t fifty years ago a
project was formed to build a reservoir, and the plans were approved by
the government. But, with that spirit of procrastination so
characteristic of the Spanish, in all public and private walks of life,
and which is known as manana, the reservoir has never been completed.

The harbor of San Juan is in almost all respects a very fine one. On the
east and south it is surrounded by swamps, and on the west it is
protected by the islands of Cabra and Cabrita, which are practically
connected to the mainland by sandbars. There are strong fortifications
which guard the entrance to the outer harbor.

The inner harbor is spacious and landlocked. It has been dredged to a
uniform depth of twenty-nine feet from the docks to the anchorage.

The old city is divided into four wards, three of which are outside of
the fortifications. The houses are of stone, or brick, and from the
roofs beautiful sea views may be obtained. In the patio or court of
almost every house there is a garden.

Besides Ponce and San Juan, the largest towns on the island are Arecibo
(30,000 inhabitants), Utuado (31,000), Mauaguez (28,000), San German
(20,000) Yanco (25,000), and Juana Diaz (21,000). There are also about a
dozen other towns with a population of 15,000 or over.

These figures are only approximate, as no regular census has been taken
in ten years, and even then the Spanish officials were none too correct.

Railways on the island can as yet be said to be only in their infancy.
There is only about 150 miles of railroad, with about as much more in
construction. It is intended to have stretches of railroad parallel with
the coast, which shall make the entire circuit of the island. From
these there will be short branches to all the seaports and inland
markets.

The cart roads are very primitive, some of them being little better than
cattle tracks. There is, however, be it remembered, one fine road, which
extends across the island from San Juan to Ponce.

The telegraph system is also in a very incomplete state and is poorly
managed.

There is one line of cable which runs to Cuba, Mexico, Panama and the
coasts of the South American continent, and another which connects the
island with St. Thomas, Jamaica, and thus the rest of the world.

CHAPTER V.

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 disp