Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-01-12
.IHE PRESENT VAR INCIJBA
Is the Seventh Effort of the islanders
for Freedom.
The History of 1.-THE Faithful Isle"
Is One Long Story Of Blood and
DesolRion - Havana Has Been
Burned by English and French
and Looted by Pirates - Some
Idea Of What Spanish Oppression
Really Is.


WRITTEN FOR THE REGISTER.
To the average newspaper reader OF to-
day, the present Instruction in Cuba
represents the second attempt of the
victims of Spanish misrule in that Is
land to obtain freedom and independ-
ence.
As a matter of fact it IS the seventh
rebellion within less than seventy years
At frequent intervals since 1929 the
Island has been the scene of revolution
airy wars, some of them Of brief dura-
ton, while others were prolonged for
years, and the aggregate Of blood and
treasure expended in efforts TO shake off
the Spanish yoke on the one hand, and
to perpetuate it on the other has been a
vast one.
And before the era of instructions
Cuba was far from being a peaceful
and happy island. From the date of It's
original discovery by Columbus down
to the present effort Of the patriots, it
has been the scene Of war, invasion,
massacre and desolation so often that no
section OF the Island mas been free from
scenes of battle, while English
French, Dutch, Americans and Spanish
have all taken hand N the various
s,rifes.
THE EARLY HISTORY
Of tae Island, Immediately following
It's hrst INVASION and settlement by tho
Spanish, reeAs with blood ana IS one
long story Of crue.Jy ald oppression.
The original pOpu.ac.on OF UuJL at
the tine OF the discovery CT the
Island by Columbus en- MS second Voy-
age haS been carefully estimated at six
m.Il.Cns. II required but lew decades
CT Spanish rule 10 practically eXJermln-
ate tlis relatively immense population,
four tines Is numerous as yAo presen.
inhabitants OF Jhe Island. DesultOry
conflicts OF various sorts followed, some
time between Spanish factions ana again
with remnants OF the Indians and half
breeds, until 1888, when a French pri-
watering expedition captured and burn
ed Havana and laid waste q large portion
Of the adjoining plantations. Ferd.-
nandO De Soto, afterwards famed as the
d.ScoYerer Of the Mississippi, was at thai
time the Spanish Governor and to pre-
vent a repetition Of such disastrous in
yasiOns he caused TO be constructed the
Castillo de la Fuerza, which antiquated
fortress stands to the present day on
the city side of the harbCr, opposite
Moro Castle. Despite the defensive
efforts OF De Soto and his immediate
successor, Hayanna Was again
SEIZED AND DESTROYED
by the French, in 1854, but the city was
soon rebuilt, after better plan than be
fore, only to be again plundered in 1865
by Jacob Sores, the pirate, and the IA
nous Moro Castle and the Castillo de
Ia Punta were erected as additional pro-
tect.ons from attacks by sea.
For nearly one hundred and fifty years
following 1850 there was almost a per-
petual fear of attack by fore On foes up
on some quarter Of the Island, and
such attacks were actually made during
that interval by the French, the Dutch
and the English, while the numerous
and we'll armed regations Of pirates
which made their headquarters and rem
devious in various West India Islands,
sWOOped down from time to time. In
1855 Drake seriously menaced the city,
and Philip ii. ordered the construction
Of further defenses, which were grad
ually added TO until 1868. when the work
OF completely surrounding the city with
a wall was commenced. In 1862, during
the war between England and Spain,
Havana was captured by the English
forces under Admiral POcock and the
Duke of Albemarl, after a most stub
born resistance by the Spanish garrison.
The English fleet consisted Of two hun
dred ships. containing Overl fourteen
thousand men, while the Spanish army
amounted TO twenty-e.ght thousand.
The se.ge was commenced June 9Th,
MORO Castle cap.tula.ed July Sofa, and
the city surrendered August 14th The
booty falling into English hands was
enormous, nearly 100000 pounds in
money, Jewels and goods being divided
among the victors. The English soon
obtained at least nominal control over
the entire Island, but by the treaty Of
Paris. the following year, Cuba was re-
stored to Spain
THE MOST BRILLIANT EPOCH
Of Cuban history began in 1890 with the
advent of Captain General Las Casas.
He instituted many reforms, encour-
aged commerce and agriculture, and his
regime was generally Of the most ben
.fc.nn+ natrre In 1902 Iesn Marla. q