The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-10-13

when Is last becoming passion Win the American
people would Of itself lead to designs against Cuba
Bur this desire is quickened respect that island by
the state OF social and political transition in which il
supposed to be- The knowledge that such designs ex-
isl, il il does not create enhance dsahecton in the
island itself, keeps II in perpetual of uneasness
and excitement, which tends to render lis political rea
lions as uncertain they supposed TO be- and thus to
make the Cuba question OF perpetual anxiety
both sides OF the Atlantic
In their views upon Cuba, the Americans are inhu-
by variety OF considerations the chief OF which
are such have reference 10 national and sectional inter
ests The question assumes national aspect TO them
when Cuba Is considered in connection with the CONNER
cIal and political issues involved in the problem oil its
aie II is IN view OF the particular effect which lis ac-
QUESTION would be likely to have upon the different and
conflicting interests OF the Union that the question be
comes invested with sectional Importance.
The commercial advantages OF Cuba obvious TO
be overlooked, particularly by people imbued with
the spirit OF trade as are tbs Americans II is not only
the trade which the island in the hands OF energetic
and enerprsing who would develop It's
and multiply its wants, would carry on with view sim
esed but also the extent 10 which the trade of other and
vasier regions might be made TO depend upon it, Nature
TO have designed il for what, for obvious
II has yet becomes great commercial enrepOf.
From It's position, il ght be made the market
for enormous sweep Of the continent, embracing some
OF the richest districts OF the Union and some OF the lair
est provinces OF the Mexican republic But aside OF this,
Cuba is OF vast intrinsic value. sufficient to excite Gu
pdiiy less torpid than that OF the Americans By them
is valued for It's minerals, but chiefly for It's three great
staples--sugar, coffee, and cotton AS yet, but mere
fraction oil the cuvabe OF the island IS devoted to
the raising Of these staples The whole area OF Cuba IS
estimated at about 1000 square miles. OF about 26ooo
900 of acres OF this area about cul
tvabe, leaving 900 which may be treated as irre
clamable OF the cuvabIe portion. about 100000 Of
only under what may be called cultivation be-
ing less than one-seventh OF the cutvabe area, and one
thirteenth of the whole OF the island. Besides more
than half OF the portion actually cultivated 10 IN gar
den and fruit cultivation, leaving the lesser moety only,
or less than fourteenth of the whole cuvable area,
employed in the production OF the great staples OF The
island Much Of the uncultivated portion OF the culiya-
IN nxyoIfn tha ut
statement shows 10 how small an extent The
natural resources OF Cuba have as yet been turned
to account Even wiihou, displacing 4 single Span,
| in the island which an energetic race might
spread finding which il might turn to the best
account The value OF Cuba IN Its present comparatively
undeveoped state, will to indicate the possible
value OF the PRICE should It's resources be properly called
into play In $780, the value OF lands vested as private
property estimated at nearly $l0O,OOO.00O. The
buildings, engines and utensils OF labor upon them were
estimated at about $56,ooO0Oo; the live stock was
taken al about $i5 OO0, 900 and plants, including the
fruits $276,ooOooO In addition these, the slaves
estimated at $4l 694 ,0O0he total representative
value OF agriculture being about $5l0000oOO The gross
products amounted to upwards OF $4O00o,00o and the
net produce to about 23 oo0 These the esti
mates formed twenty years and they OF course
far below the mark Of Their present value But they
properly called forth II annexed TO the Union
is, if would even greatly enhance the sum total
Of its wealth, and largely augment by its trade the fede
raj revenues Put in the hands of the Americans, and
annexed to the Union, lis present condition would be but
the starting point for the development which It would
speedily attain.
But is from considerations OF different character
that the question respecting Cuba derives It's chief i'm
poriance the eyes of the American people Its bearings
upon the political fortunes OF the Union throw all other
considerations into the shade when ii is contemplated in
national point of view IL unfortunately happens that
this which lends its chief Importance TO in the estima
ton OF Americans is mainly that which renders lmpos-
sbe for other powers regard with indifference Eng
land might calmly witness the OF Cuba TO Ameri
did Cuba only carry with il its dowry the CONNER
and
wend be advantageous TO her than otherwise,
she could not bat benefit by the increased wealth OF
her great customer whilst almost and expanding
market would thus be opened 10 her industry But the
question has to be viewed by her IN totally different
lght-the cession of Cuba being an event which would
transfer TO a rival power which is now latent, but
which, in the hands OF thai rival would be in the last
degree inconvenen # not irresistible. II IS this which
makes the Cuba question International one OF the rst
magnitude and in broader sense than as merely Affect
ing the sovereign rights oil Spain.
The of each year lessening the Importance
TO America OF maintaining a standing army. Except m
direction OF Canada, she will soon be without mil
ary frontier Except that direction she has no enc
mics the whom she cannot crush by means
of few thousand raw recruits and hasty volunteers.
AZ regards Canada il can only be her enemy WREN she
has made Great Britain her foe When that is the
The ocean and not the land will be the chief OF
nict In belligerent America may be regarded
virtually nsular Her naval therefore, is and must
be her chief source OF defence not by and by her
chief means OF aggression ms IS well understood IN
America and the necessity of developing more and more
the strength OF that becoming daily appar
emit THIS is particularly so from the light in which
America regards England. her greatest rval in time
OF peace and her greatest enemy IN time oil war. Is
thus the development OF their naval power has be
come darling object with the statesmen and people OF
the Union
America already possesses much that is necessary 10
render her great naval power. She has numerous
luares and noble rivers far up which she establish
her dock-ya and build her fleets with safety She
has xhaustbe supplies OF TIMBER OF iron and OF coal
and provide sails and cordage for her ships She
possesses the highest skill in point OF avail architecture
She has great and growing commerce TO supply her
with seamen; in addition TO which, by offering them
higher wages she get seamen from other lands She
has also vast seacoasi, stretching, the Atlantic
from the bay OF Fundy 10 the southern extremity OF the
peninsula OF Florida and thence along the Gulf Of Mex
leo to the mouth OF the Rio Grande She has, also,
from twelve 10 thirteen hundred miles OF seacoast the
Pacific, having thus noble look ou upon Asia and the
Eastern Archreago On the whole, her seacoas line,
on both sides OF the continent, exceeds IN length 5000
miles But, notwithstanding this, she is deficient in the
grand essential OF good harbors not that she has not
many harbos well adapted for commercial purposes but
that she possesses few OF any military Importance and
these situated and circumsanced TO render her
naval efficiency far from being proportonale to her ex-
tended line OF seacoasi
Were the military harbors which she possesses differ.
emily situated they would be OF much greater service TO
her. IN naval point OF view than they They lie
chiefly between Portland in Maine, and Hampton Roads
at the mouth OF the Chesapeake They are thus con-
hned, the Atlantic side, to portion OF the coast
comprising little than fourth OF the whole line
OF seacoast the Atlantic and the Gulf Had she
good barbor, fitted for all purposes the Cult
The distribution would have been much favorable
to her military sense, But they all lie in cluster
between Virginia and Manufacturing the enormous
nf 10 baNu des