plateaus and on the mountain sides. The trade winds do much to modify
the heat and add to the agreeableness of the temperature. There are two
seasons, the wet and the dry, the first lasting from May to October, and
the dry the remainder of the year, the average rainfall being fifty-four
inches. The thermometer ranges from 60° to 92° Fahrenheit. Since the
American invasion when its various cities were cleaned up and made
sanitary Cuba claims to be the second healthiest country in the world,
with a death rate of 12.69 per thousand as against Australia’s 12.00 per
thousand.
Cuba’s population is 2,457,990, about half of whom are white and the
remainder black or mulattoes. The larger percentage of her foreign
inhabitants are Spaniards, who elected to remain after the close of the
war, and Americans.
Her government is of the republican representative type, consisting of a
President and Vice-President, elected for four years, and a Senate and
House of Representatives, the Constitution being based on that of the
United States.
Cuba has 2360 miles of steam railways, over 200 miles of electric
systems, and 1246 miles of excellent macadamized roads, which are
probably unsurpassed anywhere in the world, and are ideal for
automobiling, being over sixteen feet wide.
Most of the rivers of Cuba are short, with currents too swift for
navigation. Some of them can be used for short distances by shallow
draft boats, a favorite means of getting sugar to ports. The Cauto is
navigable for 50 miles and the Sagua la Grande for 20 miles.
Sugar is king in Cuba, the 1914 crop being worth $240,000,000, with only
4 per cent. of the available soil under cultivation, and but 172 estates
growing and grinding cane.
Tobacco ranks next in importance, the annual production averaging
$32,000,000. This industry is centered in the Province of Pinar del Rio
which grows the famous Vuelta Abajo leaf. Much of this tobacco is made
into cigars and cigarettes in the country, the local factories exporting
in 1913 $13,878,436 worth while leaf tobacco amounting to $17,604,299
was shipped abroad in the same time.
Although the groves are young and have not reached full bearing yet,
citrus fruits and vegetables to the extent of $10,000,000 were shipped
in 1913. Pineapples, henequen, cedar, mahogany, bananas, mangoes, figs,
cocoanuts, tamarinds, guavas, and honey valued at $8,000,000 are
annually exported.
In 1911, there were 1074 mines registered with the government, including
iron, copper, gold, mercury, lead, zinc, antimony, coal, asbestos,
asphalt and manganese, the total production of which in 1913 amounted to
$5,068,449, iron being the chief metal exported, valued at over
$4,000,000.
Excellent opportunities exist for truck-farming, bee-culture, lumbering,
and cattle-raising. Good markets for all these products prevail
throughout Cuba and also in the United States.
Nearly $400,000 worth of sponges and $50,000 worth of tortoise shell are
annually exported.
In 1913 Cuba exported goods valued at $165,135,059; her imports in the
same year being $143,826,829. Her export trade has increased 140 per
cent. in ten years and her imports 82 per cent. Since Cuba has been a
republic her foreign commerce has increased 250 per cent.
The United States takes 85 per cent. of Cuba’s exports, and supplies her
with about 60 per cent. of her requirements; the United Kingdom
receiving 11 per cent., Germany 2 per cent., France 1 per cent., and
Spain which formerly controlled this trade but four-tenths of one per
cent. England exports 13 per cent., Spain 8 per cent., Germany 7 per
cent. and France 6 per cent. of Cuba’s imports.
Cuba requires foodstuffs, textiles, shoes, machinery, tools, hardware,
chemicals, drugs, toilet and paper materials. The main articles of
import, and their value, last year were:
Potatoes $ 1,897,066
Condensed Milk 2,165,766
Flour 4,327,806
Lard 6,148,827
Hams 735,918
Wines and Liquors 1,473,391
Cotton Goods 12,648,470
Shoes 4,980,055
Cuba has just established its own coinage. Its monetary system is on a
gold basis. The unit is the gold _peso_, worth exactly one dollar,
United States money. A silver fractional currency, with subsidiary coins
resembling our nickel, two and one cent pieces, is employed, these also
being the equivalent in value of American money of the same
denomination. Formerly American currency was in use, and the
possibilities are that it will continue to be accepted at its face value
through the island.
