Cuba
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Cuba. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
2026 Editor's Note: This page uses language about race that was commonplace when the book was published and is offensive by today's standards. The text has been left exactly as it was printed, rather than cut or softened, so that the historical record — including how ordinary such language once was — is preserved. (Ed: ET 2026-07-22) the largest and most westerly the West Indies of . It stretches in the form of a narrow crescent, convex on the N. side, at the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico, which it divides into two channels, the N. W., 124 miles wide, and the S. W., 97½ miles at its narrowest part. Topography. Cuba is 775 miles long 1 from Cape Maysi on the E. to Cape Antonio on the W., with a breadth varying from 30 miles to 160 miles, a coastline of 1,976 miles, and an area of 44,- 215 square miles. Only about one-third of the coast-line is accessible to vessels, the remainder being beset by reefs and banks. The shores, low and flat, are liable to inundations, but there are numerous excellent havens. A watershed running lengthwise through the island, rises into mountainous heights only in the S. E., where are the Sierra de Maestra, shooting up in the Pico de Tarquinto to 8,400 feet, and the Sierra del Cobre (copper). The mountains, composed of granite overlaid with calcareous rocks, and containing minerals, especially copper and iron, are clothed in almost perennial verdure, wooded to the under Nuredin Pasha and the British summits. Carboniferous strata appear in the W., schistose rocks on the N. coast. The limestone rocks abound in caverns, with magnificent stalactites. Mineral waters are plentiful. The rivers running N. and S., are navigable for only a few miles by small boats, but are very serviceable for irrigation of the plantations, and supply excellent drinking water. The climate, more temperate than in the other West Indian islands, is salubrious in the elevated interior, but the coasts are the haunt of fever and ague. No month of the year is free from rain, the greatest rainfall being in May, June, and July. Earthquakes are frequent in the E. Hurricanes, less frequent than in Jamaica, sometimes cause widespread desolation. A hurricane in 1846 demolished 1,872 houses and sank 216 vessels, and another in 1870 caused the loss of 2,000 lives. Soil, Productions, Etc. -The soil of Cuba is a marvel of richness, and a large part is still covered with virgin forest containing magnificent mahogany, cedar, ebony, logwood, lignum-vitæ, pine and caiguaran. The vegetation of Cuba also includes tamarind, palms, ferns, lianas, etc. Among the cultivated products are sugar, tobacco, coffee, cacao, rice, maize, cotton, esculent roots and tropical fruits. Among the animals are a species of tailless rat peculiar to Cuba, a great abundance of birds, including the mockingbird, a species of vulture (valuable as a scavenger), woodpecker, partridge, flamingo, and albatross. Of noxious animals and insects there are the crocodile, scorpion, and mosquitoes. The rivers and seas are well stocked with fish, the turtle abounding in the shallows and sandy places of the beach. The chief crops of the country are sugar and tobacco. The abnormal demand for sugar during the World War, especially from the date of the entrance of the United States into it, produced conditions in Cuba which resulted Ited in great prosperity among the sugar planters and, in fact, throughout all classes on the island. The sugar crop in 1918 was 4,048,480 tons, and in 1919, 4,446,229 tons. The total area planted to sugar was nearly 1,400,000 acres, and there were over 200 sugar mills in operation. The vast speculation in sugar in 1919 and 192 resulted in financial conditions which made it necessary to take stringent measures to prevent complete collapse of the banking system. A moratorium was declared which lasted for the greater part of 1920 and into 1921. The value of the tobacco manufactured in 1918 was $13,829,627. Other important productions were rum, alcohol, live stock, lumber. Rich mineral resources, especially President, and the legislative branch in- Senate and House of cludes in the province of Oriente, iron, copper, petroleum, are found zinc, lead, gold, and In other districts there in abundance. in the island there were also valuable were mineral deposits. In 1919 there the about 4,000 workmen employed in to the iron mines. Iron was exported United States averaging 50,000 tons a sugar crop month. In 1918-1919 the was 4,446,220 tons. Commerce. The total imports in 1919 exports were $315,587,167, and the , in the order $447,221,963. The exports of their importance were sugar, uncopmanufactured tobacco, iron, gold, , molasper ores, manufactured tobacco total imports ses, hides and skins. The in the fiscal from the United States year 1920 amounted to $396,565,049. The United States total exports to the amounted to $235,469,608. Transportation. There were in 1920 Cuba. The 3,200 miles of railway in were roads having the longest mileage the United Railways of Havana, 705; 589; Cuban Central Cuba Railroad, Western Rail- Railroad, 389; and the the important road of Havana, 147. All connected by towns and seaports are estates have rail. Many large sugar with the private lines connecting them vessels enter main lines. Nearly 2,500 are the port of Havana annually. There 9 wireabout 230 telegraph offices, and less stations, operated by the government. Finance. The total revenue for 1918- 1919 was £12,982,000 and the expendi- £10,878,973. The printures amounted to cipal items of income are customs revenue The chief items and the tax on sugar. marine of expenditure were war and , debt in and instruction. The foreign 1819 amounted to 52,874,500 pesos, and the internal debt to 30,731,900 pesos, or a total debt of 83,606,400 pesos. Secondary