The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-11-10
Our Havana Correspondence.

UNITED STATES STEAMER PowHATAN,
HAVANA, OCTOBER =, 1852. )
Appsarance of Harana-Hs FortiRcatous and Uses
-Intrvioe rah the Captain General-Ihe Re-
sxt, &c. &C.
First-Are You acquainted with Havana? ]
don't know, and will take it for granted you know
1t only in the Same general way with thousand, of
we'll informed men. Let ne, then, introduce it
specially, for it is place worth knowing We viii
suppose ourselves at sea, boupd for Havana Look
ing SOUTH you see preciptous, rock bound coast,
from which rise hills covered with short growth,
and Of general barren appsa This line tends
TO tie westward, and terminates in The great Moro,
whose psrapets and bristling cannon look grimly
enough AS you approach near, you see the narrow
gorge which forms the entrance to The hsrbor.
The massive fortifcations Of the Moro are beetlng
over the eastern side, while strong wafer batteries
def nd the western Back of these water batteries
appear The closely built and many colored walls and
roof Of the city. Pressing in, you steer SO close
round the base Of the Moro that the sentry on the
height seems directly overhead; yet the batteries
on the opposite shore within the toss Of bis
cult, 80 narrow is the gorge
As yet you opening to the passage; it is
shut in by the heights the east aud the prcjsc-
tion Of the city and shipping on the west Turning
these as you advance the inner harhor, ia opened to
view ine espanse, some three miles northeas. to
southwest and one mile north to south, surrounded
By hills which ise with easy grades till lost in thu
distance. On the western si6e-your right hand as
yen enter is the city-a huge mass Of the heavy.
yet gaudy style Of Spanish builGing and the shore
IL hidden BY packed feet Of merchantmen OF all
nations Few, # any, Of the cities that knoT
present interesting appearance, rising. as
tbis does from the bay TO bpe airy heights, Ell
which arc villas sad gardens, and for5s forming
rich back ground 10 tie view. To the south, the
bay extends back shout two miles; taon the shore
in easy lofty grounds in the dstan}e
AL this IL cultivated, ga dotted with vl-as and
gardens. gave where, on abrup. hlll, you tbs
fort Atares, which commands that part of sae bAr-
Dor and overlOcss the city IL 10 kbis forJ That
the City prisoners carried, and from IL led out
to Eos5 foul aud cowArdly 'laughter after wliea
Their e0rpses were tTampled srd mingled, Is only
the hpaulsrd would mabgle the dead. u Is most
horrible 10 bear The account OF thst brutal Day, All
doubt not JUS Te.rion.lon viii yet &c meted
out On the SOU beast OF the bay is tue town Of
Rega, long known the haEnt CT despsrat0es.
Here, also, the slsye markets, with their cen
comIJantf.
The hole eafte1n side Of the entrance, (whi,h ia
about half mile long, is overhung BY pr cip,touS
AID for ldeo hills. First E the Moro, guarding tue
mouth, and then ected with ii, (by subte7raGesn
as vel a. open passases.) are the fortified prisons,
known as the casa Blanca, where the dangerous or
poiileal prisoners are inmured These COMM lud the
channels, until the hills turning the eastward,
leave the open boy before you-a great basin, vi h
narrow twisted neck. All around the bay where
the land Is not covered by buildings, the fruitful
earth IL csrpsted with rich vegetat on, over which,
ia groups aud often sngy. tower the lofty cecoanut,
it, heavy branching top swinging sowiy 20 the wind
Tbtee trees about which there is q something SO
scenic--sD air Of sgeh reposs--aa almost solemn
quiet IN their mot.on-len0 a peculiar ca lrIu
20 prospect, which combines in Itself al
would ask Of richness vsrie'y, and eesgty
There IS one feature wanting to tho American
eye-among all this excellence be but little of
" character Of utility" There 10 grest beauty
ano power but no towering shimneys tnat speak Of
the nacbnist-no extensive shpyavcs the vessels,
too, seem crowded together-!n good enough order,
but there is went Of accom- mediation indescr babe
Nature has provided facilities OF space On land and
depth In water; man here has mario we'd beta fhe
population Of Havana cannot now be much II 2ny
short OF 200 600 and its commerce IL larg9 but
u were controlled By our laws, end, above all. by
our people, il would in ten years, double both COM
mtTce and population.
In position for commercial uses DO city 10 the
world IS equal 10 1t; IL is better placed even tkan
nstantinoplC; and. ike Stamboul, Hav4na sttus-
gee on by force Of nature against besotted bgotry,
against ignorance, and against Incidence hor
long ihis IS to last, GOD knows. One thing il to me
certain TO Tree this people, q 9 to leave then 70
ther own goVenmeut,) will be TO increase their
misery ana 10 destroy their wealth ANY atep taken
by the Upited States towards Cuba shouid he to
,~bold u, 70 ga,de and control IT, Every principle
On mutual good calls for this. Cuba controlled b.
the United States would add nearly as mach IA our
security and our wealth she would Be- Improved
Ia bsJ piness ana property. But leave her 10 tie
snsrcry which p0sld result from her entire in 40.
pcrdence and she Tcsld be thorn, and bad one
ln this am borne cut w cvery man OF intelligence
that meet and Tor tbG, she best class Of tae pso
pic hope
Our psssage, a very pleasant one, was male in
five days and a hali--a good run. After the usual
slutes, Sc. we're exchanged Commodore Newton
landed With Judge Couklipg 70 visit The Consul
On entering the C0nsul's door, We we're salutsd by
AZ attendant gro I'd with hooii1g and groaDs Tbis 4
bttlc explosion over, they let u alone Commodore
N then visited the Captain General Alter the