Hannibal journal and western union. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1851-1852, 1851-09-11
Strength of Cuba.

We clip the following from remarks by cor
respondent of the st. Louis Republican:
Another fundamental lie, started and kept a
float to deceive and mislead our youth, is the
constant repetition of the weakness of Cuba
This every reader of history knows to be gross
ly false, and its propagation is infamous, as it
sends our young men there wholly unprepared
to meet what these advisers know they have to
encounter. They are thereby surprised and the
more easily sacrificed. If they must be duped
to go, for Gods sake tell them the truth as to
what they have to meet Instead Of Cuba being
weak, she is, perhaps, the strongest power on
the globe of equal population. She has more
defensible Notifications and military and naval
resources than any nation Of her size on the
globe. Her wealth to her population is unpar-
alleled, except in the great commercial cities of
the world. Her port duties are more than ten
millions Of dollars, and her other resources from
taxes, some six or seven millions, and that in a
population of million and half Of people,
Havana, her capital, was once taken by the Eng
lish, when Cuba was not half what she is now
in population or strength, and their preparation
for the expedition may give some clue to what
British statesmen thought of her resources ninety
years ago. The expedition was fitted out Sc
cretly at Spithead, andSsailed March 9th, 1862.
When it was all colleeted at Cape St. Nicholas,
in the island of St. Domingo TO make its secret
descent on Havana, it consisted of two hundred
vessels of all classes. Nineteen Of them were
ships of the line, large number Of frgates, and
other vessels, including thirty four store ships.
The better to conceal their approach, which was
wholly unknown at Havana, the whole feet
passed down the Bahama channel, and were un-
discovered until within few leagues of the
city. The troops, fourteen thousand, were
landed short distance from the city, unperceiv-
ed, whilst feint was made in front Of the har-
Dor with thirteen ships of the line, two frigates,
and other vessels, with the store-ships. The
Spaniards had only about four thousand six hun
dred troops-but they Immediately embodied the
mariners and sailors, amounting to nine thousand
and raised militia, partly negroes, of fourteen
thousand making upwards of $1,000 men,
This was on the 7th Of June; and after a success
sion of attacks, and continued bombardment OF
the Castle, the Moro surrendered on the Both of
July, and the city on the l4th Of August sue
ceeding. The English held the city until the
peace, which was concluded the following year,
when it was restored. The Cubans immediate
/ ly enlarged and rebuilt the Moro, and erected
other castles for the protection Of the city, ma
king the Notifications now, very different from
1 what they then were. The prize money was E.
normous, yielding to the first military officers
of the expedition more than half million dol
lars apiece for their share--which affords some
idea of the wealth of the place. This briei
sketch, historical will afford some idea Of the
military resources of country, which parce
of stupid or knavish editors persuade our young
men can be conquered by few hundred O
them, thrown upon the shores by crazy vessels
without naval protection, without magazines
without money, in short, without everything
that constitutes an army, except stout hearts anc
daring spirits.
The New York Commercial says thatthe grea
fire bell of $4,000 pounds, about to be hung il
: that city, will take rank among the most cele
brated bells of Europe, the weights of whicl