Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-01-30
From the Washington Globe
THE ISLAND OF CUBA.

The arguments lately made in various sections of
the Union in favor of the acquisition of Cuba by in
dividual national force, and the denunciations by
Spanish journals brought by the last steamer, Of
such supposed American projects of forcible annex
alton, have suggested to US that some account of
that valuable island may now prove of general in
terest
Cuba is the largest and most important of the
West India Islands, and commands the entrance to
the Gulf of Mexico, whence it has been called the
key of the West Indies. 1t is about seven hundred
miles in length and seventy in breadth, and con-
tains with its dependencies 8O7 square miles, be.
ing nearly equal in extent to Great Britain.
The climate is delightful and very healthy, for
which it favorite of invalids. Even
on the top of the Grandc Anta, the chief range of
mountains running through the island from end to
end there has scarcely been ice, and then only
a few lines thick. The seasons not distinguish
ed as summer and winter, but as the wet and the
dry, though the periods at which they begin and
end are not very well defined. The rainy season
commonly begins in May, but sometimes in April,
and occasionally not till June
The soil is very fertile, but as in many other trop-
cal countries, the people are too sluggish to cult.
vate it to any great extent The chief agricultural
productions are sugar, coffee, tobacco, manoc and
maize. The work ON the plantations is done almost
exclusively by negroes whose condition is far worse
than that of the slaves in the United States. The
whippingp post is in constant use. AS instance Of
the great fertility of the SOIL Trumbull states that
in the district of Suga la Grande, ca6GlleriG Of
land which is nearly equal to thirty three acres has
been known to produce two hundred and eighty
thousand pounds of the far-colored, Muscovado su-
gar of that country, being nearly equal to four mod
crate sized hogsheads per acre.
The population is made up of Creoles and negroes,
the latter forming about one third. The Creoles,
like their Spanish ancestors, intelligent but in
dolent; the negroes not allowed to be either.
There are in the island several excellent copper,
iron, ane coal mines, which would be very product.
tive if we'll worked. Small quantities of gold aud
silver have also been found. Since the introduction
of bees, between sixty and seventy years honey
and wax have been important articles of trade.
Manufactures have been much neglected. .
Of domestic animals the OK the horse, and the pig,
are the most useful, and form large part of the
wealth of the country. The oxen are SO numerous
that many of them have run wild; and they are
hunted for the sake of their hides and talow, which
are sent to Spain. 49,. q. -s...."'
Of domestic fowls, chickens are the most numer.
ous though the goose, turkey, peacock and pigeon,
are we'll known. The English game. is much
priced for his fighting talents. 1t will be remem-
bered that Santa Annals chief amusement, when in
Cuba, was cock fighting. --~--.--
There are many fine turtles on the shores of the
island, from which the best tortoise shells are OBJ
tanned. Fresh fish of various kinds abound
Snakes and other reptiles are few, but noxious in
sects Of all kinds are found in large numbers.
The island is divided into several Jurisdictions.
CIVIL judicial ecclesiastical, ana military. Ihe civil
jurisdiction consists of two provinces, with two dis,
tinct Governors, entirely independent Of each other;
the supreme military chief of the whole island with
the title Of CAPTAIN General, being the civil Cover,
nor of the one province only called San Cristoval de
Ia Havana; while the other Santiago de Cuba, has
separate Governor who, in affairs purely political OF
civil is not in any way subject to the Captain Gen
eral. Besides, the island is divided into three mill
tary divisions, whose chiefs take their orders from
the CAPTAIN General. At Matanzas, Trinidad dc
Cuba, Puerto Principe, and Cienfuegos, there are
also officers With the title of Governor named by the
CAPTAIN General, whose Office is Of judicial na
ture, extending to disputed points Of every sort