From the London Review. CUBA: ITS STATE AND PROSPECTS.* not only holds out the strongest inducements to the enterprising emigrant, but also offers a most tempting prize to her strong, unscrupulous neighbor, the United States of America. Nor need we wonder that, in answer to the inquiry, "Who shall determine the future of this noble Island ?" a voice comes wafted on the western breeze, "I guess we shall." THE magnificent Island of Cuba-the | vation, and it must be admitted that Cuba queen of the Antilles, and the richest jewel in the colonial diadem of Spain-stretches for eight hundred miles, long, narrow, and crescent-shaped, between the Carribean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Its climate is delicious; a perpetual spring reigns, snow never falls, hurricanes are less frequent and less violent than in the other West Indian Islands, the sky is of the deepest azure, the sea singularly pure and transparent, and the moon and stars shine with a lustre unknown in colder climes. Its shores are indented by many safe and spacious harbors; fertile lowlands occupy four fifths of its surface; while in the interior are several ranges of mountains, one of which, the Sierra del Cobré, attains the height of 7674 feet. The forests, which still cover more than half of the Island, are brightened by the vivid coloring of tropical flowers, and full of the most valuable and beautiful timber. At every step the eye is charmed by the exuberance and variety of vegetable life. There is the gigantic mahogany, the red cedar, the ebony and lignum vitæ ; the stately palm, with its white stem glittering in the sunbeams like a column of burnished silver; the graceful bamboo, growing in clumps and waving to every breeze; groves of the dark mango, forming, with its dense leaf age, an impenetrable shelter from the heat of the sun; the wild orange-tree, the myrtle-leaved vine, the guava, the tamarind, and the aloe, intermingled with flowers of every hue; whilst even the jungles are netted over by the creeping convolvulus. All around there is a brightness of coloring, and a teeming profusion of vegetation everywhere bursting forth, and bearing the strongest testimony to the richness of the soil and the mildness of the climate. Add to this that the population is scanty, and only a fifth of the surface under culti Cuba considerably exceeds Ireland in size, but is not so compact, being very narrow in proportion to its length. One of the most fertile districts is that called the "Vuelta Abajo," in which are some of the finest sugar and coffee estates. It is the promised land of the small planters of Kentucky and Virginia. The richest department, however, is that termed the "Vuelta Arriba," or region of red earth, a perfect garden of plenty and prosperity. Here are the largest sugar plantations, which yield immense revenues to their proprietors, in spite of the great outlay on slaves, overseers, and machinery. The owners are seldom absentees, generally residing on their estates for some portion of the year. These wealthy planters give the tone to Cuban society, and to them belong the thirty or forty Counts and Marquises-"sugar nobles," as the old Spaniards call them. Closely allied with these proprietors are the great Creole merchants, to whose energy and enterprise the Island owes much of its present pros perity. The Spanish Government and officials, in whom is centred all political power, have done almost nothing; it is these planters and merchants who have effected everything that has hitherto been done to improve the capabilities and develop the resources of Cuba; and among them is to be found a body of well-informed, intelligent, and courteous gentlemen of which any country might well be proud. In spite, however, of all their exertions, *By the Honorable HENRY A. MURRAY, Lon-road-making and agriculture in Cuba are don: John W. Parker & Son. 1855. very imperfect and partial. Only a fifth The Paseos-the Champs Elysées of Havanna-form the most charming promenades in the world. Beyond the walls stretch for miles broad, well-made roads, bordered, near the city, with stately buildings, and lined throughout with rows of poplars and palms. Some of these Paseos have fountains, gardens, and statues, and are the afternoon resort of the gay world. The environs of Havanna are very beautiful; and delightful excursions may be made to the different fortresses which guard the entrance to the harbor, and defend the city. These are exceedingly strong. The Morro Castle and the Cabañas might defy a hostile fleet to force the narrow entrance; whilst, on the land side, the forts of Principe and Atares are the bulwarks of the town. Fifteen thousand soldiers, however, are required fully to garrison these positions; and, as Spain has only twenty-five thousand on the whole Island, she could scarcely afford to shut up so many in case of a hostile invasion. of the land is under crop: more than four | hire-are extravagantly dear. Mr. Murand a half millions of acres are totally uncul- ray mentions that he paid 35s. for a short tivated, whilst half of the surface is still vir- evening drive. gin forest, unexplored and pathless. Much of the inhabited interior, too, is but little visited, and almost unknown. The magnificent vale of Mariel, fair as those outer realms of Paradise over which the eyes of Adam ranged from his "heaven-kissing verdurous walls;" the romantic cliffs that mirror their wealth of flowers in the green glistening waters of the winding Canimar; the mighty steeps of the Loma de Indra, from whose heights the view sweeps to either ocean, and away to the dim blue hills of Jamaica; the endless, fragrant, palm-studded solitudes of the south-west; the