The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-10
ISLAND OF CUBA.
Character of the Country and Its Va
ried Resources in Time of Peace.

ried Resources i'm Time of Peace.
The powerful and righteous reasons
which impelled the Cubans to revolt
against the continued domination OF
Spain and engage in d war for indepen-
dence are generally known and heartily
sympathlzed with, but there is less ia
miliarity with the character Of tho 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 It Is 100 miles long, has an
average width OF eighty miles and an
GLIDING its adjacent islands. which add
over 1000 square miles more.
Although mountainous in the interior,
much Of the coast line is low and fiat,
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 as many excellent harborS
IN comparison 70 its size. or these, Ha-
Vana, Matdnzas, Bahia Honda, Mariel,
Nuevitas, Nipe and Cardenas on the
Aulkn elNts anu 0diAldSo ut Cuodt AAAAiA"
dad, Guantanamo ana Clenfuegos on the
south side, are tne principal and bess
known.
The island of Cuba IS divided into six
provinces, the most thickly populated OF
which Is Havana, and the least is Puerto
Principe. The total population before
the present instruction was over l,bOO,-
OOJ. but IL is estimated that at least half
a million have since perished In battle,
by disease and by starvation Although
there is much cleared and cultivated
land. there are no less than D.OOo,OO0,
acres OF almost impenetrable forest,
fully l30O0.0OO of which have never been
disturbed by man. But the soli "hieh
has been cultivated Is marYellously ricn
and productive. To what extent this Is
So "a shown by the fact that, notwith-
standing the discouragements 10 INDUS
trial enterprises through the misrule or
J Snain. the exports in 1898 were valued al
| over S9O0O0O0 Spanish dollars.
| Notwithstanding the prevalence OF yei-
low fever In the sea coast cities ana
| towns, the greater part Of Cuba is SAID
| under normal conditions TO be very
| healthy place. Although not altogether
| in the tropics, IL has all the Characters
| tics of the torrid region. II has wet ana
| dry season and. except in few spots IN
| the mountains, not even light Irosts- inc
prevailing temperature is not unpleasant
| " hot, for the highest is rarely over y
| degrees. while the average is II degrees.
The chief agricultural products are SUI
| gar. coffee and tobacco, of which the
| United States takes the greater part. In
| 1893. for example, there were Sl5,SA tons
| of sugar produced of which 7ls.204 tons
were exported, the United States taking
| ESQ 642 tons. OF 227, 900 bales OF tobacco ex-
| ported two-thirds came to this country.
| together with more than half the 1885,
! 900 cigars made. But while the exports
footed I'D a total Of $1,000 900 Spanish dol
lars. and the imports 5000. 900. the taxa
ton on the people reached nearly 5000
900 Spanish dollars. OF this tremendous
burden which is more than one-sixth the
| combined value Of the imports and ex-
, ports, less than one half came from the
| customs, and One-fourth of the whole Is
entirely diverted from the island TO the
uses OF the Spanish Crown.
II is supposed that the negro race either
! predominates In point Of numbers In Gu
/ ba. or at least nearly so: but this does
not appear to be the fact. for just be-
fore the rebellion Il was estimated that
there were less than half a million or
! this race on the island. against over a
! million white and about $1,000 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 oyerburdened with schol-
astic knowledge. There seems no doubt
that under proper government the wealth
OF Cuba would be prodigious, and even
with poor rule, but free from the OPP
preston OF Spain. 1t should be OF more
than ordinary proportions-Phlladelphla
Public Ledger.