The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1858-11-25
The Island of Cuba.

The w aShlngton ut00e III ~'po'''
article upon the extent, population
md resources of the Island Of Cuba,
some reliable data Of general
interest to the American people. AS
the subject is n now much talked
about, we make the following abstract
for the benefit of our readers:
Cuba is the largest and most impor.
tant of the West India Islands. and
commands the entrance to the Gull OF
Mexico, whence it has been called the
Kew to the Gulf. 1t is about seven
hundred miles in length and seventy
in breadth, and contains with its de-
tendencies, 32,s07 square miles, be-
Ing nearly equal in extent to Drea1
Britain.
The climate is delightful and very
healthy, for which reason it is a favor
ite resort for invaIids. Even on the
too of the Grand Antilla, the chief
range Of mountains running through
tn, Island from end to end, there has
sc,rcely ever been ice, and then only
a few lines thick. The seasons are
MT distinguished as summer and win
tr, but as the wet and dry, though the
priods which they begin and end are
'ot very well defined. The rainy
eason commonly begins in May, but
sometimes in April and occasionally
not till June.
The soil is very fertile, but, as in
many other tropical countries, the
people are too sluggish to cultivate it
10 any great extent. The chief agri'
cultural productions are sugar, coffee,
tobacco, manioc, and maize. The
work on the plantations is done almost
exclusively by negroes, whose condi-
ion is far worse than that ofthe slaves
Of the United States. The whipping
post is in constant use. As an in
stance of the great fertility Of the soil,
states that, in the district OF
GranAe, a caballeria Of land,
which is nearly equal to thirty acres,
has been known to produce two hun
lred and eighty thousand pounds OF
lie fair-colored MGscavado sugar OF
hat country, being nearly equal to
our moderate sized h~0sshs1ds per
The population is made up Of Gre
les and negroes, the latter forming
bout onc-third. The Crco!es, like
hcir Spanish ancestors. are intelligent
ut incident; the negroes are not al
owed to be either.
There are in the island several ex-
copper, iron, and coal mines,
which would be very productive if
worked. Small quantities of
old and silver have also been found.
incc the introduction of bees, sixty
nd seventy years ago, honey and wax
ave been important articles of trade.
Manufactures have beenmuch ncglec-
ed.
The island is divided into several
.lrisdlctions, civil, judicial, ~ecclcsias-
cal and military. The civil jurisdic-
ons consists Of two provinces; with
district Governors, entirely indie
cndent Of each other; the supreme
'ilitary chief of the whole island with
lc title of Captain General, being the
vii Governor Of the one province
9ly, called San Christoval de la lIa-
ana; while the other, Santiago dc Gu
l, has Il separate Governor, who, in
purely political or civil, is not
any way subject to the Captain
encral. Besides the islands divided
to three military divisions, whose
licfs take their orders from the Cap
in General.
Some attention has been paid to
lucation by the Government, but lit
: has been accomplished.
In 1910 there were 99,509 fair chill
EN- in the island between the ages of
&c and ten; of whom one-tenth were
mt to school.
Authorities differ as to the popula-
IN ofCuba. According to the census
1927, which was, we believe, the
st taken, the population was 73O,362.
t these the whites numbered 3lI,O5l;
e free negroes 57,54; and the free
'oplc OF color, not negroes, 1885,
he number OF slaves was 2SG,Sl2, of
HON IS3,200 were males, and 1885,
females. Since 1927 the popula-
IN has of course, greatly increased,
is shown by the amount of imports
nee then, and the constantly increas.
g production of the island. 1t now
mounts, probably, to about $780,
10.
The trade ofCuba is excellent. its
tuation, the fertility of the soil, and
lie short di%stance--not more than
'irty miles--irom any point in the
terror to the seashorc, all tend to
it great commercial prosperity;
nd if the many injurious restraints
DIV imposed upon its trade were re-
owed it would soon become one of
le richest spots on earth.
Within the last ten years, the inte-
Or of the country had been much
approved. and the means of COMMUNE
alton increased by railroads, &c.
he first railroad ever laid in the island
from Havana to the most
nportant Of the sugar districts, was
instructed by a citizen of the United
Under the influence of Ameri-
IN institutions and American enter
rise the Cuba of to-day would bear
D comparison with what a few years