The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-11
Cuba's Capabilities.

sAsS S'sS NfS tfNS
ent rebellion, it is surprising that more at
tention has not been directed to the indus
trial and commercial possibilities of the
island. The truth is that the astonishing
growth of Java in wealth and population
within the last hundred years will undoubt-
eddy be paralleled in the Gem of the Antilles.
as soon as the latter island in her turn
shall undergo the stimulating influence OF a
just and sagacious government.
Let us consider some of the facts relating
to Cuba which are too often overlooked.
Even the size of the island is seldom appre-
ciated. II we follow a curved line through
its centre. we find its length to be $50 miles
its average breadth is eighty miles; its area,
including that of the small adjacent islands
which belong to it, is do, SS3 square miles.
1t has more than 1000 miles Of scacoast;
and no island has, in proportion to it's size, n
greater number of excellent harbors. Ofthese
there are some seventy, but only a few
of them are Mt present open to COM
merce. The population of Cuba, according
to the last census, that of 1897, was only
1881, eS7. Of whom 1,1O2,Gs3 were whites;
4s6, 1877 were colored persons; ASH were
Asiatics and Yucatanese. This population is
absurdly disproportioned to the size and
productive capacity Of the island. The dis
proportion is applicable by the fact that Mt
present only u fraction Of the tillable soil, a
fraction variously computed Mt from one
tenth to one-flfth, is under cultivation. 1t
is also to be noted that for many years
Spain has taken every possible measure to
prevent the increase of the white inhab-
itants; emigration has been Systematically
discouraged, owing to the ~well-founded
belief that the children OF emigrants would
acquire the feelings and wishes of the native
Cubans. Among the preventive measures
taken we may mention a decree that no
foreigners shall live in Cub more than three
months without declaring themselves Ro-
man Catholics.
As we have said, the proportion of the
Cuban soil which was under cultivation ut
the outbreak of the present insurrection, did
not exceed a fifth, and was more probably a
tenth; nevertheless, for some years the isl
and had produced upward of a million tons
of sugar annually; the value OF the manu-
featured tobacco exported, even in 1894,
was So, 1858, 400; in 1889 it had been SlO,-
O19,O4O. The amount OF raw tobacco sent
from Cuba to the United States alone in
1893 was valued ut SO, 900, 600. The total
exports from Cuba to all countries in 1891
were valued at $50, S62 ,514: the imports
during the same year amounted to $50, 265,-
315; the difference, some 500. 600, 900. rep
resented the sums taken out of the island to
pay interest on the debt; pensions to retired
officials residing abroad; the Transatlantic
Company's services. and the remittanccs
ppnIa NV Cpnpiah ~ ployooe opJ en;,,,p,-,
to their families left behind in Spain. This
explanation of the difference between ey-
ports and imports is not ours; it was pub
lished in the Dtdrto dc la Marina, the organ
OF the Peninsula Reform party, in its issue
of Dec. 8, 1893. 1t is certain that If the
present restrictive legislation were aban-
doned, a legislation seemingly designed for
the purpose of starving capital and stran-
Cling industry, the output of sugar, tobacco,
and cotton would be enormously increased.
But these are by no means the only sources
of profit, which are at present imperfectIy
turned to account, or entirely neglected.
The forest wealth Of Cubai Is almost incGlcu-
liable. 1t is computed that OF 90, 900, 900
acres of land still remaining wholly uncul-
tivated, nearly l8,oOO,O 900 are unclcared
forest. Mahogany and other hard woods,
such AS the Cuban ebony, cedar, sabicei, and
granadella. valuable for manufactures,
cabinet work, and shipbuilding, ARE indig-
enous The mineral riches OF the island
have not as yet been explored to any con-
siderable extent. In 1927 silver was discoy-
cred in the jurisdiction Of Villa Clara,
and the first ores yielded no less than seven
ounces OF pure silver to the quintal QO7aI
pounds) OF ore; If they have since been less
productive. it is from not being properly
worked. The Cobre copper mines, twelve
miles from Santiago, are OF great extent
and very rich; MS much as fifty tons of ore
are taken out daily, the richer part of which
Is shipped to Europe; even the poorer part.
which is sme!ted at the works, yields about
Ia per cent. of metal. Coal of n highly
bituminous character, affording n strong
heat and leaving very little solid residue, is
very abundant. Petroleum or naphtha Is
often found near the coast. There is no
doubt, either, that many parts of the great
inland mountain chain contain rocks of n
ferruginous nature; but from the present
difficulty of access and wan of capital, no
extensive mining operations have been as
yet undertaken.
We have compared Cuba to Java, and
there arc good grounds for the comparison,
They are shaped alike; they are nearly the
same size; they are by nature equally pro-
d|uctiye; they have nearly the same climate,
although in this respect Cuba has the ad-
vantage; they occupy positions of similar
strategic Importance, though from this
viewpoint, also, Cuba is the more valuable.
The greatest length of Java is g miles;
its greatest breadth is l2l; its area, in
GLIDING that of some small islands attached
to it, Is 81 ,06l square miles. A century
ago the inhabitants of the Asiatic island
did not greatly outnumber those OF Cuba.
In 1881 RADERMACIEk estimated the popu-