Banking houses in close association with American financial institutions
are numerous here and every modern facility in this connection is
afforded. American capital is largely invested in various enterprises;
England and Canada are also well represented here.
Commercial travellers pay no tax in Cuba, and samples are admitted duty
free.
Travel is convenient and comfortable and the hotels fairly good,
especially in the cities.
The following places should be visited:
_Population_
Havana 350,000
Matanzas 75,000
Cienfuegos 75,000
Camaqüey 70,000
Manzanillo. 56,000
Santiago 55,000
Pinar del Rio 53,000
Santa Clara 48,000
Guantanamo 45,000
Trinidad 31,000
Cardenas 30,000
Guanabacoa 27,000
Cuba may be reached by rail or water routes, it now being possible owing
to an ocean ferry via Florida to land in Havana in the sleeper in which
one left New York.
There are 22 steamers a week from the leading ports of the United States
for Cuba, in addition to others regularly from Europe and Mexico. There
are weekly ships from New York, Boston, New Orleans, Mobile and
Galveston to Havana. There is also direct daily service between Tampa,
Florida and Havana.
XV
SANTO DOMINGO
The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern and larger section of the
island known as Santo Domingo or Haiti.
This island was discovered by Columbus on his first voyage December 6,
1492. The peaceable aborigines whom he found on landing were so abused
under the Spanish rule, that by the year 1500 fully 90 per cent. had
died and the colonists turned to Africa for slaves to work their
estates, 4000 being brought here in 1517.
French, Dutch and English buccaneers made this island their rendezvous
owing to its favorable location. France recognized them as constituting
a state in 1630 and gave them the protection of the home government. In
1697 France secured control over the western half of the island, and in
1795 obtained by treaty the remaining portion.
In 1809 Spain and France were at war, and Spanish rule was again
established on the island. The Spanish-speaking section of this
territory declared its independence of Spain in 1821 and in 1822 the
Haitians acquired control of the entire island, governing it until 1844,
when as the result of a rebellion in 1846 Santo Domingo became
independent, remaining so until 1861 when again fearing conquest she
petitioned Spain to direct her destinies. Following a revolution in
1863, Spanish rule terminated in 1865, the country since being known as
the Dominican Republic. Uprisings and revolutions followed each other
and foreign debts accumulated to such an extent that European invasion
was threatened. In 1907 the United States undertook to administer the
affairs of the government through American officials, cancelling each
year from the revenues of the country a portion of its foreign debt,
using another portion for internal national improvements.
The present constitution provides for a President as an executive and a
Senate and Chamber of Deputies for legislative purposes.
The island of Santo Domingo, or Haiti, is about 400 miles long and 160
wide, its shores possessing numerous deep-water bays and inlets. Four
almost parallel mountain-ranges exist within its boundaries, one peak,
Mt. Tina, being 10,300 feet in altitude. These mountains form an
excellent watershed, resulting in many creeks and streams, but few
navigable and those only for very light draft boats.
Along the coast and in the lowlands, the heat is extreme, Haiti being
much warmer than Santo Domingo. The high lands of the interior and the
plateaus between the mountains are pleasant and healthful. Continuous
sea breezes add materially to the comfort of the inhabitants.
The Dominican Republic has an area of 19,325 square miles and a
population of 673,611, mostly blacks or mulattoes. There is a small
white foreign population, numbering perhaps 10,000.
There are 160 miles of railway, partially under government ownership,
and 250 miles of railway privately owned and used in connection with the
larger sugar estates.
There exist exceptional opportunities for cattle and goat raising.
Lumbering of hard, dye and cabinet woods could be profitably developed.
Gold is washed from the rivers in small quantities and some copper, iron
and silver are found.
Cane is extensively grown throughout the island, the amount exported in
1912 being $5,841,357. Cocoa is largely raised, the crop last year
yielding $4,248,724. Tobacco, coffee, beeswax, honey, bananas,
lignum-vitae, dye woods, mahogany, gums, resins, hides and copra form
the other leading items of its exports which in 1913 amounted to
$12,385,248.
In the same period her imports were $8,217,898, consisting of cotton
goods valued at $2,000,000, iron and steel, $1,400,000, meat and butter
$660,000, flour $450,000, drugs $225,000, paper $125,000, and soap
$100,000. Last year this country used 16,221,141 pounds of rice, 94.5
per cent. of which came from Germany, a land that does not grow a pound
of this cereal.
