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Costa Rica: Cuba

VEGETABLE PRODUCTS. - Cuba contains a vast extent of forests, which are so dense as to be almost impenetrable. It has been estimated that the island has nearly

20,000,000 acres of land perfectly wild, and that of this amount 13,000,000 acres are uncleared forest. The principal woods valuable for commerce are mahogany, rosewood, Cuban ebony, cedar, lignum vitæ, lancewood, and granadilla. These are exported for cabinet work and ship-building. There are also many varieties of dyewoods and woods suitable for building purposes. The most valuable tree on the island is the palm. Fruits common to the tropics abound, the pineapple, and the orange, and the lemon being most esteemed; also the banana, the plantain, the sweet and bitter cassava, the sweet potato, and Indian corn, which are indigenous. Rice is extensively cultivated, and cocoa is also grown. By far the most important agricultural products of Cuba are sugar, coffee, and tobacco. The sugar estates have somewhat declined during the past few years, owing largely to the effects of the civil war and the extending cultivation of beet-root sugar, in other countries the demand diminishing appreciably. About 80 per cent. of Cuban sugar goes to the United States, and the remainder passes to Europe. The average value of sugar exported is over $60,000,000 and of molasses about half that amount. Next to sugar in commercial importance comes coffee. The berry was introduced upon the island in 1748 from San Domingo. The exports of this article are not as great now as in former years. Tobacco is a natural product of the island, and the excellence of its flavor is celebrated in all parts of the world. In all portions of the islands are vast estates devoted to the cultivation of this weed, but the finest qualities are grown in the country west of Havana, and known as the "Vuelta Abajo." The exportation of cigars will reach upwards of 225,000,000 annually, while over 14,000,000 lbs. of tobacco are sent to other countries to be made into "genuine imported Havana cigars."

EDUCATION AND RELIGION. - No recent reliable statistics are obtainable as to the educational condition of the people, but it is estimated that of fully 100,000 children of free parents not one-tenth receive education of any kind. The proportion of the population who can read and write, exclusive of Chinese, is: White males, 45 p. c.; white females, 85 p. c.; colored males, 5 p. c.; colored females, 6 p. c. Roman Catholicism is the only religion which the Government tolerates. There are two dioceses, that of the E., or Santiago de Cuba, being an archbishopric, while that of Havana is still administered by a bishop.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL DIVISIONS. Of course it is well understood that, in a political sense, Cuba is a province of Spain, and under the direct rule of a governor-general, who ranks as a lieutenant-general of the Spanish Army. The authority of this official is for the time being despotic. He is appointed by the crown for a period of from 3 to 5 years, knows no superior but the Spanish Sovereign, and is the supreme head of the civil, military, and ecclesiastical jurisdictions. There are governors of departments who assist the governor-general in executing the laws, and these have subordinated to them lieutenant-governors, commanders of the jurisdictions, of which there are 32, and each of which latter is divided into captaincies. There is a town council in each city, but municipal government has no real existence. The island is divided into two military departments-the W., with Havana as its capital; and the E., with Santiago de Cuba as its headquarters. There is one grand judicial division, comprising the whole island, as the Supreme Court. This in turn is divided into 26 judicial districts, each of which has an alcalde mayor with auxiliary delegates, the ordinary alcaldes, or what may be termed local judges. There is also a maritime division under the jurisdiction of a commander-general. This comprises five naval stations, as follows: Havana, Trinidad, San Juan de los Remidios, Nuevitas, and Santiago de Cuba.

