Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-17
HABANA AS 1T IS.
Things Seen and Heard There by n
Traveller from the States.
(st. Louis Globe emocrat.)

E~-N NAG - 80 Ef1HN ,
The streets are literally filed with uni
formed men and youth. The average
Spanish officers or soldiers would not i'm
press an American favorably. As a rule
they are not well set up and they are
generally understood. They all lack the
West Point cut which Is so much ad-
mired by Americans. They may UNDER
stand the theory and practice of war,
but the true martial ardor does not seem
to reach owl into their backbone and
legs. None of the officers would ever be
accused of weaving c%orsets, as some OF
our hedglings in the military service are.
The uniform Of officers and men seems
to be of the same material-a fine green
and white stripe Bingham or some SINH
lar fabric for both coat and trousers.
The officers wear a few gilt stars on
their coat sleeves and a white canvas cap;
the enlisted men a Panama straw hat,
with one side folded up and fastened
with a rosette.
The volunteers, corresponding to our
National Guard, are doing duty in the
city as an adjunct to the police. They
have an inspection and guard mount
every morning on the PradO. ] twice saw
his ceremony performed and never saw
anything so slovenly lone before. There
was no sizing up Of the men; a boy or
) feet 2 inches would be between men
six or eight inches taller. Talking in the
ranks seemed to be allowed at all times.
AT the inspection the man became inn
movable only when the officer approached
him and relaxed into sociability imme-
diately after the officer had passed. Some
had leggins, many had not. They were
a Job lot of insists. assorted sizes ana
colors, from u to 40. The regulars are
- L,-l 4frna Of 1t In summer
about so per cent sicken and die. AT the
present time some of them are begging,
on the streets, not having received their
nav for more than six months. This re-
fers TO the enlisted men. The oi1cers are
paid and, apparently, enjoy themselves
They seemed to nave just war enough on
their hands and no desire TO increase the
volume of that kind of business. Al
though their bullets might have as much
penetration, they are no match Tor the
American soldier in intelligence.
one might imagine that everybody III
Habana was rich, as there Is an uIIer
absence of dogs, which cannot De aC-
counted for by lack of poverty. WIN
out asking for an explanation, one may
conclude that they ave gone with the
reconcentradoes. The bicycle fad doesht
seem to have taken hold Of the Habanese.
I saw but two bicycles on the streets, ana
those were on the outskirts OF the CITY,
where there was a little patch OF concrete
There are very few streets IN
Habana where it would be a pleasure to
ride a wheel. The business portion IS
paved with block granite I'm very good con-
dition. The roads in the suburbs are
execrable. The favorite drive Is on the
beach road. but there is very little plea
sure I'm ~driving-the road is so full or
ruts and depressions that carriage springs
are severely tested. The condition OF
the streets and the almost entire abb
of country roads is probably the
for not indulging in bicycling.
There are a few lines Of street-carS with
rules for motive power. The charge Is
10 cents, and travel by this method Is
naturally somewhat restricted. Nheh
the war is over, there ought to be a
opportunity for enterprising Anne
ricans to put in a first-class trolley sys-
tenn. with scent fares. The favorite
means Of transportation in the city is by
heir one-horse VictOrias, Of which there
are thousands, and they will carry two
persons from one point 10 another within
he city limits for a pesata, or 20 cents
their money, equal in value 10 IL cents
United States currency. This Is about the
cheap article in Habana.
A casual observer would say there was
yery little difference between the gowns
md costumes Of the Habanese ladies and
hose seen in the large cities OF the
rnited States or Europe. They catch
to the prevailing fashions without
much delay, and adopt them 10 the eX-
ent of their purses. One does not see
.eal cloaks or other furs on the streets,
wen in the winter months, when the
emperature is between 10 and so degrees,
although L saw one fur ape FOR sale IN
ne of the shops. II a sale OF them
yer occurs. the purchaser Is undoubtedly
ne who contemplates a trip North
lost Of the women who appear on the
treets in the daytime hood their races
With black lace scarfs, and use rams 10
,rotect their faces from the sun. Ere
uently you see young women walking
dressed exactly alike. This is
o frequent as TO be noticeable TO
t~rangers. on a Sunday afternoon l no
iced i'm front Of a fashionable residence
We women, probably members Of the
anne family, all gowned precisely alike,
n a heliotrope colored fah-ic. 1t was
that the head of the family
yas pleased with the goods and bought
whole piece. Very few or the women
re pretty, according TO the American 7
of beauty. They age early and /
apidly, and resort to cosmetics and
owders to continue their youthful looks /
ing after their beauty, If they ever had
has passed away.
The Hotel Inglaterra is considered a
ne hotel for Cuba. You would not be
atisfed with the cooking and general
OF the dining-room If in the !
-nited States. There is scarcely any =
Of the menu from meal TO meal
nd day to day. Ii is printed in both ,
and English. but as the walters
lnnot understand the English part of I
. you are hopelessly lost il you under !
Ike 10 give them an order. But l !
to tell you about the bedroom.
is very roomy and at least twenty feet
Broad wooden blinds open out
4 an iron balcony. Iron bars perpen-
placed make access to your
,om from the outside impossible. The
Dor is marble and the walls are covered
it'll a heavy dark paper Of Moorish
a half circle Of colored glasses
yer your window max a very beautiful
INFLOW effect on the marble floor when }
.e sun shine into the room. The beds
q a pretty picture 10 look at. The bed
eads are brass, with a symmetrically-
mosquito canopy tastefully draped
protect the sleeper from those musical -
,sts, which do business every month >
the year. The picture is somewhat
spelled when you discover there is no.
ing between you and a very flexible
Ire mattress except one hin quilt and
sheet. The effect is something like
.tting into a hammock. Another pecu-
lrity of the room is that the partition
hich separates you from the adjoining =
reaches only eight or nine feet from =