picturesque ravines of the north-east, where young girls may be seen riding on the backs of oxen; the subterranean streams gushing suddenly into the moonlight from the blackness of the sumideros, or" caverns," which honeycomb the surface of the Island; the hundred sequestered nooks, where still the guagiro chants his rude improvisations, (melodious and full of meaning as the songs of a gondolier,) and charms, in the skilful gymnastics of the zapateado, groups of soft-eyed girls, graceful as the palm-trees arching overhead-all these you reach over roads that transport you into the Middle Ages. Riding along those wretched roads, you meet only the most primeval vehicles, long files of pack-horses and mules, and armed horsemen glittering with spur and sword. This state of things is, however, improving; and there are at present 850 miles of railway in full operation; and a complete system of electric telegraph has lately been directed to be established over the entire surface of the Island. A line of steamers between Havanna, Havre, and Liverpool, has also been recently started, with every prospect of success. The ladies in Havanna never walk, and the favorite mode of conveyance, the carriage universally in vogue, is termed a volante, which is an odd-looking gig, with shafts some sixteen feet long, and wheels six yards in circumference, driven by a negro postilion, three parts jack-boots and one part laced jacket. Inside, however, it is most easy, luxurious, and provocative of ease and comfort. Seated within her cushioned volante, the fair Cuban spends half her existence-goes shopping, pays visits, and, in the evening, drives to the Paseos, or by the winding shores of the beautiful bay of Havanna, to inhale the coolness of the evening breeze. The aboriginal population of Cuba was entirely extirpated by the Spaniards. The The delightful climate of Cuba has an trooper's sword and the miner's spade enervating effect upon the character and evangelized the Island; the natives sank habits of the people. Life is indolent, ele- under the cruelties of their conquerors, gant, voluptuous, as every traveller to and the labors to which they were subHavanna soon discovers. That beautiful jected; and Matanzas, (the "Massacres,") capital stands on the shores of a sheltered an important town on the north side of inlet, charming as the Bay of Naples or the Island, still commemorates the last the roadstead of Genoa. In 1791, it con- great slaughter of the Indians, who obtained forty-four thousand inhabitants; jected to the proffered gifts of slavery and now it possesses upwards of three times salvation. The present Creole or native that population. Living is excessively ex- white population is of pure Spanish blood, pensive. Luxuries such as guava jelly and amounts to about 500,000; and there and cigars alone are cheap; but necessa- is about the same number of slaves and ries-bread, meat, lodging, and also coach | free blacks. Mr. Murray, the most recent authority, gives a somewhat higher estimate, which we are inclined to think rather above the truth. He states the population at 600,000 slaves, 200,000 free blacks, and 500,000 whites. This would place the blacks in a majority of eight to five over the whites; whereas, in the United States, they form a minority of one to seven. During the last century, the increase of the population of Cuba has been both rapid and steady, nearly equalling that of the United States. In 1775 there were only 171,600 inhabitants, divided into 96,000 whites, 44,000 slaves, and 30,000 free blacks. And, according to a recent calculation, the average increase of the population, for each period of ten years, from 1790 till 1850, has been 29 per cent.: while, in the United States, for the same period, it has reached 35 per cent.; but this difference in favor of the States may be, not unfairly, imputed to the naturally slower increase of the Spanish race. The government of Cuba is a despotism. All power is centred in the Captain-General, who is changed every five years, and who is always a native of Spain. For more than a century his authority has been absolute, and in 1853 his powers were considerably increased, and extended over the whole Island. His is now a dictatorship, from whose authority nothing is exempted. All political influence and office, under the Governor, is possessed by the Spaniards; and this unjust partiality is deeply felt and resented by the Creole population, and has most materially contributed to alienate their affections from the mother country. An incessant and inquisitorial tyranny is exercised by the Spanish Government, and the doctrine of constructive treason is well understood. None of the revolutions in Spain have had the effect of extending political freedom to Cuba; and all her aspirations after increased liberties, and extended reforms, have been sternly repressed. In 1812, when a free constitution was proclaimed in Spain, Cuba was permitted to send a representative to the Spanish Cortes, and Don F. Arango, a most able and active man, was the first Cuban member returned. By the Constitution of 1833, however, the privilege thus accorded was withdrawn; and, by decree of February, 1837, the right of representation was finally done away with, and it was proposed for the future, to regulate the government of Cuba by "special laws." Don Jose An tonio Sacco, the excluded Cuban deputy, published a most able pamphlet, exposing the flagrant injustice of this measure, which was not only a violation of the twentyeighth Article of the New Spanish Coustitution, which declared "the basis for national representation to be the same in both hemispheres," but was also, at the same time, most