The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-04-10
THE RESOURCES OF CUBA,
The Real Truth About the Queen Of
the Antilles.
Philadelphia Ledger.

Philadelphia Ledger.
There is a widespread and growing
feeling that the time when this coun.
try will intervene to put u stop to the
atrocities which are being perpetrated
by Spain in Cuba. under the excuse Of
suppresSing the rebellion there, is to
be almost counted by days. The power
ful and RIG hteous rea ons which i'm
PEELED the Cubans to revolt against The
continued dominion of Spain, and en-
gage In a war for Independence, are
generally known and heartily sympa.
thiZed with, but there is less familiari-
w with the character OF the country
and its wonderful resources in time
OF peace. or an irregular crescent
shape, Cuba is much larger than is
popularity supposed, for it is 100 miles
long, has an average width of 81 miles
and area OF $3.50 square miles. with
out including It's adjacent islands,
which add owe 1000 square miles
more. Although mountainous in the
interior, much Of the coast line is low
and hat, and difficult of approach on
account OF the numerous reefs and
small islands. Notwithstanding this
feature of the coast, it is said that no
other island in the world has as MANY
excellent harbors In proportion TO its
size. OF these Habana, Matanzas,
Bahia Honda, Mariel, Nuevitas, Nlpe
and Cardenas, on the north side, and
Santiago dc Cuba, Trinidad, Guanta.
namo and Clenfuegos, on the south
side, are the principa! and best known.
The island of Cuba Is divided into six
provinces, the most thickly populatedof
which is Habana, and the least Is
Puerto Principe, The total DDpula.
tlon before the present insurrection
was over 1000, 600, but it is estimated
that at least half q million have since
persisted in battle, by dis ease and bv
starvation. Although there is much
cleared and cultivated land. there are
no less than 10000, 900 acres OF almost
~lmpenetraole forest, fully 13, 600, 900 of
which have eve been disturbed bv
man. But the soil which has peer Guilt
waited Is mar%velously rich and produc-
tive. To what extent this IL so is shown
bY the TACT that, Notwithstanding the
discouragements to Industrial enter
prises through the misrule OF Spain,
the exports in 1893 were valued at over
$4,000, 600 Spanish dollars.
Notwithstanding the prevalence of
yellow fever In the seaco.st cities and
towns, the greater part OF Cuba is said
unuer normal conditions to be a very
healthy place. Although not altogeth-
er In the tropics, 1t has all the char.
acterlstics OF the tOrrid region. 1t has
a wet aid dry season, and except In
lew spots In the mountains not even
light frost. The prevailing tempera.
tur. is not ~unpleasantly hot, for the
highest Is rarely over 80 degrees, while
the average Is II degrees.
The chief agricultural products are
sugar, coffee and tobacco, OF which the
United States takes the greater part.
In 1893, for example, there were 8I5'.
Tons OF suga" produced, of which
llo,2Ol tons were exnorted, the United
states taking 6s0,642 tons. or 227, 900
oales OF tobacco exported, two-thirds
to this country, together with =,
more than half the liz, 365, 600 cjgars :
made. But while the exports footed