The United States takes considerably more than 50 per cent. of this
country’s exports, and ships it about 70 per cent. of its requirements,
Germany ranking next, followed by England and France.
Santo Domingo has no currency of its own, but uses American money. An
American bank in Santo Domingo City exists, being the only financial
institution in the country, and affords every facility in monetary
matters. Credits are fairly good and detailed information will be
supplied by the bank.
Travelers pay no tax and samples are admitted duty free.
The chief cities are:
_Population_
Santo Domingo 30,000
Santiago 15,000
Puerto Plata 10,000
San Pedro de Macoris 7,000
Sanchez 5,000
The Clyde S. S. Company (American) maintains a semi-monthly service from
New York touching all the ports of the Republic. There are many European
lines calling at the various ports also.
XVI
HAITI
Much of the history of Haiti is associated with its neighbor, Santo
Domingo, and need not be again told. After the French had established
their government in this island they imported negroes from Africa as
slaves. These revolted in 1791 and in 1801 declared their independence,
finally expelling the French in 1804. This land has been the scene of
much bloodshed and lacks stability in its government, as it always will
until taken under the control of some strong power.
Its geography and climatic conditions are the same as those of Santo
Domingo, its area of 10,200 square miles supporting a population
estimated at 2,000,000, French or a “patois” being the language spoken.
Perhaps 95 per cent. of its inhabitants are negroes, or have negro
blood. The country is backward. But few attempts have been made to
modernize it and it is to-day one of the most hopeless nations of this
hemisphere. About 75 miles of railways are in operation. No navigable
streams exist. There are no roads, travel in the interior being over
trails. The natives are ignorant, uneducated and in some portions of the
land are supposed to practice cannibalism. There are two seasons—a rainy
and a dry—the rainy lasting from April to November.
Haiti’s chief products are coffee, 40,000 tons of which were exported
last year, cocoa, dye woods and cabinet woods, medicinal gums, rubber,
castor oil bean and bark for tanning. Her exports of $17,300,000 for
1913 were divided as follows:
France $8,500,000
Germany 6,400,000
United Kingdom 1,300,000
United States 1,100,000
while her imports for the same period amounted to $8,700,000, credited
to the following nations:
United States $6,500,000
France 800,000
United Kingdom 630,000
Germany 530,000
Others 240,000
Her requirements are for flour, rice, foodstuffs, candles, oil, cotton
goods, shoes, hats, and tools.
The country is retrograding and there is no inducement to capital to
revive its exhausted financial condition.
The monetary system is in a hopeless tangle, and is on an inconvertible
paper basis, a _gourde_ the unit of value, fluctuating from 20 to 24
cents, U. S. Gold. There has been some talk of placing its finances on a
gold basis, but this is visionary. There is one bank—Banque Nationale de
la Republique d’Haiti, financed by American money, but it has been
closed by the government. No one can authoritatively state with
certainty as to the outcome in consequence of this condition of affairs.
Credits should be closely watched. Owing to the heavy national debt and
the inability of the government to administer its affairs, it is quite
possible that the United States will sooner or later be forced to play
the rôle it is at present doing in Santo Domingo.
There is a tax for travellers but by arrangement with some of the petty
municipal authorities the full sum need not be paid. Samples are
supposed to be free.
Haiti may be reached from New York via the Clyde Line (American) which
disembarks its passengers in Santo Domingo. Tramp steamers or coasting
vessels may there be taken to Haitian ports, or one may go directly by
the Royal Dutch West India Mail line sailing twice a month from New
York.
The principal cities of Haiti are:
_Population_
Port au Prince 65,000
Jeremie 35,000
Cape Haitien 30,000
Aux Cayes 25,000
Mole St. Nicholas 12,000
XVII
PORTO RICO
Porto Rico was discovered by Columbus in 1493, and colonized by Ponce de
Leon in 1509. Because the greater percentage of the population of the
island speak Spanish and have the traits, desires and inclinations of
that race, it may be briefly considered despite the fact that it has
been an American possession since 1898. Within another 25 years
practically all of its 1,120,000 inhabitants will be able to speak or
understand English, which is now taught in all the schools, education
being compulsory. A large portion of the population are negroes and
mulattoes. There are also many Americans and Europeans.
