Washington telegraph., 1851-09-03


Cuba is likely to form a subject Of deep interest
- some time to come. Its position, population,
r,oducts and resources are therefore matters of
especial attention.
The Island is situated between % IL N. lat.
ii 10 43 N. lat. Its length is TO English
.Iss-ts breadth varies from 25 to go miles,
Ths greatest distance can get from the sea, is
'hout 43 miles. About wo-thiTds of the Island
from 60 to 80 Wiles in breadth, and it measures
:. it's surface about 1000 Englisl. square miles.
T,,s eastern part is very mount tanous, and some
- the peaks are from 1000 to 5000 feet above
~. level of the sea. The valleys in the eastern
dsnartment are exceedingly picturesque and fruit
sl Cuba was discovered by Columbus, on the
nT,b or october, 1892 In 1919, Havana was found
n The cultivation Of the sugar cane was in
.roduced obout 1880, and slaves began to be i'm
lied about fonr years after. When first dis
ppove,ed. the Island had an Indan population of
.hout 100000. The greater part s"on Perished
- the hardshps imposed by the Europeans.
Onv a few half breeds remained in the Eastern
Denartment In 1855, the expectation Of sugar
rom Havana ia year, was comparatively incon
.;d.rable The English took Havana in 1862,
.nd gave il up again 1863, in exchange for other
nossessious and advantages. During the siege,
p,..t numbers of the British fell victims to the
somito. Many were also poisoned or assassinated
by the Cubans
The position Qt the lSianQ Us dOmiTdOca Delng
;th;n few davs sail of the Atlantic ports of the
limited States, and p days by steam from New
Orleans The soil is generally fertile, producing
The susar cane in the highest perfection; no part
or IN. world is more favorable to its growth, and
;nde.d the climate aud soil admit of the cutiva-
on OF all kinds of trophcal fruits and proc uctions,
which NIGH. be cultivated in quantity, to reach
ten times the present amount, as, OF n millions
acres comprising the surface Of the island, only
.,lt..,
millions being in natural pasturage, 500, 600 in
artificial pasturage, fourteen millions in woodlands,
and the rest four and half millions, re barren
lands In the Western Department about one
(ourh of the land is barren, one-fourth in wood
lands, and the remaining two-iourths equally
devoted TO cultivation and pasture. In the Cen
tral Department about one-third is barren land.
and only one 9Th part is under cult. alton. about
llth part in pasture, and more than three-hiths
are woodlands. In the Eastern Department about
18th is under cultivation, 5 in pasture, 90 in
woodland, and only 10 barren;
Surprising the Island to be div ided into 70 parts,
I3 would represent the size of the Western De-
partment, 81 the Central Department. and % the
Eastern. or the cultivated land, oDe-h half is in
the Western Department., l-6 in the Central, and
PIG in the Eastern Department. The principal
AGRICULTURAL productions the sugar cane, flee,
molasses honey, rum, tobacco, wax, rice, cocoa
and cotton are also produced, with many other
MINOR articles
In 1871, when the number Of sugar estates Gu
the Island amounted to 1898, upon which were
employed, according to the census, but l3S ,70l
persons, giving an average of 10 hands to each
estate, the expectation of sugar from all the ports
of the island amounted to about $3.50 900 boxes,
according to the Customhouse returns, which
would allow upon an average, $50 boxes to each
estate or six tox-s to each hand; however max
ing allowance for the sugar not entered at the
Customhouse, as the article then paid an export
duty of s per box and also taking into co isdera-
ton that which consumed in the Island, the
produce Of each estate upon average might be
about 900 boxes, or 10 each hand; nur does this
amount appear too great to allow, when the best
lands afford upw ards of 5000 pounds of dry sugar,
to the acre. In Louisiana, where the best lands
produce about 5000 pounds to the acre, the aver
age produces 10 each hand is about 5000 pounds.
BESIDES the cultivation Of the sugar cane, large
quantities of coffee are produced: however, this
article is not SO extensively cultivated as il was
some years since, when upwards of fifty nit
lions pounds weight was exported from the differ
ent parts of the Island. Last year, the most
favorable, during the last few years showed bnt
export Of thirty five millions pounds of coffee.
Brazil has heeu able to furnis, this product at
lower rate, and consequently that of BrasiI has
taken the place OF Cuba coffee, in the markets Of
the United States; therefore, sugar is now produc-
ed in many parts where coffee ouce cultivated,
or the hands have beel tune over to new estates,
in the fertile regions of the neghborhood of Carde-
mas, etc.
The climate and soil of Cuba in general, are
not so favorable for the cultivation of Coffee for
the sugar caue, tobacco and other articles; how
ever, the Eastern District appears TO be well suit
ed 10 the production of coffee the crop there being
m'e certain, and the quaiity Of the bean infinitely
SUPERIOR A billy or rather mountainous country
seems to be the most favorable to the tree.
The celebrated Mocha Coffee, which is indigen-
ons to Arabia and 10 that part of Africa OH the
opposite side of the Red Sea. grows without cu-
livaOn on the rocky sides of the mountains.
Alter coffee, tobacco is the next article of con-
sequence PRODUCED. There are various kinds,
which derive thelr different qualities from the Pc
eularities of the soil in which they cultivated
The most esteemed is that which is produced
10 The vuelta Abalo, about hundred miles west
Of Havana, in the jurisdiction Of New FiliRiana;
this the finest Hayana cigars made. 1t costs
from 4O TO 100 dollars per bale, according to the
quality and the crop. Some years the crop is
very inferior, SO that it is impossible for manu-
ldctureI alwas to supply the ,me quality Of cigars
The next to the tobacco of the Vuella Abajo, is
that called "partido," some of which very good,
and is used in making those cigars of which aston
shIng bargains are very often obtained There is
another kind OF tobacco grown in the Western
department. in which the two classes mentioned
are grown; it has course leaf and is called "De
Huella Arrba;" also the tobacco grown in the
Eastern Department goes by that name, of which
'here are two kinds, the Santiago de Cuba tobacco
aud The Yara. The Yara tobacco is sometimes
Very hne, and Of this the best Principe cigars
made. Many persons have sowu the Vuelta de
Aoao seed IN the States, but never have they been
able to raise tobacco from in any respect similar
IN havor to the original kind. The soil gives the
Hayor, and its cultivation cannot be extended even
In Cuba
The other articles of consequence produced are
waxhoney and rice The Two first OF these articles
a'eexPorted in very large quantities; the last men,
uohed article is produced to the amount of 4O, ,OOO
usces or about "a millions OF pounds, but is in
'ancent for the consumption of the Island, so
mat large auantilies of rice are iInnortnu from