File:Puerto Rico and its resources (1899) (14590813957).jpg

Identifier: puertoricoitsres00ober (find matches)
Title: Puerto Rico and its resources
Year: 1899 (1890s)
Authors: Ober, Frederick A. (Frederick Albion), 1849-1913
Subjects: Natural resources
Publisher: New York, D. Appleton and Co.
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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ter por-tion is hilly, even mountainous, yet the elevationsare generally of such a character, with gently slop-ing sides and rounded summits, that they are sus-ceptible of cultivation to their very tops. No morebeautiful picture can be imagined than the aspectof this island as it is approached from the sea, withthe ranges of hills rolling like billows from coast tomountain-tops, which latter are mostly forest-clad;and thus every tint of vegetation is seen, from thelightest to the deepest shade of green. To revert to the features which make the islandvaluable as a naval station: Although most of thestreams descending from the mountains flow north-wardly, yet very few have open or navigable har-bours at their mouths, and most of the good sea-ports are on the southern shore. Tho north coastboasts one important harbour, however, to whichevents of the war have called attention, in thefamous port of San Juan, the capital and only forti-fied city on the island. It is an inlet of the northern
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COMMERCIAL AND STRATEGIC VALUE. 9 coast, about one third the distance, or thirty-fivemiles, from Cape San Juan, in the east, to CapePena Aguda, in the extreme west. The width ofthe navigable channel at its mouth is about fourhundred yards, and when the water is smooth, ves-sels carrying five fathoms can cross the bar insafety and run in as far as the wharves near thearsenal. But vessels with the average draft ofour battle-ships, or say twenty-four feet, have toexercise great caution in entering, and at all timeshave to pass within biscuit-throw of the powerfulbatteries and fortifications on the eastern side. When a storm is raging or a norther blowing,the harbour mouth, or boca, is a sheet of tossing,seething billows, through which the most experi-enced pilot can only navigate at extreme risk oflosing his vessel. Inside, though exposed to thenorthers, is a deep and beautiful harbour, whichcan doubtless be improved by dredging and thebuilding of breakwaters, so as to be safe even inthe

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