Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1898-04-23

Facts About che Size, Dfvisions'
Population and Products
of Cuba.

Population and froduets
of Cuba.
The powerful and righteous reasons
which impelled the CubsDs to revois
AGAINST the continued domination OF
Spain, and engsge in 9 war for independ'
ence, are generally known and heartily
sympashized with, but there is less ia
miIiarity with the character Of the coun'
try and it's wonderful resources in TIME
of peace. OF an irregular crescent shape
Cuba is much larger than popularity sup
posed, for il is 100 miles long, has 90
average width Of so miles and an area oil
AZ, 3l9 square miles, without including
its adjacent islands, which add over
1000 square miles more. Although
mountainous in the interior, much oil the
coast line is low and fat, and difhcuit oil
approach on account Of the numerous
reefs and small islands. Notwithstand-
ing this feature Of the coast. it Is said
that no other island in the world has as
many excellent hsrbors in proportion to
it's size. OF these Havana, Matanzas,
Bahia Honda, Mariel, Nuevitas, Nipe
and Cardenas, on the north side, and
Santiago de Cuba. Trinidad, Guantana'
mo and Cienfuegos, on the south side,
are the principal and best known.
The island OF Cuba is divided into SIX
provinces, the most thickly populated OF
which 10 Havana, and the least is Puerto
Principe. The total population before
the present instruction was over l,6OO,
900, but it is estimated that at least
500, 900 have since persisted in battle, by
disease and by starvation. Although
there is much cleared and cultivated land,
there are no less than 20, 600. 900 acres Of
almost impenetrable forest, fully 49,
600, 900 Of which have never been dis
turbed by man. But the soil which has
been cultivated is msrvelously rich and
productive. To what extent this is so lie
shown by the fact that, Notwithstanding
the discouragements to industrial enter
prises through the misrule OF Spain, the
exports in 1898 were valued at over 49,
OOO, 900 Spanish dollars.
Notwithstanding the prevalence OF
yellow fever in the seacoast cities and
towns, the greater part of Cuba is said
under normal conditions to be a very
healthy place. Although not altogether
in the tropics, it has all the characterize
tics of the torrid region. 1t has q wet
and dry season. and except in few spots
in the mountains not even light frosts.
The prevailing temperature is not IN
pleasantly hot, for the highest is rarely
over SO degrees, while the average is "
degrees.
The chief agricultural products are SUI
gar, coffee and tobacco. of which the
United States takes the greater part. In
1898, for example, there were Sl5,S94
tons Of sugar produced, of which u.s.
204 tons were exported, the United
States taking $50, GAP tons. OF 227, 900
bales of tobacco exported two-thirds
cam TO this country, together with more
than half the l47. 1866. 900 cigars made.
But while the exports footed up q total
of SO, 600. 900 Spanish dollars, and the
imports $50. 600. 900. the taxation on the
people reached nearly rs, 900, 900 Spanish
dollars. OF this tremendous burden,
which 10 more than one-sixth the com
bined value OF the imports and exports,
less than one-half came from the Gus.
toms, and one-fourth Of the whole 10 an.
tirely diverted from the island 10 the
Spanish crown.
II 10 supposed that the negro race
either prsdominates in point Of numbers
In Cuba, or At least nearly 30 /, but this
does not appear to be the fact. for just
before the rebellion ID was estimated that
there were less than 500, 900 of this race
on the island, against over 1000, 600
whites and about so. 700 Chinese. OF the
whites. the native born, or Cubans, are
by far the best educated, but neither the
mass Of the Spanish residents nor the
negroes are overburdsned with scholastic
knowledge. There seems no doubt that
under proper government the wealth Of
Cuba would be p~rodigious. and even with
. poor rule, but free from the oppression
of Spain, il should be Of more than ordin.
binary proportions.