New-York tribune., 1869-06-07
SoWnG WIYD-REAPING WHLRLWWD.


Remarkable figures occur in our correspond
ence from Havana. BY that very rare docu-
ment Queen Isabella's farewell budget for
Cuba of the year ending with June, we have
an understanding of the various extrayagances
with which Spain has expended her oppres-
sions on the island. Its income was estimated
at nearly twenty-five million dollars; its ex-
penditures at thirty-one millions. Its war
costs, under a peaceful regime, reached the
enormous sum of nearly twenty millions lhe
main expenses Of administration were above
four millions. The Church received not far
from a million of dollars. The Captain-Gen-
eral was paid fifty thousand dollars year.
exclusive of palatial expenses. These were the
charges of a peace footing. The war has been
carried on at double the rate Of the budget, to
say the least. The Government stands debtor
to its bank at Havana for not less, we presume,
than twenty, perhaps thirty millions.
These figures sort well with those which
reach MS from Spain. Minister Figuerola re-
ports his budget at about S157 100000 on the
side of expenses. The estimates OF income are
about S11O 100000, some say S9jOOO'OOO. ways
and means must be devised to harvest TINS IN
come, and supply a deficit amounting to the
very large sum of forty-sevcn millions. 1he
aggregate items of War and Marine cost Spain
about thrty-fve millions of dollars, counting
none of the Cuban expenditure. The island
noys for war more than half as much
as Spain, and even supports a navy
at half her expense. The interest upon the
debt of the country is fifty-ive millions, IN
creased by the bequest of debt left by Isabella,
and amounting to something short OF one
hundred and twenty-five millions. When the
late Government went out of business, the
general debt was over one billion, and Mt
the end of November it reached to one billion
and a half The Government of Prim and
Serrano sauandered at the rate of nearly one
hundred and thirty-fve millions month.
What has brought upOn Spain her debt ana
her crisis il is not difficult to reckon. She has
wasted money equally upon her ideas and her
want of them Millions she has sunk uselessly
i'm her harbors and rivers, and in the pockets
of contractors and courtiers; millions have
gone to prevent what her statesmen call mate
rial progress, but which in reality has proved
material loss; millions have been stolen by
various banditti in the name of liberty; many
millions have been wasted in subventlons for
improbable railroads. But the resources al
command of Spain are still large enough to
interest fnancier of genius. She has six
hundred converts, four thousand unattended
chapels, various episcopal palaces, one hundred
and twenty seminaries, forty thousand places
where mass is said, including twcnty-six thous-
and regular churches. The woods and forests
of the crown are worth thirty-iive million dol
lars; the Church lands, one hundred and fifty
millions; the mines, thrty-iiye millions. HeI
sundry properties amount in all to five hundred
millions of dollars part of which guarantees the
debt. We know not the exact system OF the
revenues and the commerce of Spain, but that
their management is unsaving and unintelli-
gent we have Scarce a chance to dlsbelieve.
We are told by some observers that the coun-
try is prospering and increasing, while the
Treasury is empty, and financial ruin stares the
nation iii the face. 1t is hard to reconcile these
two statements, but they contain alarge measure
of truth. Spain has no chance butto save, and any
undertaking beyond the administration OF hel
pcace must be ruinOus to her. The struggle
therefore, for her possession in the Antilles Is
fatal one, and worse than useless. We shall not
be far off the mark if we say that its end will bC
determined not by the sword but by the scales
and that Spain must either sell it or lose it ut
terly. Read in the light of common sense, tho
figures we have given are the most certain
prognostic we have of the imminent fate o
Spanish power in America.
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