The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-04
HAVANA AND ITS HISTORY
Importance of the City Against Which
the Patriots Are Moving.

Havana, as the capital, metropolis and
chief seaport of Cuba. is one of the best
known cities in the American hemisphere.
Its splendid harbor, its commercial Inpor-
lance, its climate and the tinge OF ro-
nance that ever attaches To its people
have made its fame world wide. Havana
has about 20o,0e0 inhabitants. 1t was
founded but twenty-three years after the
discovery by Columbus, and has always
been the commercial emporium of the An
titles. 1t is situated on a beautiful bay,
whose entrance from the Gulf Of Mexico
is by a narrow estuary between two prom
inent headlands This entrance is guard
ed on the east By the famous MORO Castle
and on the west by the Castle de la Pun
Ia, both built at the close of the sixteenth
century.
Havana. in its topography, architecture
and every other physical attribute, is es-
sentially Spanish. The houses are i1enu-
cal with the architecture of the south of
Spain. They have heavy walls of stone,
low ceilings, broad veEandahs and are
built upon narrow streets, which. though
well paved. are unclsanly and unpleasant
to the eye. Most of the public institu-
tons of Havana are of ancient date. The
great cathedral. so we'll known. was be-
gun in 1924. Here lie, or are said 10 lie,
the claim being denied, the remains Of CO.
lumbus, transferred thither from San Do
y
other churches, nine of which belong to
the mopastic orders. Two of these
churches date from the sixteenth century
The ether public etsiicos OF ssete are the
palace of the captain general. situated
on Plaza de Armas, the Tacon theater,
one of the largest theaters in the world,
equal. in fact TO the famous Scala of
Milan; the various provincial offices, the
university and the great prison. a vast
quadrangular structure. built in III.
There are also a number of fine hospitals
Few cities have such beautiful parks
and driveways as Havana. The great
Plaza de Armas is the chief 1t comprises
four parks. in the center OF which is a
statue of Ferdinand VII. Then there Is
the Almeda de Paula. bordering on the
bay. and the Campo de Marie, used as a
drin ground for the military This is an
enormous park. II has four handsome
gates, named respectively Colon, Cortez
Pizarro and Tacon. The Paseo de Tacon
is a magnificent drive, with double rows
of trees IT has numerous columns and
statues, among the latter one of Charles
III, ranking among the finest works of
art in America.
The commerce of Havana is only sur
passed in the New World by that of New
York. Two-thirds of the products Of Cuba
find outlet through Havana. The exports
OF sugar alone are annually about 10. coo
10 pounds.
Havana was founded in 1918 by Diego de
Nelasquez, the conqueror OF the island It
was first called San Christobal De Ia Ha-
bana. in honor Of Columbus. but gradual
~ the prefix was dropped Havana has
been frequently attacked from the sea
Drake tried to take ii IN 1855, but failed
In 1862 British fleet under Admiral Po-
cock bomharded the city and compelled il
To capitulate. but II was restored 10 the
Spaniards the next year by the treaty OF
Paris