The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1852-07-17
HAVANA AND new ORLEANS.

The following, though somewhat an
cient, will be found interesting. The
length Of time this letter has been in
reaching us shows the utter inefficiency
of the mail system between the extremi-
ties of the Mississippi valley. There
are plenty of steamboats, upon the West
ern waters that can make the trip between
New Orleans and St. Paul in eight DAYS,
and here it will be seen from the date of
our friends letter, it is over a month
old:
| Correspondence of the Nnncsotian.
New ORLEANS, June IL, 1852. :
MEssRs. EDITORS We remained at
Havana, and have been at sea much long
er than was expected, owing to the bad
condition of the boilers Of the Cherokee.
If the public money expended upon the
Geo. Law line of steamships was appro-
priated to improve the navigation Of the
Mississippi, or to dig canal around the
Sault Ste Marie, and the steamship busi-
ness left TO private competition, it seems
to me the convenience and safety of trav-
elers would be better consulted both at
the East and West.
The first two days out from New
York, we had pleasant weather and made
good Roadway, but for the remainder Of
the voyage to Havana, constant success
sion of head winds delayed us until final
ly one of the boilers got foul, and then
the valve Of the air pump broke and left
us TO float out in the Gulf Stream-to-
wards New Foundland or elsewhither--
for the better part of one day and night
before it was mended however we got
safely into Havana at last. Havana is,
as you may remember, one of the Oldest
European built towns on the west side of
the Atlantic. 1t is beautifully situated
upon the sloping shore of the circular
bay, looking eastward, and the Gulf of
Mexico, looking to the north. Its situa-
ton with respect to the commerce Of
North and South, and Central America,
gives it some importance which is very
much increased by the tide of travel now
passing to and from California. 1t is the
coal depot for the American and British
steamships, and will, think, in few
years become somewhat Americanized,
notwithstanding the jealousy with which
it is now guarded. Eighteen thousand
soldiers (twice the numerical force Of
the army of the L. S. protect the peo-
pie of Cuba Gas wolves protect sheep.)-
You meet them at every corner of the
streets, and in every public thoroughfare
in the Island. The invasion of the
Island by another army of Fillibusters
is not feared, neither is it expected, as
you see stated in some of the eastern pa
pers. But the invasion of new ideas and
modern customs will enter, in contempt of
soldiers; and Havana will be revolution
lied, if not the whole Island, by this
bloodless invasion.
We made the Moro light, at tire en-
trance of the harbor of Havana, about IL
o'clock at night, and had TO lay outside
until morning, as no vessel is permitted
10 enter the harbor between shutdown and
sunrise. About o'clock in the MORN
ing, after receiving the visits of some
half dozen different officers. each upon
different errands, we were permitted 10
come to anchor at the station prescribed
for American steamships, which they
have been careful to locate on tie oppo-
site side of the bay from the city. And
what was of greater inconvenience TO us
in such position was that we could not
catch the first breathing of the sea breeze,
which alone renders this Island habitable;
and so until o'clock we were compelled
to take our first view of the Island from
under the awning on deck, the pcrspira-
tion actually streaming from our faces
1t reminded me strongly of the steam
boat Yankee, and her passengers, 200
miles up the Minnoso sofa river, July %,
A. d. 1850. Every thing around us,
except the lazy ships leaning up against
the wharf sides, or sleeping at anchor in
the bay, and the old restless ocean, was
strange and unfamiliar. The choru,
of the lazy, half naked negroes, as they
tug at the windlass ropes lading and un-
lading the vessels, was barbaroms and I'M
Ineligible. Moro Castle, on the right,
the tile rooted, one story, windowless,
narrow streetcd, coral built, old fashion,
ed Spanish town on the left, with the
fort and Plaza in the rear, where few
months since the unfortunate captives of
the Lopez expedition expiated their folly
with their lives. Most of all the sur
rounding vegetation, the palm and cocoa
nut trees, with their tall stems and mag
nificent ceronals, and other tropical plants,
awakened all the attention and observa-
ton that the melting temperature of the
climate left in the system.
Around our vessel thronged many
clumsy boats covered with awnings,
rowed by swarthy Spaniards, who were
crowding and pushing each other at the
foot of the passcnger-way, quarrcIing for
the honor and profit of carrying clos
Americanos" to the shore Other boats
filled with pine apples, bananas, melons,
figs lines, mangoes, oranges and very