New-York tribune., 1898-10-30
ENGLISH IN HAVANA.
THE NATIVES ENDEAvORING TO LEARN
THE LANGUAGE.
OTHER EVIDENCES OF THE NEW CONDITIONS
SIGNS OF INCREASING ACTIVITY

OTHER EVIDENCES OF THE NEW CONDITIONS
SIGNS OF INCREASING ACTIVITY
IN BUSINESS.
Havana. Oct le-English is spoken in Havana.
but It is by English-speaking people. The polyglot
cosmopolitan who talks French German English.
Spanish and Italian ndInerently has always been
here Usually he wealthy Cuban. who had
been educated in Paris travelled on the Continent.
, and passed his summers with his family at Sara
oga. II not that he was likely 10 be toDacco-buyer
or a drummer for some mercantile house In Europe
The cosmopolitan. however was few In numbers
three or four score perhaps. After him came the
German tobacco merchant or manufacturer. who
learned the language Of the country AZ matter ot
course. and then. because OF business connections
I'm the United States. made himself familiar with
English. Young Cubans Of good family and the
clerks In the export and import houses also knew
English.
In spite of this diffusion Of knowledge. the mass
OF the Havana population. particularly the Spanish
classes knew nothing of the foreign tongue ana
cared nothing for it. II is the effort Of these
classes master English thai il the most pointed
reminder OF a change in the Old conditions. Where
one shop formerly had the sign English Spoken
Here" Il Is In dozen places When
tested. the quality OF the English does not usually
bear the test An ambitious clerk who has mas
tered few stock phrases is likely to BE- the mo
dunn Of communication His struggles are anus
ing The book stores have their windows filed
| with textbooks ana manuals for learning Eng.ish,
and the demand for these IS a growing one. The
Constitution Of the United States. in both Spanish
| and English has fair SALE while the Increase In
the purchase of American newspapers and maga-
zines is out OF proportion to the increase In the
number OF Americans who are here.
There is one bookseller n O'Reillyst who stub
bornly refuses 20 recognize the new conditions HE
is an uncompromising Spanlard II was never pos
sible TO obtain surreptousy at his place Cuban
he ipsl
nossibe now to procure book pamphlet
printed In English He still keeps for SAFE the
pamphlets in which the Yankees were excoriated
by loyal Spanish authors. The demand for TINS
class Of literature which was al one time quite
brisk has ceased. Probab bly, the bookseller intends
to return TO Spain. His Is the only place In iia-
vana in which English books not on sale.
The most persistent ones in their efforts 10 learn
the tongue Of the Americans are the walters In
the hotels and cafes Formerly their vocabulary
was limited TO the single phrase. "Al right" When
the wrong meats were brought. when cold soup
was served and canned peaches took the place OF
fresh plneapples the only satisfaction the eXas-
perated guest could get would be the assurance.
"Al right" Now the walters in addition TO know
ing the names of the different dishes, have learned
to ask What's wrong. sir?
The cocheros or cab-drivers. were among the last
TO recognize the language OF the conquerors but
they have Welded Their English Is not lido
matte as that which is spoken by the Nev-iork caD-
drivers They ask ITO where instead Of where
to-" and sometimes they put 1t which where?'
When the wrange arises over the fare they forget
their English and fall back on Spanish. The boat
men I'm the harbor in advance OF both cabmen
and walters They know how to speak few sem
tAuces and they understand what Is said 10 them
fairly we'll Americans who have recently come 10
Havana and who think to improve the oppor-
tunity OF acquiring Spanish complain that they do
nat %, the chance one OF the engineer Commits
soners has already tried and discharged three pro-
fessad TEACHERS They all trying 10 perfect
their English at his expense. y hotel IN one OF the
suburbs secures American patronage Dy 'tnro"hS
in lessons IN spanish anu hot permitting r-"s'8"
Other evidences OF new conditions multiply. The
scasas de cambO exchange houses cn2nee
Ini.d States greenbacks into Spanish silver WITH
out having first TO make the calculation In spanish
gold. Generally they do IL Win an extra prom 70
Themselves and n few cents loss 10 the holder OF
IN. greenbacks but as these places are convenient
ouaniity of either gold silver coins. the gain Is
not begrudged them. Trade In drygoods Is not yer
brisk but II IL possible now 10 see women III tne
stores shopping OF an evening, where n Httle VIII
20 there " customers This evening shop-
Ding s "A Havana custom. 1t Is a leisurely procesu-
Ing and has resemblance 10 the parealhusy
rtshes 40 dear to the hearts Of American women
In the provision and grocery houses anu III III
,arg. innort warehouses there Is something IKE
activity People must be supplied win Lou,,,na Loou
curious development IL the growth IN the nanusns s
Of old furniture and secondhand houssho 20
The columns OF the newspapers are nIleu WI" ~ ,hi
,.r,,ssman,s altering ''gangas or bargains III this
lin, These adver sements tell twoioin s'o s,,ns
many cases the sale means eNstence ~ ~. :" Ia
VINO have survived thus far. ana VINO nope 70 ~,
over the last and final stage or disiytss ny & ,he
.I,h ,ho hiIk Of their household effects. Ana the
s,gn ~ hon. IL that they find purchasers among
the refugees who are returning " 'he ei'' ~0