and higher the government in Education. education is given by accordance with the constitution. Six are maintained, one in secondary schools each of the six provinces. The total number of students in these schools was 2,087. In 1919 there were 334,671 schools and 5,877 pupils in the public instruction is given teachers. University Havana, which has at the University of of liberal arts and science, faculties medicine and pharmacy, and law. Population, Etc. The total popula- 2,898,905; Havana, tion, in 1919, was 697,583. Government. The government of Cuba constitution is that of a republic, under a adopted February 21, 1901. The execи- Vicetive officers include a President and a a The first election Representatives. took place in 1902 and the control of to the island was formally transferred May 20 of the National Government on secrethat year. The cabinet consists of , Intaries of State, Justice, War, Marine terior, Finance, Agriculture, Commerce, Public Works, Labor, Public Instruction, ity. The Senate in- Sanitation, and Charity. cludes 24 members, four from each prov- Representatives ince, and the House of , inhabitants. 114, one for each 25,000 History. - Cuba, spoken of as the discovered QUEEN OF THE ANTILLES, was discoverer callby Columbus in 1492, the land that eyes ing it "the most beautiful first settled by ever beheld." It was Spaniards at Baracoa in 1511. Havana, reduced to ashes first settled in 1519, was in 1554. by the French in 1538, and again Cuba For about one and a half centuries French, was in constant danger from West Indian filibus- Dutch, English, and ters. In 1762 the English, under Lord Havana, which, however Albemarle, took , next year rewas by the treaty of Paris to 1845 the stored to Spain. From 1789 center island was a vast slave-trading . occured in 1845 and Negro insurrections year the United In the latter 1848. States offered $100,000,000 to Spain for Rebellions against Spanish the island. rule broke out in 1849 and 1868. They long campaigns; but were put down after attained by in 1895 another insurrection 1898 formidable proportions. The United States battleship "Maine," while on a blown up in Havana friendly visit, was 15, 1898, and on April 19, harbor, Feb. the Congress of the United States Cuba indeadopted resolutions declaring War with Spain began at pendent. once. Cervera's Spanish fleet was de- July 3, stroyed at Santiago de Cuba, army were and Santiago and its large leading surrendered on July 17. The war, so far as military events of the fight at Cuba was concerned, were the the battle at El Caney and San Juan, Las Santiago, and the struggle before treaty of peace the Guasimas. Under the 1, 1899, the island was evacuated Jan. assuming United States then formally Cubans had the government, till the constitution and inadopted a written government. stalled a satisfactory native A Constitutional Convention assembled in Havana in Nov., 1900, when a for a republican constitution providing was adopted. Thereform of government upon the United States Congress authorunized the transfer of the government, were conder certain conditions, which Cuba firmed in permanent treaty between and the United States in May, 1903. The first Congress of the Cuban Government met in Havana, May 5, 1902. Aug. 14, 1902, the Cuban Government authorized a loan of $35,000,000, redeemable in 30 years, the object being to assist sugarcane growers. A reciprocity treaty with the United States was signed on Dec. 12, 1902. An insurrection broke out in 1906, which necessitated intervention on the part of the United States. A provisional government was established in August of that year, which continued until January 24, 1909, when the American authorities again evacuated the island, turning the administration over to the newly elected president, Jose Miguel Gomez. The government overnment pro prospered under the administration of General Gomez, but in 1911 discontent of the old soldiers who felt that they had not been sufficiently rewarded for their services led to uprisings. There was a threat of further American intervention, but the revolt was quelled by the authorities and order was quickly restored. In 1912 Mario Menocal was elected president. He at once addressed himself for financial and economic reforms, and in 1914 secured a large loan from the United States. President Menocal was re-elected in 1916. Up to the declaration of war by the United States against Germany, Cuba remained neutral, but on April 7, 1917, acting upon the advice of President Menocal, the Cuban Congress declared war against Germany. On the following day day the the ports. Several Cuban vessels in German waters were seized. War was declared against Austria-Hungary on Dec. 16, 1917. On April 3, 1918, the Cuban Congress passed a law authorizing the creation of an obligatory military service, applying to all male Cubans not expressly exempted, and to remain in force for two years, and for one year after the time of peace. The army was to be composed of 17,000 men in active service. This law was repealed in January, 1919. In 1920, Dr. Alfredo Zayas was nominated for president, by coalition of the Conservaive and Popular parties. He was elected by the returns, but the election was disputed, and it was necessary to hold by-elections in 1921. Gen. Crowder as representative of the United States visited the island in the spring of 1921 in order to supervise the elections and otherwise guard the interests of the United States.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
