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Encyclopedia Britannica

LAS PALMAS

This article appears in Volume V16, Page 235 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: LAP-LEO

LAS PALMAS , the

capital

CAPITAL (i.e. capital stock or fund)
CAPITAL (Lat. caput, head)

of the Spanish island of Grand

Canary

CANARY
CANARY (Serinus canarius)

, in the

Canary

CANARY
CANARY (Serinus canarius)

archipelago, and of an administrative

district

DISTRICT

which also comprises the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura; on the

east

EAST
EAST, ALFRED (1849- )

coast, in 28 7' N. and 5 24' W. Pop. (1900) 44,517. Las Palmas is the largest city in the Canary Islands, of which it was the

capital

CAPITAL (i.e. capital stock or fund)
CAPITAL (Lat. caput, head)

until 1833. It is the seat of a court of appeal, of a brigadier, who commands the military forces in the

district

DISTRICT

, of a civil lieutenant-

governor

GOVERNOR (from the Fr. gouverneur, from gouverner, O. Fr. governer, Lat. gubernare, to steer a ship, to direct, guide)

, who is independent of the

governor

GOVERNOR (from the Fr. gouverneur, from gouverner, O. Fr. governer, Lat. gubernare, to steer a ship, to direct, guide)

-general except in connexion with elections and municipal administration, and of a bishop, who is subordinate to the archbishop of Seville. The palms from which the city derives its name are still characteristic of the fertile valley which it occupies. Las Palmas is built on both banks of a small river, and although parts of it date from the 16th century, it is on the whole a clean and modern city, well drained, and supplied with pure water, conveyed by an aqueduct from the highlands of the interior. Its principal buildings include a handsome cathedral, founded in the 16th century but only completed in the 19th, a theatre, a museum, an

academy

ACADEMY, GREEK
ACADEMY, ROYAL

of art, and several hospitals and good schools. The modern development of Las Palmas is largely due to the foreign merchants, and especially to the British who

control

CONTROL (Fr. contrdle, older form contre rolle, from Med. Lat. contra-rotulus, a counter roll or copy of a document used to check the original; there is no instance in English of the use of " control " in this, its literal, meaning)

the greater portion of the local commerce. La Luz, the port, is connected with Las Palmas by a railway 4 M. long; it is a free port and harbour of

refuge

REFUGE

, officially considered the third in importance of Spanish ports, but actually the first in the matter of tonnage. It is strongly fortified. The harbour, protected by the promontory of La Isleta, which is connected with the mainland by a narrow bar of sand, can accommodate the largest ships, and affords secure anchorage in all weathers. Ships can discharge at the breakwater (12J7 yds. long) or at the Santa Catalina mole, constructed in 1883-1902. The minimum depth of water alongside the quays is 42 ft. There are floating water-tanks, numerous lighters, titan and other cranes, repairing workshops, and very large supplies of coal afloat and ashore. La Luz is one of the principal Atlantic coaling stations, and the coal-trade is entirely in British hands. Other important

industries

INDUSTRIES

are shipbuilding, fishing, and the manufacture of glass, leather and hats. The

chief

CHIEF (from Fr. chef, head, Lat. caput)

exports are fruit, vegetables, sugar, wine and cochineal; coal, iron, cement, timber, petroleum, manure, textiles and provisions are the

chief

CHIEF (from Fr. chef, head, Lat. caput)

imports. (See also CANARY ISLANDS.)

End of Article: LAS PALMAS

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