Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-04-27

One of the editors of the New York Express
Erastus Brooks, Esq, is at present on visit tc
the Island of Cuba. In letter from Havana
under date of 18th instant, he writes:
Every day, while here and in the neighborhood
see some new evidence of the extended Interest
and connection of the United States with Cuba.
The commerce of the Island is not only largely
American, but much of its production is in Amer,
can hands. Planters coin money here who vis
their estates but once or twice year. Atpresent
however. there is not more than one-fifth of the
Island cultivated at all The export of five
hundred thousand boxes of sugar per annum, coult
easily be multiplied four or five fold, and wouic
be, if the country belonged to the United States
and labor could be procured.
| The slave trade and slave births do not begin t.
meet the demand for labor, and slave property has
advanced enormously here within short tine
The estimated annual Importation isfrom tweatyt
thirty thousand from Africa. Gentlemen wht
have travelled all over the Island the past winter
tell me that slaves have arrived atterly at every
port from Africa, but still there is constant de-
mand fer labor.
The Chinese importation of ,200-to be in
creased 70 6,000,-is but as drop in the ocean
Occasionally European white labor has been tried
but aside from the Incidence and lnertness of the
white laborers broGght here, there are no white
people capable of enduring heat but the natives OF
the island. These | see beneath the brolfing suns
of Heayen, and in the fields around the city, ex-
cept for two hours at mid day. Those who advo-
cate annexation must remember that Cuba can be
ours only as slave country. No body of whites
could labor in the sugar fields and no body OF free
blacks would labor with regularity there. As it
is, Louisiana produces almost three fifths as many
hogsheads of sugar as the entire island of Cuba,
and finds for the bulk of its production a home
market, while hero the market is wholly foreign.
The productions must hereafter increase rapidly to
meet the demands of our augmenting population.
There are Here about fifteen hundred sugar es-
tates, giving employment to $4,000 persons The
capacity; of this island, however, can hardly be
estimated. Its greatest length, following the
curves, about eight hundred miles, and the width
from IS; to 100 miles. Its principal ports are Ha-
vana, Santiago, Puerto del Principe, Matanzas,
\ Trinidad, Baracoa and Cenfuegos, but there are
dozen cities, as many towns, and some two hun
dred villages and hamets on the island. All this
would undoubtedly make noble American State,
If the people and institutions were congeaas, and
/ there were no other practical objections. But
these are subjects to be considered upon mpre ma
ture Judgment, and more careful inquiry. Even
to possess a country where coffee, sugar and to-
bacco grow as lu1uriantly as they do here, and
where the tropical ffdits spring UP almost sponta-
neously, where all the year round your table is
spread with pines and oranges, piantainsand yams,
melons and the sweet potato, with other and I'M
numbered fruits fair to the eye and pleasant to the
taste, does not compensate for receiving with all a
population So unused to and so unified for a free
government like ours. The more | see Of Cuba,
as it isthe more reasons find tooppose llibuster-
ing. and all present schemes of annexation,
The selection ofMr Soule as Minister to Spain,
by the new Administration, excites much surprise
among the intelligent people Of the island. The
Americans, have seen, regret the appointment,
and it looks upon the face of it rather beligerent
towards Spain.