ana rum
n%roduction. When slavery was apoi-
ished in 1880 many of the "hite
landlords left the island and numer-
one large sugar estates and minis
were abandoned. In late years "a.
| maica has become a more anu mp
;nonortant factor in supplying pa
ranas to both British and American
tahles. It's advantage over the Cen
trail American banana countries iles
chiefly in the fact that it is Two
DAYS nearer tho markets.
"The British have given some
cure of self government to the
Iamaicans but have retained hnai
oontrol A governor is appointed by
tha BRITISH king and presides over a
,nr;s1ative council Of which Is par
ishes administer local affairs