The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-01
BEAUTIFUL IN DECAY
THE WHITEWATER AND AN
GENT CITY of CADIZ, IN
SPAIN.
A CITY OF GREAT AGE.
1T WAS FOUNDED THREE THOU
SAND OR MORE YEARS
AGO.
WAS ONCE A GRAND SEAPORT
But Now LanguiShes in Poverty, All
Its Commerce Having De-
parted.

CADIZ, Spain, Feb. 21-It is not far
across the strait from Africa at Tan
gier to the Spanish peninsula at Tarifa
Ten hours on slowgoing steamer take
one far up the western coast of Spain
to its most beautiful port, the white
walled city of Cadiz. On the way we
pass the promontOry of Trafalgar,
where Nelson, in 1905, gave the finishing
blow to SPANS supremacy on the ocean.
This great victory was such blow to
NapOleon's ambitions, Offsetting his
victories by land, that the fact that
it was also a deathblow to SPANS
schemes of maritime conquests is gen
orally overlooked. But it was, and
nothing since the destruction Of the
armada was so terrible for the nation
On the morning before the great
naval battle in which 'England's darl-
ing" lost his life the combined French
and Spanish fleet rendezvOused in this
same harbor Of Cadiz From the mast
head of Nelson's flagship were counted
Is French and 16 Spanish ships of the
line, which soon after, to their sorrow.
sailed out and gave the British battle.
AT the present time you will find
more British ships in the harbor Of
SduIA lIldH Oh all OCneH ndClOnS COM
bined, for England takes Spanish wines
and salt in great quantities and re-
turns her manufactures all in British
bottoms. AS for our own trade there
are so few arrivals here of American
ships as to make it hardly worth the
while to mention them
Charming city of Cadiz! Once the
grandest seaport of southern Spain.
now it languishes in poverty eating
out its heart for lack of commerce. But.
though poor, CadiZ is clean, a state
ment one cannot make Of many other
cities Of Spain. 1t is a walled city, with
sea walls and miles Of Notifications
which afford delightful promenades
us commanding situation on a hook
or land, with a magnificent bay be q.
hlnd It, completely landlOcl1ed and sep
arated from the interior country bv
rivers and marshes, early attracted the
attention of those bold sea roVers. the
Phoen1cians. They landed here and be-
gan the foundations Of city about
5000 years ago and were driven out
py the Romans 1000 years later.
coming down to times comparatively
modern, we find Columbus fitting out
here for his second voyage in 1893
with his fleet of seventeen ships and
caraVelS he sailed so proudly for the
West indies, only to return seven wears
later a prisoner in irons. He was not
the hrst victim of Spanish ingratitude
OF the last and, though King Ferdi-
mana commanded that his chains
should be removed and that he should
be received at court with high honors
yet the iron had sunk into his soul
ana he never recovered from this indig
nifty
l found Cadiz in furry of prepara
tions Tor the last struggle in Cuba for
me retention of those islands which
Columbus discovered for the Snanish
crown 400 years ago. Only Cuba and
FCerto Rico now remain to Spain of
all the possessions she once controlled
IN the new world, which included all
the west Indies and Central and South
America. All now are gone, and it is
the rear that they shall lose their grin
on these remaining isles and be obliged
10 sever forever their connection with
the hemisphere their sailors brought to
the knowledge of Europe that makes
them so desperate.
was here eight years ago and found
warm welcome everywhere, but on This
trip L have been regarded with suspi-
clon and even some hatred The Snan
1ards are, as a rule, kind hearted and
pleasant to meet as you find them in
the clubs, hotels and plazaS Although
none of them would invite Won 70 his
house and make you acquainted with
his wife and family, still that is the re-
suit Of racial custom and not Of indi-
Vldual reserve. With all their pride
they are amiable, and with all their
haughtiness they are extremely poor
This city of Cadiz is typical Of all
Spain, with perhaps the exception Of
Barcelona, and it reminds me of q
stranded hulk, its bones BLEACHING on
coral reef, forlorn wreck of what