Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-03
INTERVENING STATISTICS OF CUBA
IT'S RESOURCES.

INTERESTING STATISTICS OF CUBA
ITS RESOURCES.
Ion Jose Maria de la Tore has recently
published a work on Cuba, which is full of sta
tistical information in regard to that island,
some of which we have thought fit to compile,
and now present to our readers.
The present population Of Cuba is estimated
at l,o5O,O0O, though the opinion is expressed
that it reaches 100000; 5Ol,9se are whites,
l76,647 free colored, ind the remaining O,425
are slaves. Tho transient white population,
not included in the above estimate, is 4O,940.
The entire white population is 542,92S, the
black population 5O7,of2. The nationalities
of the inhabitants are as follows; Natives Of
Spain 10000, of the Canary islands $4,000, of
France 5000, of England 1000, and of North
America and other countries 5000; leaving
more than 400, 900 as natives of the island.
The area of Cuba, including its APPENDICES,
is 3,973 square leagues, giving 254 inhabitants
to the square league, or 20 to the square mile.
The population is compounded of the Cauca-
Negroes from Africa were first introduced
into Cuba in 1924. 1t is said that millions Of
negroes have been introduced into Cuba whose
numbers were diminished by the rigorous treat
ment oftheir European masters. The African
nations that furnish slaves to Cuba are the
Mandingos, the Gangos, the Minas, the Lucu-
mics, the Carabalies, the Congos, and the
Macuaes. Since lS47, the Yucatecos, or ma
tives of Yucatan, have been introduced into
the island. Colonists from China have also
been recently introduced. The number is set
down at 5000. They are introduced by con
tract as apprentices for term of years, and
are employed like the Africans as field la
borers.
Half the world (says De Bows Review
are frightened at mere names. The present
English operative system, in which white men,
women, and children are worked as hard as our
stout negroes, and that, too, for a bare subsist-
ence is considered by enlightened Europeans,
and by some Americans, as perfectly humane,
philanthropic, and Christian-like; but the very
same amount Of labor performed by our we'll
fed and clothed slaves, under the name Of
slavery, is considered by these same enlight-
ened Europeans and Americans as monstrous,
cruel, infamousl So much for mere name.
In Cuba it is getting to be considered quite in
famous to use African slaves; but TO make
poor Chinaman do the same amount of work,
under tropical sun, for mere pittance, and
under tie name of fireman. is considered quite
reasonable, honorable, humane, and Christian
ike! One of the grand results Of the civil
zation of the nineteenth century is, that it is
quite honorable to enslave the white man, in
fact, under the name of freedom; and the very
height Of humanity and decency to turn the
nero race loose upon the world, TO roam
among the whites in idleness aud vsgabon-
dage.n
The military force Of the Island il at this
time considerable, if we may credit the repre-
sensations of the author of this new work on
Cuba. whose estimates seem TO have received
the sanction of the captain general.
The army comprises sixteen regiments Of
infantry, of 900 men each; two companies of
picked men, l25 in number; two regiments of
lancers, Of four squadrons each, embracing COZ
men and 500 horses; and four light squadrons
OF $50 men and l25 horses, each. There is
also a regiment Of foot, with eight batteries OF
artillery, a brigade of FIVE batteries, and a
company Of sappers and miners. There is,
moreover, one regiment Of militia infantry, one
Of disciplined militia cavalry, and eight rural
squadrons Of two companies each. According
to this official statement, there is ia Cuba lard
force Of 4,439 troops, which has been recently
swei,ed 10 10000 by the arrival from Spain Of
6,5tO Spanish soldiers.
The naval force consists Of one figate Of A
guns; seven brigantines carrying l04 guns,
eleven steam vessels with ffy-four guns, 4
schooners with III guns, 2 gun-boats with 6
guns and . transports in all rs vessels and
2l9 guns, manned by 5000 men. Two war.
steamers are also being builtin Spain for Cuba.
NJ. Tore does not give the revenues and ex-
perditures Of Cuba since 1851. For that year
he states that tho revenues Of the island
amounted TO sl3,s2l, 456, and the expendi-
lures to gil ,969,75O The casual reader who
should suppose from this statement that the
people of,r-Cubs we're taxed only sl3,S2l, 456,
in 1851. and that tiere was an excess Of reve-
nue. over expenditure during that year of
s5l.7Oe would fall into o grievous error
The amount mentioned as the revenues Of the
island is the amount Of revenue which the
treasury of Spain receives from the island, and
the sum of sll,s69,75O mentioned is the cost
of the internal administration Of the island
which the inhabitants have to pay over and
above the revenues furnished Spain. Thus the
actual taxation in the island, for the year 1851,
amounted TO s25,s2l 1851
There are 35l miles of railroad in the Island
connecting some Of the most important places.
The magnetic telegraph Is also in operation in