The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-06-17
DAILY PIONEER.
SAINT PA UL:
SATURDAY MORNING, JUNE II. 1854.
Cuba.

The Islam! Of Cuba, from its contigucity to
our coast, its commercial importance, the char
actcr of its Institutions, and the attemps which
have been made by organized bands of men
from our shores, to rcvolutionize and annex it
to our political system as an integral portion
of the Union, has become so important sub
ject Of public attention and political discussion
that a few details respecting its history NAV
not be unacceptable to our readers
The Island of Cuba was discovered bv Co
lumbus in the year 1892. 1t has always re-
tanned the Indian name of Cuba, although up
on some of the old maps it is described by the
pames OF Juana Fernandina, and Santiago. 1t
IS somewhat questionable upon what part of
the island the first settlement was made though
Baracoa was its capital until 1922, when the
scat OF Government was transferred to Santa
90 de Cuba. For nearly half a century after
its discovery the island had but little political
Or commercial Importance in the eyes of the
home Government being used chic 1y as Mil
itary depot adjacent to the coast Of Mexico
There is some discrepancy in the various &C
counts concerning the original site and found
ing Of the present city Of HAVANA. 1t is GER
tain however, that it was town of considera-
bic Importance in 1888, and from its excellent
and capaciOus habor had become the chief ma
val RENDEZVOUS between Mexico and Spain
In lj7l the town contained 500 families :;
at the end Of the sixteenth century the number
had nearly doubled, and about the middle of
the seventeenth the population had increased
to 10000 souls. The first Captain General
took up his residence there in 1889; and, in
1853 the Offices of Governor of Havana art
Captain General of Cuba were united. For
nearly three centuries the Liberal commercial
policy of Spain, offered no stimulus to the en-
terprise of the inhabitants, and nearly prevent
ed any development of tie great natural re-
sources of the Island. Cuba contains an era
of about $1,000 square English miles. the soil
of which is Of almost ineXhaustable fertility
This is equal to more than 20, 900, nGC of acres
every three of which is capable, with proper
cultivation, of producing one hogshead of SUI
gar annually. Aud yet the annual exports Of
the island did not exceed II, 800 hogsheads be-
fore the year 1913. In that year the ports Of
la Trinidad, Santiago de Cuba, and HAVANA
we're thrown open to the pcninsular trade, from
this time the growth of the island in popula-
ton and wealth: was extremely rapid. InlS09
these ports were opeEed to the trade of the
world and the progress Of Caba since that pc
Rod, is u noble example of the benefits and adj
vanta"cs which flow from an unrestricted COM
mcrce.
At the middle Of the eighteenth century, the
revenue derived from the Island. by the Span
ISL Government did not exceed $4,000 and
in 1919, only ten years after the restrictions Of
commerce were removed, it amounted to ST.
7S3l47. In 1913 the exports Of Cuba a.
mounted to $S26,000.O0O, and her imports to
S23,000 900: she yielded a revenue OF Sl3.-
b0O, 700, an1 the property of the Island was
estimated 1T tAe value of SS0O,OO0 900. And
yet but one fifth OF the Island was supposed to
b, under cultivation Meantime the popitfa-
ton Of the Island has increased in proportion
70 its commerce and wealth. Sin 1917 the in
habtants numbered little more than half q
million, and in 1853 they had increased to
nearly 100000. OF these 100000 were
whites. 600 900 We're slave black. and about
300. 600 free black. No free colored persons
are allowed to land or the Island on any &C
count whatever, although by II comparatively
mild provision Of the Colonial law, any slave
may if he please purchase his freedom
1t Will be seen that the black population
considerably outnumbcrS the white. This may
be accounted for by the predictions extent to
which the slave trade is carried on between
that Island and the coasts Of Africa which
trade though not specially authorized, is evil
,lc,stlv connved at by the Spanish authorities.
For several years the British Government has
been making strenuous efforts to procure the
abolition of slavery in Cuba with the Interior
G,si "r umlucstionably. of affecting that insti-
tuition as it exists il. the Southern States. 1t
naturally belongs to our political and CONNER
cial system, and whether it will fall to us ull-
der the law of nature-whch Mr.. Seward
thinks SO highly of-or by purchase, or the
sharper arbitration. of arms remains to be
sccn.-BuDdiO DemocracY. ..