348 CUBA AND POETO KICO 



mitigated by the sea-breezes and fresh winds from the 

 mountains. Violent hurricanes and earthquakes some- 

 times occur. 



The island has no deep harbors, although there are three 

 indentations which afford good shelter. The principal of 

 these is the Bay of Fort-de-France, the capital of the island, 

 and the headquarters of the French admiralty in the West 

 Indies. On the south side are the Grande Anse du Dia- 

 mante and the Bay du Marin ; on the west there are several 

 other small coves. The eastern side is a dangerous shore, 

 where the Atlantic breakers roar and foam in a grand and 

 indescribable surf, which prohibits approach to land. 



Martinique was originally settled by the French in 1G65, 

 and with the exception of twenty-two years, between 1794 

 and 1816, when it was held by the English, it has always 

 been French. It is now a favored colony of France, con- 

 stituting a department of the republic, with a governor and 

 excellent administration, sending a senator and two depu- 

 ties to the National Assembly at Paris. 



The imports for 1896 aggregated about $5,721,000, and 

 the exports about $5,358,000. In 1895-96 the United 

 States sent $1,502,332 worth of goods to the island. The 

 food- stuffs of the United States are absolutely necessary 

 to the life of the colony, but the United States takes almost 

 nothing from Martinique in return. Sugar, coffee, cocoa, 

 tobacco, cotton, and rum are the principal products, and 

 all the plantations producing these are in a flourishing 

 state in comparison with those of the adjacent British 

 islands. There are seventeen large central usines, and 

 upward of five hundred ordinary sugar-works. 



One fourth the revenue of the island ($1,342,000) is 

 devoted to education. There is a law school at Fort-de- 

 France, with seventy-six students. There are three secon- 

 dary schools, with four hundred and eighty-seven pupils ; a 

 normal school ; thirty-eight primary schools, with ten thou- 

 sand pupils; and thirteen clerical and private schools. 

 There are also two government hospitals, military and 



