The Florida star., 1900-06-01

16. 1900. determined by the census tax
en- as or that date. was 1.572. T97. This
was distributed as follows among the
six provinces:
Havana ......... GAS Puerto Principe. ss.2s4
hatanzas ......-. 20e44l Santa Cara. S565so
Pinar del RE-. l7S.oo4 Santiago rs
The latest census taken under Span
lsh authority was In 1887. The total
population as returned by that census
was 1851 ,6S7, and the population by
provinces was as follows:
Havana ........ 45l 92s Puerto Principe. 81, $50
Eatanzas ........ 259.57S Santa Clara. 25I l22
Pinar del Rio.... 225. sol santiago 272,S ,S79
Whether that census was correct
may be matter OF discussion. but II
Incorrect the number OF Inhabitants
was certainly not OVerStated.
Comparing the total population at
these two censuses, il is seen that the
loss in the u years amounted To $3.50.
or 3.G per cent OF the population In
1887. This loss is attributable TO the
recent civil war and the recOncentra-
ton policy accompanying IL, but the
figures express only Il part OF the loss
from this cause. Judging from the ear
lier history OF the island and the excess
of births over deaths as shown by the
registration records. however mper-
feet they may be. the population prOba-
bly, increased from 1897 UP To the be-
ginning OF tine war and ut the latter
epoch reached "A total of little less than
], 1,SCO,OOO. Ii is probable, therefore.
that the direct and Indirect losses by
the war and the recOncentratiOn policy,
including Il decrease Of births and OF
immigration and an increase Of deaths
and of emigration. reached Il total Of
approximately 100000.
The area OF Cuba is approximately
44.0OO square miles, and the average
number of inhabitants per square mile
8 35.T. about the same as the state of
Iowa.
Havana. with the denSeSt population.
Is as thickly populated as the state Of
Connecticut. and Puerto Principe, the
most sparsely populated, is in this re-
spect comparable with the state of
Texas.
The great difference I'm the density OF
population in the different provinces is
in part due TO the presence of large
cities. especially in the case of Havana.
Havana province. in which most of
the recOncentradOs were collected,
sustained relatively small loss on ac-
count of the war. Indeed. although il
does not appear in the tables of the
bulletin. the population of the Havana
district, including the city OF Havana.
increased from 2OO. HIS in 1887 To d.
O55 i'm 1899. while nearly every other
district OF the province lost population.
Pinar del Rio AMI MatanZas. lying on
either side of Havana. lost nearly equal
numbers and proportions of inhabit-
ants. Santa Clara, lying beyond Ma
tanZas To the eastward. remained al
most III ii StandStill. while Puerto prin-
cipe and Santiago, still farther tU the
eastward and farther removed from
the center of hOStilitieS. gained greatly.
the increase probably being due not on
ly to natural increase. but To the mi
grafton of people away from the center
of disturbance.
In connection with the population of
cities il must be- understood that the
cities of Cuba have nu corporate limits
separating sharply the urban element
from the surrounding rural population.
The cities. like the rural districts. are
divided into yards. and many of these
wards extend from the bor,lrrs of the
,-t."S out into country districts. much
as do New England towns. ana include
both urban and rural population. On
this account il is impossible Ia state
the population Of cities with eXaCtucSS.
although il is believed that the best
separation possible has Lccn made
The population of cities 10y the census
OF lS9J cannot he compared with that
given 10y the census uf lNN1. because
the figures Of the latter embrace the