The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-16
CUBA AND PORTO RICO.

IsiaRds-Eeesraphy and Physical Charac-
ter--Citmase--Yeil0w Fcver-Popsiattoa-
C0mmerce-Revenmo and ResOurces-Miii-
fnry and Naval vaIme.
The colonial possessions OF Spain In the western
Hemisphere are Of the greatest national importance.
The islands OF Cuba and Porto Rico are mos only fertile
in SOIL rich IN productions, powerful In popuaon Out
their situation for the establishment OF commercial
depots and naval stations far superior TO that OF any
the West India islands belonging 10 England. France
Denmark, Holland Sweden Although they are STU
ased like all the islands belonging 70 these Powers In
the Western Atlantic Ocean, between North ana SCUM
America, and form part OF the archipelago OF the
Antilles yet they enjoy local advantages peculiar to
themselves
Notwithstanding their proximity 70 our shores
and the important relations, both In peace ana
war these isanda and especially Cuba, bear 70
us and the prominent fact that over I'VE tnou-
sand Americans annually visit Havana, no good
work treating OF them accessible to the general reader
We therefore proceed 10 give 10 the readers Of the
HgaALD succinct account these islands derived from
reliable sources.
TERRITORIAL POSITION AND HISTORY.
The island Of Cuba lies south OF Florida from which
is separated by tho Gulf stream, about eighty mics
from Key West its chief port Havana On the
lies the island Of Hay separated by nfty miles Of
channel, and east OF Hayt is Porto Rico and the be-
ginning Of the chain Of the Antilles. To the south ne
The Mosquito Shore Panama, costa1rme and the
British island Of Jamaica. The western extremity OF
Cuba stretches into tho Gulf OF Mexico. channel forty
miles wide separating from the peninsula OF Yucatsu
Cuba completely commands the navigation Of the
Gulf Of Mexico the bay OF Honduras and part Of the
Caribbean Sea Not vessel can sail from the coasts
bordering their waters into the Atlantic Ocean with
passing along the coasts OF Cuha. through the
BE- ppousy sred the rsy 70 The Of tire.
seas and the arbmsr OF their commerce
the beautifri island Of Porto Rico which rs separated
from the Dominican republic by channel only iorty-
nvsl miles wide. Through this channel, al vessels
from the South American continent bound 70 Europe,
in ali the choicest Productions Of the tropics are
Of greater value and importance fro m their locality,
commanding the navigation Of The coasts OF Louisiana,
Florida Texas ths Mexican republic and the whole OK
Both Islands were discovered by Coumbus-Cuba In
1892 and Porto Rico Ia 1898 The first was crcuni.
nayigaied BY Ocampo l5os. conquered BY vsasaaes
the Spanish conquests In America In the NIX years
from 15ls % 1924 six expeditions Of discovery anu
thatsus Rores, which despoied the empire OF Moe.
sezums ana abe most powerful that sent By
assisted him in the achievement o. his aims Twenty
ast Of the great Spanish enterprises which dissolved
the banks Of the Mississippi and buried s leader In
rfon. THE period Cuba sank into state Of apathy
from which II FIRST awakened two centuries later ~
British ee ana WITH Fe ss Son ing
captured Havana In 1902 when ships Of the limo,
twenty merchant vessels and three millions Of dol
| lars IN silver fell into their hands
The British hold Havana eleven months. during
which time they brought into that port nearly thou.
| sand loaded vessels, most Of them from the
negroes ro from Africa. This gave an Impulse
tina. time trade With New England sprung up in
| molasses and rum, which Spain was never able =
put down. In selfdefence the mother country IN 1901
Il I'D OF
Havana was restored to Spain by the treaty OF ver-
sales IN 1888 IN exchange ior which she gave 20 Eng
south Of the Mississippi river and ne right Of
| fishery the banks Of Newfoundland. The Foridss
were held by England until 1779-s0, when powerful
expedition fitted in Havana and assisted Gaivaz
the Spanish Governor Of Louisiana to those
Prom that time Cuba has remained In peaceable pos
Of SPAIN disturbed only by the efforts Of Lopez
landed twice Cuba with expeditions from the United
States The FIRST in l849, took the city Of Cardenas
to Rsy sS:d Il into s
| Spanish steamer.
ne second expedition landed in 1851, near Bahi'
rated from tue main body was captured with y or his
men, al Of whom, With their lssder wore shot ia Ha.
made prisoners BY the Spanish troops Lopez was cap
tnrsd and cao'sd and u: prisoners ''as y spaia
/ GEOGRAPHY AND PLY srcAL CHARACTER.
The island Of tuba s the largest Of the Antilles being
Of Wales Its greatest length, from Cape San Antonio
TO Cape Aays u nix hundred and twenty miles, and ita
and Puerto Principe, being about four-nfths Of its
length The mean width s forty miles, and lie narrowess
portion from Havana % Baabano, about twenty-five
chain Of hills runs through the island from east
southeast north northwest approaching tho southern
Puerto Principe while moro 70 The west The
mountainous ridge approaches the northern shore The
highest portion Of these bills 10 me castor. end q
city Of ST. Jago do Cuba said TO Do than 900
feet high Tho face Of the interior Of the island is
lv Anl ana Nkan ysnux
$50 to $50 feet above the level Of the sea
The of the island with tho Isle OF Pines Is abous
80 600 miles which exceeds 10 superficial
| all the other West Inna islands together.
/ Not more Than one-foursh Of tins extent has been
brought under Guilty walton; and the principal Of s
agriculture and population in the western depart
ment, within the immediate jurisdiction OF Havana
docs than ether Porto REQ or S. Thomas. and these
experienced most in the part In the vicinity
II Is abundantly provided with magnificent ports and
hsrbors many Of which are equal TO the largest and
best in the world. Among those we may name Havana,
MarieI Cabanas. Bahia Honda Nipe aud Padre, the
| North coast. and Guantanamo and St Jaso, on the
Tho island Of Porto Rico Is about ninety miles long
from east to west with general width Of thirty three
miles. According TO the official surveys II has
| OF three thousand square miles
As with CUBA cham OF hills runs through Il from
east TO west the oes points being In the eastern
Of the island rising about 1--WE thousand feet above The
Tho soil among the mountains is excslsnt and the
mountains themselves susceptible or cultivation to
their very topa At the village Of Aylsvuiio situated
table land In the mountains about eight leagues
from Ponce found all the fruits and vegetables OF
the United States and Europe To the north and south
Of the RIDGE stretching along the coasts, the
fertile valleys which produce the chief wealth Of the
island.
Compared with Cuba Porto Rico 10 mort denssIy
settled ftfy-eght townzand villages are Distributed
over the island, which makes nearly 10 every Gty
square miles, The largest 10 San Juan, the capital
tanning about ten thousand inhabitants.
II Is not 20 well provided with harbors % Cuba
San Juan, the north coast, we'll protected Aqua
da the east whore Columbus landed, 10 spacious
bay bet az times not safe for ships the best ports
Cuanica and HOBBS. the south that OF MAYA
guez, on the west, being only an open roadstsad.
Neither OF the two islands possesses any river Of
portancs though both abandanty watsrsd By sman
streama
CLIMATE.
The climate OF Cubs exhibits In its general aspects ali
the characteristics Of the Northern tropics within which
entirely liel Its extreme northern IatiludethM Of
desrasg q nuInufaa