Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-12-04
Caba. Strategic Position

Whatever the outcome of this pres
ent excitement, whether peace or wal
land we earnestly hope the former
i 1t will be OF interest to examine the
strategical position Of the island ol
| Cuba. and that of our conntry toward
her in military point OF view
The island lies = mean distance oI
lW miles sonth of Florida, with gen.
eral trend from east TO west, but bow.
Ing northward in the form of cres-
cent. Its greatest length is $50 miles,
its breadth varying from Ii to l3j
miles, and its coast line exclusive OF
sinuositics, measuring about l,6OO
miles. Its total area is irifle over
1900 square miles. A cordillera OF
Of an elevation of from 1900 to 1000
feet stretches the length of the island,
dividing it into two unequel portions,
but the passes are abundant and well
known.
| The ports demand our first attention.
The capital, Havana, lies on the north.
west coast, $50 miles from Cape Sable,
and $50 from New Orleans. Her har-
Dor is one Of the best in the world,
capable of floating 1000 ships of war,
perfectly sheltered from wind aud
waves. With any well-organized de-
fense the harbor would be impregna.
bic to a hostile assault. The entrance
Is by channel half-mile in length
| 90 narrow that only one ship can pass
at time, and fortified throughout the
whole distance in the best OF style.
At the mouth Of the channel "a quar-
ter Of mile wide-are two very
strong castles, the Punta and the Moro.
Cuba is not to be taken through the
Havana harbor.
Mantanzas, the second commercial
town of the island, lies on the north.
west coast, 81 miles east of Havana, al
the end Of capacious and well-shel-
tered bay, into which the San Juan
empties. Santiago de Cuba is at the
extreme east end of the island, with
another magnificent harbor. Los
Nuevitas, the port to Puerto Principe,
lies midway between Santiago dc
Cuba, also on the northern coast. All
Of these last three ports are pretty
well fortified, but none Of them inn
pFegnable to . spirited and well-con.
! Quoted sea attack. In addition 10
these, and also on the northern coast,
are Cart1onas, Sagua In Granda, San
Juan Remedies, with rather inferior
harbors and uncomfortable fortifica.
tione. There are other small ports
along the coast nearest to US. but
these are the only ones connected with
the railway system of the island, and
serviceAble for q base of military op-
erAti0us. Exclusive Of Havana, we
could force our entrance into any oil
them with but little cost. Transports
and Eunboats moving from New Or.
leans could make the most serviceable
Of those ports in time varying from
/ forty-eight to eighty hours and from
some Of the Florida harbors in much
less time.
An American force of sufficient size
once disembarked at any one of these
ports, and properly supported by the
navy, the rest Of the task of occupation
would be comparatively easy, owing
to late improvements in the railway
and road system. Formerly most OF
the inter- communication was effected
by coast lines Of steamers and sailing
vessels, with . few poorly.constructe
wsgon-roads running inland from the
ports. Since 1880, however, the rail-
way system has been vigorously
pushed, until every seaport and town
Of importance is connected by ii. The
roads, too, undertaken by private cap
Iit.l, and returning arich revenue from
sufficiently numerous.
| Altogether, q foreign colony neve,
presented fairer opportunities for inva.
| sion, should such course become neces.
sary, than does Cubs. a.-Cipeinaof
Times.
STATE OF Iowa, !
OFFICE Oh ATTORNEY GENERAL,}
OsKALoosA, Der. Is, 1873. }
Hon. Josiah 4. Young, Secretary o,
State, Des lNoines, Ioea
DEAR SIR IL am in receipt of your
favor asking my construction of Sec.
tion 25S, Code OF Iowa.
This section provides that the
commissions Of all Notaries Public
heretofore or hereafter issued, prior
to the fourth day Of July, A. ID. 1876
shall expire on that day, and com.
missions subsequently, issued shall be
for no longer period than three years,
and oil such commissions shall expire
ON the fourth day of July in the same
year."
1t is quite manifest that il was the
intention of the legislature to provide
that all commissions of notaries
should expire on the came day; and
In order to carry out this intention. IL
was necessary TO provide either, that
commissions which should expire
after September lst, 1873, and prior to
July 4th, 1876, should be renewed,
such renewals to expire ut the last
named date, or that such unexpired
commission should be continued
without renewal, until said date. The
latter course was pursued, SO far as il
was competent for the Legislature so
10 do, and the broad provision was
made that ALL commissions. includ-
ing those whose terMs had not ex.
pired ct the time the act took effect, az
well "a those TO be Issued thereafter,
should expire July 4th, 1876. think
there can be NO doubt about such be.
ing the intention Of tie Legislature
in fact, / do not see that the language
admits Of bat one construction.
* Tho only difficulty that presents il.
self 10 that, when the commissions
issued prior to July 4th, 1873, were
issued they provided in express terms
that they should expire in three years
and the several Notaries qualified &C.
Icordisgly, and the official bonds giver
by them, were understood to be giyer
for the terms Of Office as then fixed BY
law. Whether it 10 competent for thu
Legislature to provide that sucf
bonds shall cover long period Of
time, or that longer term of Office
than was contemplated by the suretie,
ON such bonds at the time the same
were executed, is, to my mind, very
doubtful; and in view of such doubt,
It occurs TO me that the better way fol
snch N0tarias TO pursue, il they desire
to continue to act, will be to have new
commissions issned as soon as the old
ones expire. Such course will be
attended with but little trouble or ex-
pence, and may avoid much .crious
difficulty and litigation.
Truly yours
NJ. Z. QUITS,
Attorney General.