New-York tribune., 1902-12-31
TOBACCO SMOKING ORIGINATED IN Cuba.
Ahq"0'aans Haze Onsuccesyu
nee an Other Coanries Billions Of Cigarettes and
Cigars Consumed


still retain first place in the favor of smokers
as II somewhere in the vicinity NJ Ly.,,.ra
that smoking was discovered by civilized mon
The natives, both of the mainland and the
islands OF America, were acquainted with the
soothing influence Of the weed when they were
discovered by white men and the practic~ lad
"eeh common among them since the mind OF
savage runneth not TO the contrary Antiouari-
ans have from time TO time announced discov-
cries that the use of tobacco was a practice
indulged in by the people Of Eastern countries
in remote times, but John H CARRIER who has
prepared a bulletin for the census reports of
1900. which is altogether too interesting 10 be
fost IN that monumental publication refuses to
credit the alleged discoveries of the aniquarians
and in this respect gives full justice to Cuba.
Much Of the historical part of Mr.. CARRIERS
bulletin is reproduced here.
The cultivation and use of tobacco are of
such antiquity that authentic history does not
record their beginnings. The claims of certain
European and Asiatic countries to an acquaint-
ance with the plant prior to the discovery of
America by Columbus are not supported by ac-
cepted history satisfactorily demonstrated
by the researches of the antiquarian or the ar
chaologist- It is fairly well settled that
bacco is indigenous to the Western Hemisphere,
and that the aborigines practised fits cultivation
and from remotest times. Europeans learned
its nature and effects from the American saw
age, and spread the knowledge to the rest of
the world.
In November, 1892, two sailors sent by CO.
lunhus into the interior OF Cuba returned with
accounts of having seen the natives carrying
frebrands and exhaling smoke from their
mouths and nostrils. Investigation revealed
that the firebrands were made from the leaves
of tobacco, rolled and burned in a sheath of
Indian corn, and that the smoke inhaled
for sensations Of pleasure and exhilaration. The
instrument used for inhaling the smoke was
made from hollow cane. forked in the shape of
the letter 7. the small end being inserted into
the nostrils and the large end applied to the
burning leaves. The habit of snuff taking among
the natives was described first by Roman Pane.
a Franciscan, who accompanied Columbus on
his second voyage, and the practice Of tobacco
chewing was first observed by Spaniards on
the coast Of South America in 1902. Tobacco
was consumed in one form or another by the
aborigines from Canada to Patagonia and, es-
pecially in the form of smoking. its use was an
immenorial custom.
Tobacco was first taken to Europe by Her
nandez de Toledo. who introduced it into Spain
and Portugal from San Domingo in 1o59. In
the same year it was introduced into France
from the Spanish Peninsula by Jean Nicot, the
French Ambassador to Lisbon 1t is said to
have been used in Italy as early 1850. In
1855 1t was carried TO England by Sir Francis
Drake and his companions on a return voyage
from Virginia, and Sir Walter Raleigh intro
duced among the Elizabethan courters the
fashion of pipe smoking which spread through
England with great rapidity. In 1910 smoking
is known to have been practised as far East
as Constantinople Tobacco was cultivated in
Holland in 1915. and in 1920 smoking was in
1roduoed into Germany. In 1851 the use Of to-
frio wa
by Swedish troops. and in 1858 il is known to
have been used In Switzerland In a period of
three hundred years tobacco has circled the
earth on practically every parallel within the
limits of civilization. 1t is known everywhere.
except among a few barbaric peoples in mac
cessihle countries, and exceeds every other mar
ootic in the universally of its use It is proba-
bly, exceeded only by salt in width of distribu-
ton and cosmopolitan consumption The adap-
tation of the plant to varying climatic condi-
tfons has been an important factor in its dis
sernina ton While it responds, to the extent
of pronounced notifications, TO the varying in
1uences Of soil. climate and methods of culti-
walton its essential characteristics will develop
in the cold climate OF Canada or on the arid
plains Of Java. Certain districts produce to-
bacco having distinct characteristics, just as
certain provinces produce varieties of grapes
that make distinct types of wine. Great diver
sity of taste is also shown among the people
Of different nations in their demand for the
different tvpes of tobacco grown in various
parts Of the world and il is natural, therefore,
that the commodity should become one OF I'M
portance in interna tional trade In foreign
countries its cultivation and manufacture are
frequently made government monopolies, ana III
some its cultivation is prohibited
The first tobacco cultivated by European
within the present limits of the United
States was grown by John Rolfe, at jamestown
Va in 1912. five years after the setuehleliI VI
the COLONY AS early as 1915 the fields. gardens
streets and public squares of jamestown "eie
planted with tobacco 1t was the one CUM
modify which sustained the struggling settle
rnent because il readily commanded IN ie-
ciprocal trade with the mother country 'he
necessaries of life. It was the medlnm OF eA
change and the standard Of value In Ioi0
10000 pounds were shipped to England i"e
,roet. were SO satisfactory the growers that
even the cultivation OF food crops was neglected.
for that of tobacco. and it was restricted for
time by legislative enactment In loZ1 Uo'"v'
pounds were grown. Of which 5000 pouhos
were exported to Holland, the shipments being
diverted to that country because OF the excise
levied by England. In England the leesianoh
of the Stuarts and that of Cromwell were aIke
.n opposition to the use Of tobacco. and IL was
almost completely stamped out by the Fro-
fectorate With the Restoration. however IL
reappeared, and its consumption mas siloe III
creased steadily with every year.
In 1871 the combined exports Of Virginia ana
MARYLAND were 100000 pounds. From l'oo
to 177o the average annual exports from al the
colonies amounted to 661spooo pounds ana for
the four years Immediately preceding the heVo-
luton the average quantity annually exported
he