BY Author of "Cuba" and "The Philippines." NEW YORK STREET & SMITH, P ublishers 81 F ulton S treet Copyrighted 1898 by S treet & S mith ....

THE ABORIGINES OF PORTO RICO. Porto Rico, or Puerto Rico, as it is sometimes called, has lately become of the first importance in the eyes of the world. To Americans it has assumed special interest, as it is now practically in the possession of the United States, and sooner or later will be represented by a new star in our beautiful flag, that flag which recently, by the magnificent exploits of our navy and army, has assumed a greater importance than ever among the standards of the universe. Unc

STRUGGLES OF THE PAST. Ever since the days of Ponce de Leon, Porto Rico has been a Spanish possession. It has never been captured, although many attempts have been made to take it both by external and internal forces. None of these attacks seriously affected Spanish authority on the island. But although the island has never been taken, it has been sacked. It may be said that it was pirates who did this, for while the commanders of several of the expeditions against the island bore great names, t

TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE. Now that there is no doubt of the acquisition of Porto Rico by the United States, many of our people will be going there, and it is therefore of great interest to note how its general features will please and its climate be adapted to Americans. The island is most eastern of the Greater Antilles, and it is the fourth in size and importance of all the islands of the West Indies. In fact, in point of density of population and general prosperity, it takes the first place. On

POPULATION AND TOWNS. According to the latest statistics, the entire population of the island of Porto Rico is estimated at 900,000. Of these about 140,000 are peninsulares , as the natives of Spain have been termed throughout her former colonies. From 12,000 to 14,000 are foreigners, mostly Frenchmen, Germans, Italians, Englishmen and Americans. Other nationalities have little or no representation. The so-called native population is composed of two-thirds whites who are descendants of Spaniards

RESOURCES. It is somewhat difficult to tell exactly what is the commercial value of the new colonial possessions which the Spanish-American war has placed at the disposal of the United States. The figures are naturally based upon the conditions which prevailed under Spanish rule. But, all for all, it may be said that Porto Rico, taking into consideration its area, has been the most valuable of all Spain's colonial possessions. For some reason, which seems to be inscrutable, Spain has given the i

MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. Let us examine briefly in the first place what has been the management of Porto Rico under Spanish rule, or, rather, perhaps we should call it mismanagement, for no one of Spain's colonies has ever been properly directed. Porto Rico has been governed under a constitution voted by the Spanish Cortes in 1869. The government has been administered by a captain-general, assisted by an administrative council appointed at Madrid. The revenue has been about four millions of dollars

THE DAWN OF FREEDOM. When the United States declared war against Spain for the purpose of freeing Cuba from Spanish misrule under which she had suffered for so long, and also with the desire to avenge the dastardly blowing up of the Maine, but little or no thought was given to Porto Rico. That island was an unknown quantity, but still one which was destined to play a considerable part in the near future. This was in the natural sequence of events. After the terrible havoc wrought by our navy at

NAVAL LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE WAR. After the remarkable victory at Santiago de Cuba, where Admiral Cervera's fleet, which attempted to steal out of the harbor, with the loss of but one man on the American side, Admiral Sampson, with a portion of his fleet, proceeded to San Juan in Porto Rico. This city he bombarded, directing his principal fire against Morro Castle. What followed bears strong testimony to the remarkable gunnery of our "jackies." Morro Castle and the buildings on the high ground in

WHAT OUR ARMY ACHIEVED. Now to turn from the navy to the army, and see what the latter achieved in Porto Rico. On July 21, 1898, General Miles sailed from Guantanamo Bay with a force of 3,415 men. General Wilson had sailed the day before from Charleston with 4,000 men, and General Schwan and his command sailed from Port Tampa two days later. The entire army of invasion numbered about eleven thousand men. The hardships on the transports were very great. The Massachusetts carried three troops of c

HOW THE PORTO RICANS RECEIVED US. Whatever may have been the attitude and feelings of the Spanish officials and Spanish troops, there can be no doubt that the Porto Ricans themselves welcomed most enthusiastically the advent of the Americans and the dawn of a new era. The joy manifested at the sight of invaders in a conquered country was most extraordinary, and we can affirm with truth that it has no parallel in history. It was most fortunate that little or no fighting took place, as thus many v

OUR CLAIM TO PORTO RICO. One great question raised by the recent war was that of territorial expansion, and this question called forth many expressions of opinion both for and against. There is no doubt, however, but that Porto Rico is ours by the right of conquest, and that it would be a crime from every point of view for us not to retain it. That we shall retain it, too, now seems certain. Let us now, in the first place, look back and see what two of our most prominent statesmen have said in t

WHAT THE POSSESSION OF PORTO RICO WILL MEAN. The heading of this chapter presents a most difficult problem at this time. It would require an inspired prophet to answer the question, and all that we can do is to look at it as dispassionately as possible, and to show the opinions of those who are more or less informed upon the subject. From these opinions the reader must of necessity draw his own conjectures. Of course, from the very nature of conditions the land is at the present time of writing