HISTORY.-Christopher Columbus discovered Cuba on the 28th of October, 1492, during his first voyage. It was then called Juana, and afterwards received the name of Fernandina, in honor of King Ferdinand. Subsequently the name was changed to Santiago, from the patron saint of Spain, and still later it was called Ave Maria, in honor of the Virgin. At the time of its discovery, however, the island was known among the natives as Cuba, and none of the names by which it had been designated by the Spaniards supplanted the original one, so all attempts to rechristen it were finally abandoned, and Cuba has ever since been its name. There was originally on the island a docile race of Indians, extending to all the West India Islands and the Bahamas. In 1511 Diejo Velasquez wrested the island from the possession of the natives, and three years later Trinidad and Santiago de Cuba were founded. In 1519 Habana, or Havana, was located on its present site. Other towns rapidly sprang up, and the natives were completely subjugated. In 1538 Havana was reduced to ashes by a French privateer, and to prevent a similar disaster in future the Castillo de la Fuerza, a fortress which still exists, was built by Fernando de Soto, governor of Cuba, and afterwards famous for his explorations in the United States, as well as the discovery of the Mississippi. In 1554 the French again destroyed Havana. In 1580 the settlers began the cultivation of tobacco and sugar-cane, and this led to the introduction of slavery. For 150 years from this time constant incursions were made upon the island by French, English, Dutch, and other pirates. In 1773 Havana was taken by a British fleet, Lord Albemarle commanding, and the Spanish army subdued. At Paris, in the following year, a treaty was signed, and Cuba again restored to the Spanish Crown. The most brilliant epoch of Cuban history began with the arrival of Las Casas, as governor-general, in 1790. The island made rapid progress in commercial prosperity and in public improvements. This official developed every branch of industry, fostered patriotic societies, and was liberal enough to permit the establishment of newspapers. The old systems of privilege and restriction were removed as far as was possible, and efforts made to effect the emancipation of the enslaved native indians. When Napoleon deposed the royal family of Spain, the news of which reached Cuba in July 1808, the inhabitants of the island declared for the crown, and avowed undying hostility to the Napoleonic regime. Since that time the island has been governed by a succession of governor-captain-generals, some of whom have showed a disposition to advance the condition of the people, but the greater number have proved themselves tyrannical, avaricious, and oppressive. In 1845 and 1847 the slave trade was nearly brought to an end through the energy of Captain-General Valdez, but owing to a stimulation of the sugar trade the matter was finally set aside. There has been a good deal of discontent among the Cubans ever since the beginning of the present century, and finally the matter of annexation to the United States was mooted just after the French republic was proclaimed in 1848. The United States government, while willing it should remain a Spanish colony, declared that no other foreign government should ever possess it. In 1825 Spain had proposed to cede Cuba to the United States in consideration of certain commercial concessions; but this was declined. In 1848 President Polk offered to buy the island for $10,000,000, but to this Spain would not listen. In 1849 a filibustering expedition under Lopez was prevented by the United States government. A second expedition got away successfully, but Lopez was defeated, and himself garroted and other leaders publicly shot. Since 1852 the question of the acquisition of Cuba has entered freely into American politics. In 1854, Buchanan, Mason, and Soule, American ministers at London, Paris, and Madrid, drew up the celebrated Ostend manifesto, urging that Cuba should belong to the United States, and that if Spain would not sell it, it should be taken, under certain contingencies, by force. In 1858-59 the United States senate considered a proposition to pay $

30,- 000,000 for the island. This was the plan of Slidell, of Louisiana; but it was finally withdrawn. The spirit of discontent kept growing, however, among the creole population, and numerous conspiracies were formed to liberate the island from Spanish rule. In 1868 a well-devised plan of revolution, fostered by the Aguileras and Osorio, spread through the entire island. In Manzanillo, Cespedes placed himself at its head; in Holguin, Alvarez; in Las Tunas, Garcia; in Santiago de Cuba, Fernandez. Cespedes was the first to move, and October 10, on the field of Yara, declared for independence. The government saw they had no idle task in hand, and the contest became general and fierce. Spain at that time had but 19,700 men in Cuba, but before December closed 20,000 troops had been sent from Europe, 12,000 contra-guerillas recruited on the island, and 40,000 volunteers organized for the defence of the cities. In 1869 the island was one scene of carnage. Frightful atrocities were committed by the Spanish troops in Havana and other cities. The successes of the insurgents led them to establish a republican form of government, and the republic was divided into four states. Overtures were made to the Spanish authorities to open negotiations, but these were rejected. April 11, 1869, Cespedes was elected president, and Manuel Quesada commander-in-chief. Before the close of the year, Quesada, having demanded extraordinary powers, was deposed by the Congress, and General Jordan, an American, who had aided the insurgents, appointed to Quesada's position. In August of the same year the United States offered its good offices to Spain to settle the strife. Terms for the cession of the island to the Cubans was proposed, but the Spanish government declined to entertain them. Troops were being constantly sent out from Europe to quell the insurrection. In 1873 a message was sent to Cespedes to offer peace on condition that Cuba should remain a State of the Spanish Republic, which was declined. In December 1873, Cespedes was deposed and succeeded by Salvador Cisneros. During late years there has been a condition of comparative tranquility.