The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-01-27
From the Boston Post.
Cuba Key of the Mexican Gulf
with reference to the COasting TRADE
af the limited STATES.

From the Boston Post.
Cuba -.the Key of the Mexican Gu1f--
with reference to the COasting TRADE
of the United States.
Cuba-the pearl of the American Islands, and
the key OF the Mexican Gulf - has been well
studied by diplomatsts as rich province to be won,
aud by soldiers outpost of military guard and
defence; but her position and value, mart OF
exchange for the whole Union, and pivot OF
coasting trade such the world never saw, has
not received due investigation and publicity from
our American press and statesmen. The central
position of Cuba in the great routes of trade opened
and to be opened, by American capital and enter
prise, cannot fail to strike the most careless eye
that rests on the map OF North America.
1t is not in military point OF view alone that
Cuba locks up, in closed ring, the whole sweep
of the Mexican Gulf If her ports were free, she
would be the natural centre and reception and dis
tributlon for all the rich products of that two
thousand miles of coast. Not only would the light
craft OF the shallow harbors Of Mexico and our
Gulf States, bring their precious ores, their cochi-
neal, their cotton, and their valuable products, to
meet the and traders OF the Atlantic coast,
and the heavier shipping from the great cities of
Europe and the North, but the valley OF the Mis-
slssipp would find most convenient and desira-
ble warehouse for her varied commodities The
Atlantic and the Gulf coasts opposite the mag
nicent harbors the north side of the island,
while it is in communication with all the other
West India islands, and with Central America.
Cuba also commands all the short routes to the
Paciic-those routes through which revolution
lied commerce is preparing to pour golden tide
upon our shores. At this moment the Panama
route bears down all its rivals but Lake Nicara-
qua, and the lsthmus of Cotes have also their Pc
cullar advantages In cutting off goody fraction of
the distance to California, for the trade and emgra-
tion OF the " old thirteen"
BY whatever path the emi2rant endsavors to
shorten his land travel to the Pacific, Cuba would
be the chosen hating ground, if ii could by treaty.
independence, or annexation, throw down its hedge
of hindraDces and restrictions, and open it's noble
| havens freely 10 sail and steam. 1t is the grand
| point Of Intersection for all the most important
lines Of trade and travel this continent; and 10
| inhospably bar her gates With chain of duties
and formaities, puts serious delays and expenses
| in the way of a rapid aud profitable exchange of
benefits between opposite sections of The Union,
| and between the Union and her neighbors Abso-
luey disenlangled from the checks, and above all,
in full and perfect union with the diverse, yet
tualy dependent interests of the confederated
States, Cuba, with her precious and peculiar sta
| pies, would buy or sell more largely, and with
greater number OF States, than any one of her sis
ters in addition to erserying them all agent
of transit and centre of interchange.
Lines of steamers and sailing vessels would
doubtless be established from all our leading sea-
| ports, from Havana to Matanzas, the year they
could be assured of freedom, security, and perma-
nency under our flag, since, under many vexations
| and uncertainties, we now employ in the Cuban
report the clearance of not far from thousand
| American vessels in vear-(from the summer of
| l94S TO the summer of 18i9)-and the table of i'm
| ports and exports proves that this handsome mer-
camille fleet would be doubled if purchase and sup
| ply were relieved from the mulufaGious trammes of
the Spanish Tariff The Cubans import $50 900 900
| a year Of such commodities as the United States
| produce, and could sell on better term. than the
| leland can buy Of distant Europe, if they were
| permitted to compete in open market, and these
| commodities would be conveyed to her in our own
| ships.
| OF the S60, 900 900 of annual imports and ex-
| ports of this fertile and extensive island, three
| fourtIs ought, and would be managed by our mer-
| chant marine, if it were embraced by our govern
| ment
The shipping interest is, however, but one item
| OF the disadvantages and exclusions endured by
the States, under the sternly restrictive colonial
system of Spain, and as it may sud !enly come bs
| fore our citizens to decide whether Cuba shall be
| incorporated into the Union it will not be amiss
| to enter into computations.
| In 1916, fraction more than one. fourth of the
entire imports of Cuba were from the United
States, and if the same ratio holds good, il prob
| able, we sent 10 Cuba, the current year, about
| $4,000, 900 in American productions. Meanwhile
something more than $4,000, 600 of similar arti-
| cles of commerce brought in from Europe, to
| the heavy disadvantage of the Cubans, by strin.
gent system of protection for Spanish products. 10
| specify--hour from Spain pays duty Of only 81 SO
| the barrel hut from this country and in American
|
TO eat the inferior Spanish -four, injured by a sea
| voyage OF four thousand miles, this enormous lax
IL laid on an essential article of daily Use, though
for the sake of the revenue 81 80 is also laid on
the article from the mother country. These duties
freights, and other expenses, raise the cost to the
consumer to SlS or $50 barrel, and limit, of ne
cessity, the luxury of good bread to the weal,her
classes. Set aside these impediments, and instead
OF the three hundred thousand barrels now entered
and chiefly from Spain, one million five hundred
thousand barrels would be annually demanded b,
the one million two hundred thousand inhabitants
of Cuba.
| The climate and soil OF Cuba are not adapted tt
the profitable cultivation of the kinds of provisions
which the habits Of the day call for; but she pro
dnces exactly what will most acceptabiy pay fol
them where they are best, nearest, and most abun
danl-n the United States. If Cuba wants flour
fish, cured meats and other provisions, to tn
amount Of 10 900 COO, which she could in unshac
ked trade buy of Us better than any where else
If she requires in articles for house and field, il
fabrics of rament, necessity, or luxury, to tn
amount of 100000 900 more, so, too do the Untet
States import one hundred and fifty millions q
| pounds of Coffee at IS 900 900, and sugar to til
amount of 50 000 O00 which, under the impetus q
freedom and the encouragement Of profitable re
cproclty, Cuba could very well supply. IL mus
he borne in mind that vast amount of rich coffe
and sugar land lies waste and untouched on the
, island, winch would bloom into garden, unde
the genial breath Of liberal institutions, as her ow
slaucIans estimate but one-n ninth OF the soil eT
| closed.
The upper Mississippi and the States on til
| Ohio are the chief losers bv the Aour excnsion
for Cuba, fronting as she does the outlet of ii
i mighty valley, Is very accessible to that trade b,
all the grain States share in the loss, for thew
buy sugar and coffee, and could all underse
a Europe in the ports Of Cuba The mineral repio
: is also larger loser than at the first glance won
be thought possible The staples of Cuba are ra
y at considerable expenditure of Implements an
machi cry, in which iron and copper hold a ca,
spcuous share. This class of imports, nearly all
e which are manufactured in this country, but Al
$ discouraged from seeking market in Cuba by a
average impost of 30 per cent, are brought in
p the amount of 50 100000 annually, and with
= steady increase OF demand. THIS should, OF rgh
almost entirely be paid 10 the iorges and workshop
T. of Pennsylvania ard the States Of her, whlt
: construct the articles in question, such plough