The island is 100 miles long and 35 wide, containing 2,300,000 acres of
which but 24 per cent. is under cultivation. It is extremely mountainous
toward the interior, one peak reaching a height of 3700 feet, the
lowland on which sugar is cultivated being along the coast. The climate
is warm but equable and comfortable, the trade winds moderating any
tendency toward excessive heat. Porto Rico is a land of continual
summer, and maintains its extreme verdure owing to its rainfall which
has an annual average of 77.30 inches.
Porto Rico has about 500 miles of steam railways, and nearly 1000 miles
of excellent roads. There are no navigable rivers, but many good
harbors.
Its government is under the control of the Insular Board of the United
States War Department, a governor being appointed by the President of
the United States. The Governor has as Council, six resident American
officials, and six natives, who with a House of Delegates of 35 members,
constitute the Legislative Assembly, the veto power being held by the
Executive; legislation is subject to the final revision of the Congress
of the United States. A Resident Commissioner to the United States
having a seat in Congress is elected by the people every two years.
Since the yoke of Spain was cast off the island has progressed
wonderfully under American management. In 1904 its exports amounted to
$16,250,000 and had grown to the enormous sum of $43,000,000 in 1914,
while its imports in 1904 were $13,000,000; they had increased in 10
years to $35,500,000. Its development and prosperity have been steadily
upward. Owing to the fact that it has free trade with the United States,
we do most of its business, last year taking $34,400,000 of its exports
and sending it $31,750,000 of its imports.
Its chief exports are:
Sugar (400,000 tons) $28,000,000
Tobacco (170,000,000 cigars, 12,000,000 packs cigarettes) 5,000,000
Coffee (20,000 tons) 7,000,000
Fruits (oranges, pineapples, grape-fruit, cocoanuts) 3,000,000
Porto Rico is essentially an agricultural country and will remain so.
Cattle can be raised. There are no mineral resources.
Its requirements are for foodstuffs, flour, meats, tools, fertilizer,
oil, machinery, cement, structural iron, vegetables, dried fruits, and
fish, cotton goods, shoes, wines and liquors, confectionery, butter, and
toilet articles.
United States money is used exclusively, as are also our systems of
weights and measures. Direct banking is done with the United States
through nine banks in the island.
English is the official tongue, Spanish the popular language.
There are no travelers’ taxes and samples pay no duty.
The following cities are the most important:
_Cities_ _Population_
San Juan 50,000
Ponce 35,000
Mayaguez 17,000
Caguas 11,000
Arecibo 10,000
Fajardo 9,000
Yauco 8,500
Guayama 8,500
Humacao 7,000
Aguadilla 6,000
Cayey 5,000
Coamo 4,000
Thirteen lines of vessels connect this island with the United States,
four going direct to New York and providing a semi-weekly mail service.
There are also ships to Europe as well as the nearby islands.
XVIII
THE GUIANAS: BRITISH, DUTCH AND FRENCH
Most travelers ignore British, Dutch and French Guiana, assuming that
climatic conditions are unfavorable and the small size of the population
means no demand for goods. The fact is that they are not unhealthful,
that their credit is good, their merchants reliable, their purchasing
power in proportion to their inhabitants is excellent and especially the
Dutch and British colonies are friendly to us and what we produce. They
are well worth a visit, and spend annually in the United States jointly
about $3,000,000. Furthermore, they are easily accessible from either
Trinidad or Barbados.
British Guiana is by far the largest and most prosperous. This entire
tract was at one time in the possession of Spain and was under its
control until 1624. The Dutch in 1648, after the close of their war with
Spain, and through one of their mercantile companies, obtained a trading
port in what afterwards became known as Dutch Guiana. Following their
move, the English under Sir Walter Raleigh, acquired their present
possession, establishing a town now known as Surinam, the English
afterwards giving a portion of this territory to the Dutch in exchange
for their holdings in North America. About the same time the French
established a colony at Cayenne, and later on came near being embroiled
in a war with Brazil over the boundary line, which was finally amicably
adjusted.
These three European colonies, the only ones by the way, in South
America, British Guiana being the most westerly, French Guiana the
eastern and Dutch Guiana between the others, have for their northern
boundary the Atlantic Ocean. Venezuela is the western neighbor of
British Guiana. Brazil touches each of these colonies as their southern
border, also forming the western boundary of French Guiana.
