The San Francisco call., 1898-05-31

!, that is the stern reality. While the flow CTS and the lines and the oranges, the sweet perfumes and the sugar cane are there, we are powerless with our armies | before the jungles of the Cuban interior and the dangers of the rocky coast. The | coast line measures. without its mean | derings. over 2000 miles. while, with all it's embayments and islets, it measures over 5000 miles. Before the road-building, of the interior is undertaken the coast line must first be passed. In many places 1t Is nothing but a narrow bench of rock, standing twenty feet above the sea be- tween high bluffs and the water On the north, the cliffs run in horizontal line from Matanzas 800 feet high down to 100 feet in the west.
 series Of rocky terra ces. West of Guam tanamo to Cape Cruz, the mountains of Sierra Maestro rise behind the terraces. From Cape Cruz to San Antonio the coast IS low and marshy, excepting a brief stretch between Trinidad and Cienfuegos. Along the middle coast line, on both the north and south sides of the island of Cuba, are dangerous obstacles to naviga- t1on, coral reefs and mangrove islets, land.
 Hence, the great difficulty of landing troops Tn Cuba either for road-buflding or for warfare, with all the safe harbors and landing places guarded by the Spaniards.
 or the interior there are many parts or which very little is known. It has accurate maps of either the nature of the soil or the topography. The Spanish Government has, from time to time, sent commissions to make reconnoissances, who have repeatedly reported that the lack of habitation, the impenetrability of the forests and insurmountable Cordil leras have prevented the successful con- summation of these expeditions. Such ob- servations do extend east to the seven tieth meridian. about 120 miles from the eastern end. which includes Santiago. and but fragmentary reports have been pub l1shed Of such investigations as have been made.
 Roads in C,,bo ara y,,ora caIabra+ad for their scarcity than for anything else. Good highways are short and they are now extending from Havana to Pinar del Rio called the Kings highway (Camino el Rey). It belongs to a class of roads of ago eadne Tem aaVana end from few interior cities to their entrepots. Be yond this the Government has con- try, so that inland communication Is much inpeded and in most of the island impossible.
 Had Spain pursued a different policy with regard to road-building in Cuba she might not have been involved in che present war. It was the lack of military of rapid movements of troops. that has made possible the Cuban revolution, ter minating in the present war. With good military roads Spain could have termi- mated the revolution long ago. The re- suit of her neglect in road-building will now be the loss of the entire territory.
 FdStly IS lIIe pOlICy puTSueQ Dy England in the Island of Jamaica. AL though only one-tenth the size of Cuba this island possesses over 20O0 miles of splendid highways and enjoys prosper ity which without good roads is impos- sible
 Further reports of General Stones work in Cuba will be awaited with interest The problem of how to build roads in ac- tual war and at the same time to trans port over them the troops who are to do the fighting at the front Is a question that will call for the highest degree of skill and the most expeditions applica- ton of all the instrumentalties at his command.
 CHARLES FREEMAN JOHNSON, Acting Secretary National League for
 Good Roads.