ill-judged and impolitic, and has done more to irritate the Creoles, to alienate their attachment, and to spread abroad a desire for independence, than any other act of Spanish folly and tyranny of which they have had to complain. Politically speaking, Cuba is divided into two provinces, Havanna and Santiago da Cuba, and, for military purposes, into three departments. The judicial power is shared between the Real Audiencia Chancellaria of Havanna and that of Puerto Principe. Of these courts the Governor-General is President. The country Judges (Jueces pedaneos) are named by the Government; and at Havanna and Santiago da Cuba there are tribunals of commerce. The financial administration is divided into three intendencies; the maritime into five provinces, of which the chief places are Havanna, Trinidad, Santiago da Cuba, San Juan de los Remedios, and Nuevitas. There is an Archbishop at Santiago da Cuba, and a Suffragan Bishop at Havanna; but the Church in Cuba, as a body, is now poor, although some of the higher dignitaries still enjoy large incomes. Practically, religion is little regarded, except by the women; but the tyrannical ostentation of religious uniformity is still kept up; and every Protestant settler is obliged to go through the form of abjuring his religion, before his oath of allegiance can be received; and difficulties are still thrown in the way of the burial of those who die out of the pale of the "holy Roman Catholic communion." The revenue of Cuba is derived from the customs duties, and from various small taxes, such as that upon cock-fighting-a favorite amusement of the inhabitants; and Government lotteries are also another source of revenue. Upon the whole, the Cubans are very heavily taxed. Mr. Madden gives it as his opinion that, in the year 1839, every white person in the Island paid duties to Government to the amount of 40 dollars; and a recent American author calculates the taxes at 24 per cent. per annum on 800,000,000 dollars, the total value of property in the Island. | culture, population, mercantile enterprise, Sagra states, in his Historia Economica, and wealth, advanced with rapid strides; that the revenue of Cuba in 1759 was only and though, for many years past, Spain 163,605 dollars; and that, previously to has striven to curtail the privileges forthe declaration of independence by the merly so wisely accorded, and has imposed South American colonies of Spain, a sum heavy customs and tonnage duties, in of 700,000 dollars was annually drawn order to restrict, as much as possible, the from Mexico, to defray the expenses of commercial freedom once enjoyed, still the Colonial Government in Cuba. In the energy of the colonists, then first de1820, however, the revenue of the Island veloped, has enabled them to surmount had reached 3,491,540 dollars; and in 1830 these obstacles, and to make rapid proit had still further increased to $8,972,548; gress in wealth and civilization. The hiswhile in 1837 the customs duties of tory of Cuban commerce is very interestHavanna alone amounted to £832,257. ing and instructive. Columbus first disAnd the prosperity of the Island seems to covered the Island in 1492, and its colonizbe still steadily on the increase: for, while ation by Spain commenced in 1511. At the customs revenue collected at Havan- that time the prohibitive system was rena during the first three months of 1853 garded as the grand panacea for promotamounted to 5,815,150 francs, for the ing colonial prosperity, and the Spanish three corresponding months of 1854, it ports of Cadiz, Barcelona, and Santander, had attained the sum of 7,792,020 francs, for 263 years enjoyed a monopoly of the thus showing an increase in that short commerce of Cuba, which increased but period of nearly two millions of francs. slowly in wealth and population under Cuba, instead of being, as formerly, a drain this unnatural restriction. But, strangely upon the imperial exchequer, is now enough, the zealous and despotic Governviewed as a sort of reserve treasury which ment of Spain was the first to set the may be applied to in any emergency. example of conferring the boon of free She now not only pays every expense con- trade upon her colonies, and the principles nected with her colonial establishment, but, of liberty of commerce were recognized in addition, remits annually to Spain a sum and carried into effect in the Island of varying from £1,500,000 to £1,250,000; Cuba, long before they were introduced thus presenting a striking and favorable into any of the states of Europe. contrast to the small and scattered col- 1778, in consequence of the distress of the onies of France, which cost the Home Cubans, the system of monopoly was conGovernment about 30 millions of francs a siderably relaxed, and the most important year, whilst a majority even of our own benefits resulted. The white population, colonies do not pay the expense of their which had taken more than two centuries maintenance; so that, perhaps, Spain is, and a half to attain the number of 96,000, to a certain extent, entitled to meet the during the fourteen years succeeding this allegations of tyranny and injustice which relaxation, received an addition of 37,000. are constantly and ostentatiously paraded This first extension of commercial liberty, against her, by pointing to the steadily however, only gave to the colonists the increasing prosperity of the Island which right of trading with thirteen Spanish she is thus charged with misgoverning. ports instead of with three; but from this epoch may be dated the dawning of the prosperity of Cuba. Shortly after the breaking out of the French Revolution, a French settler introduced the cultivation of