New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-04-19
Havana and its Defences,

There is no doubt, as has been asserted by a
recent visitor, that the harbor of Havana is one
Of the best in the world, being deep enough for
vessels of the largest class, and sufficiently ca
pacious to accommodate Thousand ships. The
entrance is by channel three-quarters of q
mile long, but so narrow that only single ves-
sci can enter at once, and fortified through the
whole distance with platforms, works and artil-
lery. The mouth of this channel is secured by
two strong castles. That ON the eastern side
called the Moro Castle-is built in the form of
a triangle, fortified with bastions, and mounted
with forty pieces of cannon, almost level with
the water. On the opposite side of the chan
mel is another strong fort, called the Ponta,
connected with the town. to the north. The
city is situated on the western side of the har-
Dor, and is surrounded by ramparts, bastions
and bitches Besides these fortifcations, it is
surmounted by works, all of them furnished
with artillery, even to profusion. square
citadel-El Fuerte-stands to the northeast
corner of the town. This work. also has heavy
cannon, and here the treasures of the Govern
| ment are deposited 1t was at the foot Of the
| hill upon which this fort stands, that Door
Crittenden and his party were shot and mutt
lated
| The Cabanas is fortress situated on the
south of the Moro, and directly opposite the
city. 1t is, perhaps, the largest as it certainly
is one of the strongest fortifcations in the world
Ii was lcDullt anu EtTeuHtHeQGu AIGef
its restoration by the British, at an expense so
enormous, that when the cost of its construction
was made known to the King of Spain, he hon
estly asked whether the walls were made of sill
yer. This fort commands the whole harbor and
city, and is hardly musket shot distance from
the Moro, with which it is connected by sub
terraneous passage. Yet, notwithstanding the
| number and strength of these defences, the city
of Havana has been besieged and taken, though
mr. " n ntas' thn,.x,, nf
| storming Gbralter with pocket pistol
In 1862, during the war with Spain, the Eng
lish under Lord Albemarle laid seige to Hav-
| ana, and took it after desperate assault On
| the 9th of June of that year the British squad
ron, counting $50 vessels of all sizes, appeared
off the coast. The Spaniards had mounted their
| fortresses with heavy guns, and made all neces-
| sary warlike preparations. They had in the
forts of the city, of regular troops and militia
| 27,6l5 men under arms. The priests and
| women were sent out of the city, and vast pre-
parations were made to stand siege by laying
| in ample supplies of provisions. They sunk
| three ships in the harbor's mouth to prevent
| the entrance of the British flag, and their
fortresses were defended with great courage and
| valor.
The British land forces numbered IA ,O41 men
of all arms; their loss was very considerable both
| by the climate and the desperate defence of the
enemy. The Gabanas soon fell into the hands
of the English, who approached from the land
side, having landed the troops to the east Of
| Havana. But it was not until A days of un-
| wearied exertion, with loss TO the Spaniards
of upwards of one thousand men, that the Moro
was taken. With the Nloro 303 pieces of can
non, II mortars and large supply of small
arms and ammunitions, fell into the hands OF
the English. Still, however, the Spaniards brave
| ly defended the city; but the English, who could
| now turn their own cannon against them, de-
molshed all their fortificatiops, and after some
slight delay in negotiation, the city of Havana
was taken possession Of
1t was just two months and eight days from
the date of the arrival OF the expedition to the
day the British took possession of the city.
With the capital there was given up the whole
territory annexed to it, extending $50 miles
westward; so that this conquest was the most
decisive of all that had taken place throughout
| the course of the war. 1t had besides all the
effect of a naval victory. Nine ships of the line
| fell into the hands of the conquerors; three had
| been sunk in the harbor and two, far advanced
on the stocks, were destroyed. The loss to the
spaniards in ships of war, merchant ships,
money, tobacco, and other articles of value, was
estimated at e3 100000 sterling, On the return
of peace in 1863 Havana was restored to the
Spaniards. The keys of the city were formally
delivered up to the Conde de Ricla, on whom the
government had been conferred on the Tth Of
July of that year, and the English garrison was
embarked for Europe. Mobile Register.
Hon. JOIN j. CRITrENDEN. Kentucky
Register states that this gentleman has volun
teered his services to defend Matt F. Ward
Esq, the editor having been permitted to reat
letters from him to Mr.. Ward The Register
| says: When it is remembered that the family
of Mr.. Ward have been politically opposed to
Mr.. Crittenden for more than thirty years, AL
must concur in saying tits one of the noblest acts
of friendship ever recorded, and It justifies US
in expressing an opinion long entertained, that
in his day and generation, John ]. Crittenden
4 is 's the noblest Roman of them all :"
This fact speaks loudly for Mr.. Ward AL
who know the high moral worth of Mr.. Critten-
den, and his great purity of character, will al
once concur With us in the opinion that Mr
Crittenlrn would never volunteer to defend q
bad mn, lnael less murderer"