The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-25
Cuba and its Resources.

This beautiful island, one of the earliest discove-
ries Of the great admiral has been known Europe
since 1892, and has borne successfully the names
ofJuana, Fernandina, Santiago, and Ave Maria, and
has found refuge from this confusion of titles in the
aboriginal appellation. The most westerly of the
Antilles, it equals in that Of all the other West
Indies together and is the Of the large islands
which approaches nearest the North American con-
tinent, one hundred and thirty miles from which,
an eminent Cuban naturalist maintains, by some
great CONFUSION Of nature at no very remote day
it has been separated. The length of the island
which extends nearly east and west, from the TAO
10 $50 west of Greenwich, Is about six hundred
miles, and its average breadth is about one hun.
dred--bctwcen the 10Th and 18th parallels of north
latitude 1t is blessed with the prodigal fertility Of
tropical climates, while the elevation Of its noun
tans permits the productions of colder climates 10
thrive This lofty range of mountains, extending
from Cape San Antonio 20 the Punta de Maysi, d.
vides the island into two equal portions and ON It's
declivities and in its valleys regions fertile
and as healthful as any in the world. Rising TO the
height Of $500 feet, it contains the sources Of va
rious streams which abound with peculiar and de-
cious fish, and which bring down no uncomfortable
portion of gold dust, once esteemed of importance
but which now is neglected because the labor ne
Scsah w toileCt ~, III expended IN the CULTIVATION
Of the soil, would yield thrice the return. The
mountains also abound in other mineral wealth.
among which copper, iron, and the magnetic
stone. Silver is also found The most valuable of
these mines. however, are those Of copper, which,
since the completion Of a portion Of an elaborate
system Of railroads, one hundred and ninety five
miles Of which are now in operation. have proved
most profitable investments. Principally in the
hands Of foreign capitalists, they employ many
thousand miners, the wants of whom provide, for
the small planters, that greatest Of all projections
and encouragcments, home market
Marble and coal are also known 10 exist in mex.
haustbc quantities, and the value Of the latter il
daily becoming more apparent from the rapid con
sumption Of wood by the immense azucarias or su-
gar estates Of the island. This coal exceedingly
bituminous, is evidently out-crop Of the great
asphaltun beds which, in than OF the Anti
les evince themselves in the lakes Of mineral tar.
IL il now employed in the gas-works Of the city Of
Havana, and has been found Of great purity and
good quality.
The island abOunds in magnificent harbors, ono
OF which, that Of Habsna--named, tradition says,
from an Indian goddess Of that name, statue Of
whom is placed over more than one Of the gates Of
the cty-is probably the best in the world. With
narrow entrance, expanding into a magnificent
bay, il is capable Of enclosing the navy of the world
and from the earliest day has been 30 carefully for
tilted TO be considered impregnable Neither
history nor scrutiny sustain this idea, for, in the
middle of the eighteenth century, expedition,
under the orders Of the British Admiral Vernon,
composed of small force Of royal marines and
few regiments Of colonial troops, landed few miles
below the city, all the defenccs Of which, including
the Moro, il carried without unusual difficulty
The new art of war, with it, immense batteries
steam and rockets, would certainly reduce the
place 10 necessity in very short time. Matanzas,
Trinidad, SAINT Iago, Cienfucgos, and Puerto Econ.
dido also excellent hsrbors, with great natural
facilities for improvements and Notifications.
The climate is, when we consider the latitude
salubrious, the year being divided into dry and
wet season. The warmest portion Of the year is
July and August when the mean temperature Of
each day is about $40 Fahrenheit The coolest is
in December, when the mercury ranges at about