Cedar, lignum vitze, mahogany, and other cabinet-woods and timber used in house- and ship-building, are taken from the forests. The most luxuriant growths, however, have no pres ent commercial importance, because adequate means do not exist for bringing them from the interior regions to the coast. As in other parts of the Antilles, the forms of vegetable life are varied and of special interest, while the reverse is true of the fauna.
History.— Columbus on his first voyage to America visited the north coast of the island and left a few of his men. These were killed by the natives; but the colony of Isabel, es tablished on his second voyage, endured until the colonists were transferred to a more healthful locality. The settlement on the south coast became eventually the chief city. Spanish settlements existed also at Concepcion de la Vega, Puerto Plata, Santiago de los Caballeros and Bonao in the first decade of the 16th cen tury. The cultivation of sugar-cane began in 1506. Three years later Christopher and Bar tholomew Columbus were imprisoned by Boba dilla in the citadel of Santo Domingo. The natives were set to work in the mines and fields; and very soon shiploads of Indians were being transported from other islands to replace those who died under the hardships of this forced labor. Subsequently negroes were brought from Africa for the same purpose, a considerable number of black slaves reaching the colony before 1522. There was a short period of prosperity. Before the middle of the century, however, the most enterprising colo nists were drawn away by the superior attrac tions of Mexico and Peru, and the country be gan to suffer from the attacks of English and French buccaneers, who established their head quarters on a small island near the northwest corner of Haiti. In the course of a century and a half the section west of the Despoblado, now known as the Republic of Haiti, was won for France. The Spanish government at the close of the 18th century abandoned the eastern sec tion as well, the entire island passing first. under French control; but soon afterward the successes of Toussaint L'Ouverture and Des salines united west and east in one country, independent of the European powers and gov erned by the black revolutionists of Haiti. Be tween 1809 and 1821 Spain again held the east ern section, and the old name Santo Domingo was revived with that limited application; but in the year last mentioned the inhabitants of the Spanish part of the island revolted. The east ern and western sections were united from 1822 to 1843, together forming the Republic of Haiti. The final separation took place in 1844, when the Dominican Republic was established. Spain reasserted her authority once more for a brief period (1861-65). With that exception, the many struggles through which the country has passed since 1844 have been due either to revo lutions or to Haitian antipathy. In 1869 a treaty for the annexation of the Dominican Republic to the United States was negotiated during General Grant's presidency, but was de feated in the United States Senate. A revo lution which drove President Baez into exile expressed the resentment of the Dominicans when this failure was made known. Compara tively good order was maintained for a few years, beginning in 1890, but the most violent methods were again employed by political lead ers in 1898-99, and continued in 1902-03.
President Jimenez was forced by a revolution ary uprising to resign his office in May 1902. His successor, Vasquez, was driven from power early in May 1903, after severe fighting, at tended with heavy losses. Senor Morales be came President in 1904. Defaults in the pay ment of interest to European holders of Dominican bonds brought on a crisis of a character so threatening that the United States was induced to take charge of the collection and administration of customs dues, acting in the capacity of a trustee, for the protection of the people of the republic and of their cred itors. In 1911 President Caceres was assassi nated, and a revolution necessitated the resig nation of his successor in 1912. Archbishop Nouel served as provisional President for part of a year. The next administration, that of President Bordas Valdes, included such events as the bombardment of Puerto Plata on two occasions by government forces and the agree ment (1914) secured by an American mediatory commission for the establishment of a provi sional government, with Dr. Ramon Baez as President. Elections were held under the supervision of the United States. Juan Isidro Jimenez was inaugurated as President 5 Dec. 1914. In April 1915, a new revolution broke out on the island and American gunboats were ordered to Santo Domingo City to maintain order. Revolution again became active early in 1916 and the revolutionists gradually ex tended the sphere of their operations. Jimenez found trouble also in Congress and he was finally impeached by the latter 1 May 1916, and, as a result, he resigned the presidency a week later; and on 15 May 2,000 American marines entered Santo Domingo City to guar antee free elections. The following June Con gress appointed Jacinto de Castro President. Marines had also been landed at Puerto Plata owing to the activity of the revolutionists in that neighborhood and in other parts of the island. By an agreement reached with the revolutionists Francisco Henriquez y Carbajal was appointed provisional President (26 July), and at the general elections (15 August) he was elected President for a term of five months. Trouble broke out again and the United States intervened formally in the government of the country in November. The revolutionists were defeated by American forces at Macoris (29-30 November). Representatives of the United States government continued in control of the affairs of the Dominican Republic. A military com mission was appointed early in 1917 to study the needs of the diplomatic service and the system of public education, and a claims commission was chosen to investigate all claims against the American government arising between the es tablishment of the American-Dominican con vention of 1907 and the establishment of American control of affairs in November 1916, at which time all the principal Dominican ex ecutive ports were occupied by United States naval and marine officers. Order has been established throughout the country and trade, commerce and general business have improved very much under American control, which is exercised through a military government, in which the military governor combines the func tions of Congress and President.