LAS PALMAS  , the capital of the Spanish island of Grand Canary, in the Canary archipelago, and of an administrative district which also comprises the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura; on the east 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 until 1833 . It is the seat of a court of appeal, of a brigadier, who commands the military forces in the district, of a civil lieutenant-governor, who is independent of the governor-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 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 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, 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 are shipbuilding, fishing, and the manufacture of glass, leather and hats . The chief exports are fruit, vegetables, sugar, wine and cochineal; coal, iron, cement, timber, petroleum, manure, textiles and provisions are the chief imports .