The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-06-08
AROUND THE WORLD
In a Yacht-Geo. \. Edwards Set Out
10 Visit our New Possessions.

George Alfred Edwards found that IT
would be possible TO completely circle
the globe I'm a comparatively small boat,
a. fhe proper seasons. So he carefully
mapped out his course and set sail from
New York May ISL His first stop was
at Havana from which Boz sent this In
terestng letter:
HAVANA. May ia beautiful city is
Havana. san Cristobal de- la habana.
Like so many tropical towns it eNerts a
fascination over the senses that is al-
most irresistible but beautiful as u mas
always been it is MANIFOLD more atlrac-
tive now that the American officials have
taken charge of affairs and have cleaned
the streets.
When / landed from my little yacht,
after Am almost uneventful trip from Key
West. this was the first thing that at
tracted my attention and as ! sic Ia my
window Tonight and look 0ut upon the
plaza. where the band is playing, the AR
Is so fresh and clean ana invisoratlng
that can scarcely believe that this is
the same city that ] knew little more
than a year ago. Then the streets were
FUN Of Nth. Garbage and dead animals
were to be found ar almost every turn
while the lack Of proper drainage adaed
t0 the uusan.tsry condition OF the CITY.
Everywhere there We're dlsagreeable doors
and nausoatlng sights that tended 10 MAKE
one forget the natural beauties OF tie
place.
To-day everything is different and there
Is no exaegex i,0n in the assertion that
the streets of Havana are now almost as
clean as those q New York. When the
weather Is pleasant they are as clean a.
could be- desired bur when the rain comes
the black mud exudes from between me
stone payements .n manner 20 remind
one Of the old days before the war.
You would scarcely believe me II
should tell you of some of the horrible
sights that We're commonplace incidents
IN the life Of Havana a year ago nut tndl
Is passed now and as the citizens are be-
,oroirr educated 10 dislike of foul
odors there Is every reason 10 beNeNe mat
+, will NOT be many years before his Is a
comparatively heaithful city.
TO accomplish this was no simple teat
and IL speaks volumes for the ability OF
tho American soldier who could lay sslde
hts sword OF war 20 seize the broom ana
the hoe and who could handle one JUST as
successfully as the other
In other respects Havana IS practically
unchanged. The Spanish soldiers have
gone but the American soldiers have come
10 take their place so tndi lNfF atN h'f
missed by the biack-eyed Cuban ddmseis
who still look down from the balconies
and walk. properly chaperoned ~ course
IN the square m night There the bands
p.av and N the airs are different they
are not less pleasing % the people who
throng the park. when the transports
sailed away carrying with them the last
OF the Spanish soldiers the cuban turned
with a smile 20 greet the newcomers
ana ne = being Americanized so rapidly
that We need have no occasion 70 antici-
nate trouble unless some fanaticai leader
arises who IS eloquent enough 90 fan his
passions into flame by unreasonable
charges against the new authorities.
Another feature Of Havana life mat Is
still unchanged is the method o. cooking
and IL II was not for the canned goods
that may be obtained at fair prices the
American visitor would fare badly The
soldiers do not suffer from these condl-
tons They have been supplied with as
good food as they would have received
IL they had been located at military
post IN the United states. and. what Is
more 20 the point II Is prepared by men
who know how 10 cook. To the civilian.
however the matter of eating Is the most
important problem OF life. not that there
y not enough to eat but that It Is cook