The topography of all of these possessions is similar. Toward the
interior are mountains whose watershed forms many small rivers and
creeks flowing toward the Atlantic. Between the mountains and the ocean
are broad fields or savannahs, millions of acres in extent, which
gradually terminate in the low lands near the sea. In the highlands and
toward the mountains of the interior the climate is spring-like, but it
is always very warm along the coast, the temperature being about 80°
Fahrenheit, the entire year. There is much rainfall—100 inches being the
annual average.
British Guiana covers an area of 90,277 square miles, with a population
of about 300,000, composed of about 160,000 coolies, imported by
contract from India and under the supervision of the British government,
the remainder being white, black and mixed breeds. The native Indians
have never been counted owing to the inaccessible location of their
settlements. The East Indians were brought for the purpose of working
sugar plantations, labor being very scarce. There are also about 5000
Chinese.
Georgetown with 55,000 inhabitants is the capital, the other settlements
being Essequibo and Berbice.
The exports which represent the country’s products were in 1913:
Sugar $5,250,000
Rum 1,000,000
Gold 1,400,000
Balata 800,000
Rice 500,000
Diamonds 80,000
Of this the United Kingdom took goods worth $9,300,000 and the United
States but $125,000.
During the same period, the imports amounted to $7,750,000, England and
her colonies supplying $5,545,000 and the United States $1,800,000.
This colony has about 100 miles of railway, its many rivers and creeks
sufficing for its interior transportation.
No traveler’s license is required.
Banking is done through Canada and London; banks in these places having
branches in Georgetown and selling exchange on New York. English or
American money is used.
Sugar is the great crop here and rum, a byproduct from the sugar cane,
the next largest. Cattle might be raised extensively. The forests are
rich in cabinet woods. Cocoa, rice, bananas, rubber and cocoanuts could
be more extensively grown. There are some gold and a few diamond mines
in operation. This colony could be much more highly developed.
The business is almost entirely in the hands of the British, England
selling about 65 per cent. of its requirements and the United States 25
per cent.
They import bags and sacks, boots and shoes, flour, corn meal, coal,
drugs and medicines, vegetables, hardware, machinery, clothes, textiles,
oils, wines and liquors, tobacco, cigars and cigarettes.
Georgetown is the only town to visit, and is best reached by either one
of the several steamers sailing from Trinidad or Barbados.
Dutch Guiana, sometimes called Surinam, is 46,060 square miles in area,
with a population of 87,500, mostly Indians, negroes and Javanese, who
are brought out to work the canefields. The proportion of white is small
and they are mostly merchants and government employes.
This country is susceptible of agricultural development, its products
and requirements being the same as British Guiana. Paramaribo, with
40,000 inhabitants, is the capital and only town that will repay a
visit. This colony is not very progressive, and its trade is decreasing.
In 1912 its exports were $3,500,000, mostly sugar, with some cocoa,
coffee, balata, gold, bananas and rum, of which Holland took $1,500,000
worth and the United States $900,000.
It imported goods to the value of $3,000,000, Holland supplying
$1,700,000 and the United States $700,000.
There are opportunities here but for some reason the colony has been
neglected, the capital, Paramaribo, having no modern conveniences, not
even a water supply, although it is ideally located for sewerage and
aqueducts.
Dutch money is in use, although American and English is accepted.
Merchants maintain accounts in New York or Europe for their
requirements. Credits are good. English is spoken by all business men.
The Royal Dutch West Indies Mail direct from New York has two sailings a
month for this colony. It is also accessible from Trinidad, Curaçao, and
Barbados.
French Guiana has 49,000 square miles of territory, with a population of
about 13,500, some 8,500 of which are convicts, as this is a penal
settlement. Capt. Dreyfus was confined here on Devil’s Island. This is
the least developed and less promising of these colonies. There is
little agriculture and less cattle raising. Whatever trade there is is
controlled by France.
In 1912 the exports were:
Gold $2,000,000
Phosphate 55,000
Balata 20,000
Rosewood oil 46,000
Rosewood 19,000
Cocoa and hide 2,400,000
Most of this was shipped direct to the mother country.