The city of Ponce is the largest, with a population of about 38,000 and an export trade of vast extent. It is the chief sugar-shipping point, though it has no good harbor, and lies nearly three miles from the sea. It is a rather fine city, with a pretty plaza and a grand cathedral, and its houses, like those of San Juan, are all built of stone. Other harbors are: On the east coast, Fajardo and Humacao; on the north, besides San Juan, Arrecibo; on the west, Aguadilla and Mayaguez, at the former of which Columbus watered his caravels in 1493, and where the original spring still gushes forth. Going with Puerto Rico are two small islands called Culebra and Vieque, mainly inhabited by fishermen, but with fine forests of dye and cabinet woods to be exploited. The commerce of the island is mainly with the United States. We gained $1,000,000 a year in exports to this island for the last ten years, and nearly $3,000,000 in imports. With a staple government and under wise control, Puerto Rico will more nearly attain to its full productiveness. The annual sugar yield is estimated at near 70,000 tons; that of coffee, 17,000 tons; bananas, nearly 200,000,000; cocoanuts, 3,000,000, and tobacco, 7,000,000 pounds. Gold was originally abundant here, and copper, iron and lead have been found. With enterprise and protection to life and property they will be profitably exploited. COLONIAL POSSESSIONS OF SPAIN. The loss of Cuba and Puerto Rico did not leave Spain without colonial possessions, as the subjoined table will show: Area--English Possessions in Asia square miles. Population. Philippine Islands 114,326 7,000,000 Sulu Islands 950 73,000 Caroline Islands and Palaos 560 36,000 Marianne Islands 420 10,172 ------- --------- Total Asiatic possessions 116,256 7,121,172 Possessions in Africa Rio de Oro and Adrar 243,000 100,000 Ifni 27 6,000 Fernando Po, Annabon, Corsico, Elobey, San Juan 850 30,000 ------- ------- Total African possessions 243,877 136,000 The Sulu archipelago lies southwest of the Island of Mindanao, and directly south of Manila and the Mindora sea. The chief island gives its name to the group, which extends to the three-mile limit of Borneo. The area of the whole is estimated at 950 square miles; the population at 75,000 Melanesians.