Increase Of Population

ALL statements of definite numbers with respect to the aboriginal

population of this island are essentially fabulous. Columbus touched

at only one port on the western shore. He remained there but a few

days and did not come in contact with the inhabitants. Ponce and his

men conquered but a part of the island, and had no time to study the

question of population, even if they had had the inclination to do so.

They did no count the enemy in time of war, and only interested

themselves in the number of prisoners which to them constituted the

spoils of conquest. Any calculation regarding the numbers that

remained at large, based on the number of Indians distributed, can not

be correct.



The same may be said of the computations of the population of the

island made by Abbad, O'Reilly, and others at a time when there was

not a correct statistical survey existing in the most civilized

countries of Europe. None of these computations exceed the limits of

mere conjecture.



With regard to the attempts to explain the causes of the decay and

ultimate disappearance of the aboriginal race, this subject also

appears to be involved in considerable doubt and obscurity,

notwithstanding the positive statements of native writers regarding

it. It has been impossible to ascertain in what degree they became

amalgamated by intermarriage with the conquerors; yet, that it has

been to a much larger degree than generally supposed, is proved by the

fact that many of the inhabitants, classed as white, have, both in

their features and manners, definite traces of the Indian race.



With respect to the census taken by the Spanish authorities at

different times, though they may have taken great pains to obtain

correct statistical accounts, there is little doubt that the real

numbers greatly exceeded those which appear in the official returns.

The reason for this discrepancy is supposed by the author mentioned to

have been the direct contribution which was levied on agricultural

property, inducing the landed proprietors to conceal the real number

of their slaves in order to make their crops appear to have been

smaller than they were.



Nor does it appear that the increase in the population of Puerto Rico

is so much indebted to immigration as is generally supposed; for,

notwithstanding the advantages offered to colonists by the Government

in 1815, and the influx of settlers from Santo Domingo and Venezuela

during the civil wars in these republics, there were only 2,833

naturalized foreigners in the island in 1830. It appears also that the

Spanish immigration from the revolted colonies did not exceed 7,000

souls.



Puerto Rico had the reputation of being very poor, consequently, no

immigrants were attracted by the prospect of money-making. The

increase in the population of this island is sufficiently accounted

for by the fact that three-fourths of the inhabitants are engaged in

agricultural pursuits, which, of all occupations, are most conducive

to health. To which must be added the people's frugal habits, the easy

morals, the effect of climate, and the fecundity of the women of all

mixed races. These, and the peace which the island enjoyed in the

beginning of the nineteenth century, together with the abolition of

some of the restrictions on commerce and industry, promoted an era of

prosperity the like of which the inhabitants had never before known,

and the natural consequence was increase in numbers.



"In those days," says Colonel Flinter, "if some perfect stranger had

dropped from the clouds as it were, on this island, naked, without any

other auxiliaries than health and strength, he might have married the

next day and maintained a family without suffering more hardships or

privations than fall to the lot of every laborer in the ordinary

process of clearing and cultivating a piece of land."



The earliest information on the subject was given by Alexander

O'Reilly, the royal commissioner to the Antilles in 1765, who

enumerates a list of 24 towns and settlements with a total population

of



Free men, women, and children of all colors....39,846

Slaves of both sexes, including their children ........5,037

Total.................................................44,883



Abbad, in his "general statistics of the island," corresponding to

the end of the year 1776, gives the details of the population in 30

"partidas," or ecclesiastical districts, as follows:





Whites 29,263

Free colored people 33,808

Free blacks 2,803

Other free people ("agregados") 7,835

Slaves 6,537

- - -

Total 80,246



That is to say, an increase of 7-311 per cent per annum during the

eleven years elapsed since O'Reilly's computation, which was a period

of constant apprehension of attacks by pirates and privateers.



From 1782 to 1802 there were three censuses taken showing the

following totals:



In 1782 81,180 souls.

" 1792 115,557 "

" 1802 163,192 "



From 1800 to 1815, there was universal poverty and depression in the

island in consequence of the prohibitive system introduced by the

Spanish authorities in all branches of commerce and industry, and the

sudden failure of the annual remittances from Mexico in consequence of

the insurrection. Still, the population had increased from 163,192 in

1802 to 220,892 in 1815.



From this year forward a great improvement in the island's general

condition set in, thanks to the efforts of Don Ramon Power, Puerto

Rico's delegate to Cortes, who obtained for the island, in November,

1811, the freedom of commerce with foreign nations, and by the

appointment of Intendant Ramirez procured the suppression of many

abuses and monopolies.



The royal schedule of August 13, 1815, called "the schedule of

graces," also contributed to the general improvement by the opening of

the ports to immigrants, though short-sighted restrictions destroyed

the beneficent effects of the measure to no small extent. However,

immigrants came, and among them 83 practical agriculturists from

Louisiana, with slaves and capital.



The census of 1834 gives the total population on an area of 330 square

leagues, in the proportion of 981-16 inhabitants per square league,

as follows:



Whites.......................... 188,869



Colored..........................126,400



Slaves........................... 41,817



Troops and prisoners.............. 1,730



Total........................... 358,836



This year shows an increase in the proportion of the slave population

over the free population since 1815, due to the free introduction of

slaves and the slaves brought by the immigrants.



A statistical commission for the island of Puerto Rico was created in

1845. The census taken under its auspices in the following year may be

considered reliable. The total figures are:



Whites........................... 216,083



Free colored......................175,791



Slaves............................ 51,265



Total............................ 443,139



In 1855 cholera morbus raged throughout the island, especially among

the colored population, and carried off 9,529 slaves alone.



The next census shows the progressive increase of inhabitants. It was

conducted by royal decree of September 30,1858, on the nights of

December 25 and 26, 1860. The official memorial gives the following

totals:



Whites................................ 300,430

Free colored.......................... 341,015

Slaves................................ 41,736

Unclassified.......................... 127



Total............................. 583,308



or 1,802.2 inhabitants per square league; one of the densest

populations on the globe, and the densest in the Antilles at the time

except Barbados.



The annual increase of population in Puerto Rico, according to the

calculations of Colonel Flinter, was:



From 1778-1802 ... 24 years ... 5-12 per cent per annum.

" 1802-1812 ... 10 " ... 1-15 " "

1812-1820 ... 8 " ... 3-14 " "

" 1820-1830 ... 10 " ... 4 " "

" 1830-1846 ... 16 " ... 3-15 " "

" 1846-1860 ... 14 " ... 3.72 " "



or an average annual increase of a little less than 4 per cent in a

period of eighty-two years.



From 1860 to 1864 the increase was small, but from that year to the

end of Spanish domination the percentage of increase was larger than

in any of the preceding periods.



The treaty of Paris brought 894,302 souls under the protection of the

American flag. They consisted of 570,187 whites, 239,808 of mixed

race, and 75,824 negroes.