Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1851-09-03
From the Baltimore Sun.
rTIDA

From the Baltimore Sun.
CUBA.
Circumstances familiar TO US all are engag-
ing public attention with the island Of Cuba
and it is quite possible tina. we, as people
may have prolonged, and, perhaps, per.
petual interes, in her future history, we pre-
sent the reader with popular sketch Of the
subject.
glance at the map will suffice to con-
vince every intelligent observer tina. the po-
li,icsl importance of Cube, especially in the
hands Of people capable of developing its
natural resources, cannot be over estimated.
And, we venture the assertion. that. under
wholesome institutions, and beni6cent adj.
minis,ra,ion Of them, Cuba would become,
in proportion to its dimensions, one of the
most valuable tracts OF territory in the world.
In a political point of view, Cuba derives
immense importance from her position; oc-
cupying very considerable portion of the
gulf OF Mexico, she has not inappropria,ely
been said TO hold the key to the same, tho.
as dependency Of Spain, she has ever been
100 feeble and indolent TO use it, either for
good or for evil. The southwestern point of
the island springs we'll into The bay towards
the coast Of ucatan, in Mexico, from which
i, is distant something less than $50 miles;
while the mos, northern point Of The island
is abou. the same distance from the south
'ernmost extremity of Florida. 1t thus lies
IN the very chops of the bay, and a. this
momen. might be used profi,ably by all ma
,ions, under wholesome government, with
respect to the grea, and growing interests of
abe Pacific.
The superficial extent of the island is
even to this day uncertain. 10 its greatest
length frosg1 point Ia point il is in direct
line abou. $50 miles, and its greatest width
sbout 100 miles its average width may be
stated at SO miles. The number of square
miles is probably about $4,000. The &C.
nal territory Of tire island seems to be
about equal to that of one Of our medium
SIaies-say, for instance, Michigan. 1t
is nearly thirty times as large as the State
of Rhode Island, and nearly twenty times
as large as Delaware. it is more than four
times as large as Massachusetts, and abou,
Ahree times as large as Maryland. In di-
mensions, therefore, j, is territory Of con-
siderable importance, land, in view ofi,s fertile
soil and valuable productions, it becomes
infinitely more SO. 1t has been styled The
aPea,l Of the Antilles" and is undoubtedly
the richest Jewel in the crown Of SPAIN
With the exception Of the cordillera, abarren
sange of calcareous rock, extending through
,he whole length of the island, occasionally
diversified with fertile undulalions, aud the
fiat, low country near the coast, the soil is
very fertile, and exhibits its pyoducliveness
in the cons,ancy with which i. yields the
rewards Of labor.
The population Of Cuba is now about l ;
100000, Of which perhaps 100000 is while
The rest consists Of large proportion Of
negroes and mulattoes, of whom some four
fif.hs are slaves. The population, general
ly, is BY no means intelligent; education up
10 the presen, day is sadly neglected, and,
at best, very defective. Newspapers are of
an inferior character, limited circulation, and
subject to the controlling influences of both
Church and Stale.
The productions Of the island are chiefly
sugar, coffee and tobacco and since the alb
clifton of the National or Spanish monopo-
~, early in the present century, the culiva-
sion and expectation ofthese articles has in
creased in an almost incredible ratio. Turn
bull, speaking Of coffee, says tina. sin 1900
there were bu, so plantations in The island;
in 1917 there were 779 and in 1927 there
were no fewer than 2,O67, Of an average of
a, least 10000 trees EACH" Indian corn,
rice upon The coast lands, beans and other
pulse, small quantity Of wheat and other
grain, are cultivated for domestic use. The
tropical fruits abound, and generally in
erea, perfection. The pine apples of Cuba,
and the banana, supply our markets in their
season and groves Of orange trees embeI-
Dish the country with their verdure end fruit.
The revenue of Cuba is, under a system
Of discriminating duties greatly advantage
Gus to Spanish vessels, equal perhaps to one
fourth Of the revenue of the United States,
or about ten millions of dollars. Duties
are levied both on exports and Imports
What may be derived from The slave trade
will never be known but it is not TO be
doubted tina. government officials have con-
stanlly connived at 1t for ga consideration -
The harbors Of the island are among the
best in the world, and contribute vastly to
its commercial convenience. These are
known as licensed ports for foreign trade,
Of which Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Puerto
Principe, Ma,anzas and Trinidad are mos!
prominent. Under liberal government, il
would be impossible to conjecture the i'm
portance tina. would attach TO the geographi-
cal advantages Of this beautiful country. Its
resources, character and varied usefulness,
can only be developed under auspices, the
benignity Of which should be shared equal
(y by the whole DeODle As If is the eper-
gy Of men and capital, If not crippled, is en-
ervaied by The despotism pertaining to the
administration of its government, and the
uncertainty which prevails with respec, &c
the future. We learn, indeed, from direc
information, that many plantations coult
now be purchased in the island, for from 9
fifth, to tenth par. of their actual value
under a steadfast ond salularv government,