coffee into the Island, and, about the same period, many wise regulations were made, favorable to trade and agriculture, and the rich district of the Vuelta Arriba on the northern coast was gradually redeemed from the primeval forest. In 1847, the total exports and imports of Cuba exceeded those of the mother country, of three times her extent, and ten times her population, by five millions of dollars. This, at first sight, seems a somewhat startling result; but it is easily accounted for. The commercial prosperity of Cuba has been the result of her commercial freedom-a boon which she extorted from Spain long before the other European states had conceded the same privilege to their colonial dependencies. That freedom was for some time complete, and its results were (as we shall afterwards see) almost miraculous; trade, agri In In 1793 the coasts of the Island were subjected to a rigorous blockade by a French squadron, and the inhabitants were reduced to great want and misery. There was no bread; they were starving; their destitution, and threats of revolt, compelled the Spanish Government to pass a decree throwing open the ports to neutral bottoms, which were allowed to enter and exchange their breadstuffs for the productions of the Island. Intimation of this decree was soon carried to the United States, who sent 100 vessels laden with flour and provisions, relieved the distress of the Cubans, and gave a powerful impetus to their commerce. In 1812 the freedom thus accorded to articles of food was extended to other species of goods, and in that year also the right of representation in the Spanish Cortes was conferred upon the Cubans. An attempt subsequently made by Charles IV. to reimpose the old system of monopoly, was disregarded; and, in spite of the efforts of the mother country, the commercial liberties of the Island gradually acquired strength and stability. By the strenuous and unwearied exertions of Don Francisco Arango, the first Cuban representative, a decree was obtained from Ferdinand VII., abolishing all restraints upon commerce and repealing the old restrictive laws. This royal ordinance may be regarded as the charter of Cuban commerce; and even when in 1822 a free Government had ceased to exist in Spain, the commercial privileges of the colonists survived the wreck of the Government which had bestowed them. Unfortunately, the decree of 1818 has not been acted up to by Spain, either in the letter or the spirit. The prejudices of three centuries were not so easily overcome. She could not, indeed, shut her eyes to the immense increase of wealth, population, and trade, resulting from it; but she applied the principles of the old system to the new, and reasoned thus: "If Cuba produces so much when trade is free, how much more will she yield when restrictions are imposed!" Since 1818, the mother country has never ceased her endeavors to neutralize the freedom then conferred. The only period during which Cuba enjoyed complete commercial freedom was from 1818 to 1829; and since the latter epoch that liberty has been most materially curtailed, by the imposition of vexatious and burdensome imposts. American flour was soon found to be much cheaper and better than that of Spain; and, in consequence, the trade of the Spanish farmers with Cuba rapidly decreased; they could not compete with their rivals in the United States, and they applied to the Spanish Cortes for redress. They, in their wisdom, imposed heavy duties upon American flour, in favor of the agriculturists of La Mancha and Castile, duties which at present amount to nearly 10 dollars per barrel; and in 1830 excessive tonnage dues were also laid upon foreign vessels entering Cuban ports. In 1833, as before noticed, the right of representation was withdrawn from the colonists, and, in consequence, they were left with no one to explain their grievances, or advocate their claims in the Spanish Cortes, where the whole agricultural interest of Spain was bent upon opposing them. The consequences were soon apparent. In 1834, a law was passed imposing a duty of £2 per barrel upon American flour, which had the effect of almost annihilating the flourishing mercantile marine of Cuba, which had been created and encouraged by the growing trade with the United States. The duties imposed by the Spanish Cortes had been levelled at that country, which, naturally enough, retaliated by passing a law imposing upon Cuban vessels a duty twice as great as that levied upon those belonging to the States in Cuban harbors. Since that time ship-building has almost ceased in the Island, although her forests abound with the finest and most suitable timber, and up to 1798 had furnished materials for the construction of 125 vessels in the arsenal of Havanna, 53 of which were frigates, and 6 three-deckers; while timber sufficient for the construction of 30 frigates was imported into this country from a single Cuban port between the years 1825 and 1840. Thus was the merchant marine of Cuba unjustly sacrificed to the clamors of an interested and narrow-minded faction in the mother country, whose selfishness, after all, has been exercised in vain; for, in spite of the duty of 9 dollars per barrel on American flour, Cuba still continues to derive nine tenths of what she requires from the United States, although that imported from Spain in Spanish bottoms only pays a duty of 2 dollars per barrel. This is owing to the very greatly superior quality of the American flour, which requires to be mixed with that sent from Spain, before the latter is fit for use; and this circumstance, therefore, renders the heavy duty peculiarly impolitic and oppressive. The result of this short recapitulation |