The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-12-18
In Cuba.


A Havana correspondent of the New York
Tribune says that the Spanish authorities in
Cuba appear to be impressed with the idea that
their race is about run and he has it from good
authority that Serrano, Regent of Spain, has
privately limited to Captain-General De Rodas
to make the best of a bad bargain. Accordingly
De Rodas and others have been remitting money
to Spain from time to time until some f225 900
all together have been sent over. This looks very
much as if these satraps of Spain were getting
ready to evacuate the island. Another thing
that looks as though the Spaniards had lost all
hope of conquering the insurrection is the fact
that they stand rather upon the defensive and do
not seem to be organizing any offensive cam
paigns. Mauricia Roper Roberts, the Spanish
Minister, has written a letter to a Havana broker,
in which the following significant language is
used
We eannO, hold the Island much longer. The symPathies
10 one OF your letters TIA, you are all satisfied the negroes Of
them, and you further add they are daily flying from their es-
tstes for freedom. The Yankees on this side will soon give US
De impossible for US 70 contend against them and public opin-
specially in the purchase Of bills
But later news by the last arrival is still more
significant of future events. 1t seems that the
insurgents in October decided in their legislative
assembly to destroy all the plantations of the
Spaniards or others who oppose the rebellion.
The carrying out of this bold programme COM
menced about the middle of October. and every
mail brings reports of sugar mills and estates de-
stroyed by fire. A letter from Havana published
in New York early in November, gives interesting
details of the plans of the insurgents for the
winter campaign, which We insert:
The Cuban patriots, having bided their time dur
ing all the months of continual rain and well nigh
impossible roads, are about to strike the first telling,
crushing and overwhelming blow of this war. Hoping
all the while during the last six months, or from the
date of the adoption of their constitution, April 10th,
that the United States would recognize Cuban indie
~pendence, or, ut least. give them the deserved adj
vantages Of belligerent rights, Cespedes and Cabinet,
Quesada and his generals have made but little effort
to cripple the Spaniards in their weakest point
dtRer0, money.
Spain holds Cuba or means to hold her for the
kingly revenue which the siempre fei isla affords.
This annual revenue, about $37 ,O00, 600, has been
the bulwark of Spanish finances, the main support
of the Spanish court, through a long series of years.
To retain so princely an income, such an annual
flow of golden ounces into the Golfers of Spain, is the
struggle maintained against the revolutionary upris-
ing. And it is in this very strength of Spanish
finances in which lies Spain's great weakness in
this rebellion. The almost exclusive source of this
great revenue, is from sugar and tobacco, principally
the former. During all the months which Cespedes
du4 NuCSbt6 INV Z Waitihs ~ "
their new Republic by the United States they have
been strengthening their positions throughout the
Central Department of Cuba-the vast sugar regions
of this island.
THE PENDING FIRE STORM.
From Las Tunas eastward to Cape Maisi there are
but few leagues of sugar cane grown outside of the
jurisdiction of Santiago de Cuba, Mazanillo and
Bayamo. Vast pasture lands afford grazing ground
for millions of cattle or sheep, but they are not i'm
proved owing to the sparseness of the population.
From Las Tunas westward. embracing the whole
Central Department, this island is one vast field Of
tall, rank-growing sugar cane, interspersed here and
there with pasture land, corn, wheat and barley fields.
The failure of obtaining recognition of independence
from the United States, and the renewed efforts which
Spain is advancing for holding the island, has de-
termined n policy which must tell against the enemies
of free Cuba with terrible effect. As it will also
effect the markets of our own country, and in fact
those of the world and change the whole aspect Of
this war, and in fact of the richest and most fertile
portion of the island, I have been this long in intro
ducing it. President Cespedes has issued q procla-
nation decreeing the destruction of every stalk of
sugar cane on the island. 1t is rapidly ripening now.
The orders for burning it as fast as it will ignite, of
trampling upon it, of running the crop, have been
made. The machinery of the sugar mills must
either be disabled beyond easy repair, or entirely de-
stroyed. The tens of thousands of liberated slaves
are already at the initiatory work. With the m0chetd
and torch, you can imagine thousands of half-nude
dusky forms gliding among the cane fields, and with
their burning pine knots aitting around the sugar
mills and slave huts of the plantations. They will
ALNaS IVA VI h"S IVAN $4,000 $4,000
thoroughly. Full three-fourths of the sugar crop
and two-thirds or one-half of the tobacco crop will
be destroyed. The Cuban government promises re-
Endorsements to loyal Cubans at the end of the war.
FORCE OF THE BLOW.
This terrible weapon of warfare will stagger the
g~rasping. illiberal Spaniard BY it the revenue of
Cuba will be so belittled as not to pay the expenses
of the horde of salaried collectors sent here to grow
rich off the island, and finding no returns and an
other year of fruitless war wis its burdening and
constantly increasing expenses, for what must Spain
fight? Let the torch flame and these sugar fields of
Cuba become the funeral pyre of Spanish rule in
America. Spain well deserves it.
The destruction of the large sugar and tobacco
estates of Cuba, which supply nearly one-third of
the total consumption of the world, must soon
affect the prices of these articles. but especially of
sugar. 1t is supposed that over one hundred out
of the fifteen hundred sugar estates of Cuba have
been already destroyed beyond restoration so long
as the war continues. The present winter will
doubtless witness the destruction of one-half of
the remaining estates, which will affect the price
early next year very materially.
AROUND THE World. = Puck, in Shakespeare,