The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1898-04-07
CUBA.
Points of Interest Concerning the
Island.


Island.
From the Atlanta Journal.
Although Cuba is only ninety miles
from our coast and has been the sub
ject of more discussion among our
people during the last three years
than any other country, it is remark
able how much ignorance concerning
Cuba there is in the United States.
10 the first place. the island is much
1t is of irregular crescent shape, is
73O miles long and has an average
width OF 80 miles. and an area of
1919 square miles, without lnclud-
ing it's adjacent islands, which add
over 1000 square miles more.
Although mountainous in the in
terror, much of the coast line is low
and fat 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 an
many excellent harbors in proper
ton to it's size. OF these, Havana,
Matanz rs, Bahia. Honda, Mariel,
Nuevitas, Nipe and Cardenas, on the
north side, and Santiago de Cuba,
Trinidad, Guantanamo and Glen
ruegos, on the south side, are the
principal and best known.
Cuba is divided into six provinces,
Havana being the most thickly
populated and Puerto Principe the
least. The total population of the
island before the present insurrection
was more than 100000, but it is
| believed that fully 100000 people
have since died from disease and
starvation. A large part of the
island is in a high state of cultiva-
ton, but there are no less than
| 100000 acres of almost impene
trable forest, fully 100000 O
which have never been disturbed by
man. But the soil which has beer
cultivated is marvelously rich anC
productive. To what extent this i.
so is shown by the fact that, not
Withstanding the discouragements tC
industrial enterprises through th'
misrule OF Spain, the exports in 1885,
were valued at over SO DOC, OO(
Spanish dollars.
The idea that Cuba is entirely un
healthy is great mistake. The fac
is that the greater part of the island
under normal conditions, is yer.
healthy region, and the sickly dis
I: trict could he made healthy b.
proper drainage.
The climate is not. as disagreeabl
as most persons think. The highes
temperature is rarely over 8.
degrees, and the average the yea
round is about II degrees.
The chief agricultural products ar
| sugar, coffee and tobacco, OF whic
the United States takes the grea tie
part. In 1898, for example, ther
were SIS 1874 tons of sugar produced
of which Ills, 204 tons were exported
the United States taking $50 GA
tons. OF 227, 900 bales of tobacc
exported two thirds came to thi
country, together with more tina
half the 147, 365, 900 cigars mad,
But while the exports footed up to
, total OF 80 900, 900 Spanish dollars
and the imports Sc, 900, 900, the tai
alton on the people reached nearl
|, 100000 Spanish dollars.
Or this sum, which is more tina
one six til the combined value OF th
imports and exports, less than ont
half came from customs and one
fourth Of the whole goes directly t
Spain.
Another popular misconceptio
! concerning Cuba is that it's natiy
population is composed almost en-
tirely of negroes. The fact is that
the 100000 people at the las
census more than 100000 wei
: whites and less than 500, 900 negroes
There were $4,000 Chinese in tt
, island.
Cuba is not only one of the mos
fertile regions of the world, but
, also exceedingly rich in mineral
!, Its iron ores are unsurpassed, it ha
an abundance of coal, an enorm OF
quantity of hard woods and ric
deposits of gold. The island he
been SO little developed that poss
bilities cannot be estimated. "
shall probably see a wonderful agr
cultural and Industrial advance
Cuba in the next ten years.