the largest of the West India Islands. It is the largest fertile island in America. It lies between Florida and the Caribbean Sea , guarding the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico. At its nearest approach it is less than a hundred miles from Key West , the extreme island of Florida. It is shaped "like the extended tongue of a woodpecker with a barb on the southern side of the ocean end." The greatest length following the main curve is about 800 miles. The width varies from 100 to 25 miles. Its area is 44,000 square miles, slightly surpassed in size by Pennsylvania. CLIMATE AND PRODUCTS. The interior of Cuba is mountainous, save that plains follow one or two of the rivers. The highest peak reaches 8,600 feet. The rivers are short and rapid. A number plunge through beautiful white limestone caverns. The coast is indented by deep, safe harbors. There are several hundred small islets about the coast. The climate is moist and, save in the mountains, torrid. The soil is rich. Nearly one-half of the total area is under cultivation. Cuba, Ceylon and Java not excepted, is the most productive island in the world. It leads the world in the cultivation of sugar-cane and tobacco. In some years it produces half the world's sugar. Cuban tobacco fetches a high price in the market. Bananas, oranges and lemons, pineapples, and figs flourish. Coffee and cotton are well suited to the climate and soil. Nearly one-half of the island is yet in forests, yielding cedar, ebony, lignum vitae , mahogany, pine, rosewood, and several dyewoods. The island has mineral wealth. Copper mines have been worked since 1524. Silver, lead, and iron are found in paying quantities. Soft coal, shading off into asphaltum, is abundant. HISTORY. Cuba was occupied by the Spaniards nearly a century before a permanent English colony had been planted on the Atlantic coast of the United States . In 1519, though not the first settlement, Havana was founded. It is situated on a fine harbor on the northern coast. Morro Castle at the entrance was fortified in 1600. The harbor with its fort was regarded as "the key to the New World." Cuba became a source of revenue to Spain. When the South American countries threw off the yoke of Spain in 1820 the "ever faithful island" remained loyal, but later became dissatisfied with oppressive regulations, especially an act in 1825 placing Cuban lives and fortunes under the absolute rule of a military commander. Frequent uprisings were followed by cruel tortures and executions. During the greatest of the outbreaks, 40,000 Cuban lives were lost and over 200,000 Spanish soldiers were carried away by yellow fever . The cost of this Cuban insurrection, including the loss of property, was reckoned at $300,000,000. At this time the South American Republics were anti-slavery. It was feared that independent Cuba would free her slaves. It has been charged that the pro-slavery interests of the United States prevented our helping Cuba to independence. On the other hand, the antislavery sentiment in the United States opposed the annexation of Cuba, because it would be admitted doubtless as a slaveholding state. So the "Gem of the Antilles" had no help from the United States, and the Spaniards were left free to wreak their vengeance on the leaders of one outbreak after another, and to continue the work of reducing one of the richest regions of the world into a jungle. In 1895 a last and a successful uprising took place. The sympathies of the United States were with the Cubans. An American warship, the Maine, in the harbor of Havana, was blown up by a mine. The United States declared war in behalf of the Cubans. "Remember the Maine!" became the watchword. American troops, including the Rough Riders under Roosevelt, invaded the island. The American navy blockaded the ports, and Spain was forced to grant Cuban independence. GOVERNMENT AND POPULATION. At the close of the war the island was organized as a republic. A constitution resembling that of the United States, but with peculiar clauses authorizing the United States to act as its sponsor and defender in the eyes of the world, was adopted February 21, 1901. Owing to disturbances it was necessary for the United States to intervene again; but in 1908 our troops again left Cuban soil, and it is hoped that the Cubans may govern themselves. There are six provinces, with a total population (1907) of 2,048,980, equal to that of Kansas or California. About three-tenths of the population are colored. Each province has a capital town of the name. Havana opposite Key West is the chief city,--the capital of the nation. Its population is about 300,000. Santiago, opposite Jamaica, is the second city in importance. Spanish is the official language. The predominant religion is Catholic. TRADE AND COMMERCE. The close of the wars for independence found Cuba poor and depopulated. The United States gave aid in the last war, but requires Cuban products to pay so high a tariff on entering the United States that the industries of the country have recovered less rapidly than was hoped. Nearly half of the Cuban purchases and three-fourths of the sales are made in the United States. The chief exports are sugar, rum, molasses, tobacco, cigars, bananas, pineapples, oranges, lemons, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra, cocoanuts, figs, mangoes, mahogany, cedar, sponges, shells, horns, hides, hoofs, honey, and wax. Much progress has recently been made. The plantations have a less neglected look. One may now travel the length of the island by rail. Towns and cities have been placed in a more sanitary condition. The ravages of yellow fever have been stayed. A system of public schools has been introduced. STATISTICS. The following statistics are the latest to be had from trustworthy sources: Land area, square miles 44,000 Population 1907 2,048,980 Havana 297,159 Santiago de Cuba 45,470 Matanzas 36,009 Cienfuegos 30,100 Camaguey 29,616 Cardenas 24,280 Number provinces 6 Annual income $2,900,000 Bonded indebtedness $50,000,000 Horses 386,000 Mules 50,000 Cattle 2,500,000 Acres under plow 869,733 Value of sugar crop $64,000,000 Value of tobacco crop $21,000,000 Acres of sugar cane 457,000 Acres of tobacco 84,000 Acres of fruit 15,000,000 Species of native plants 3,500 Miles of railway, (1908) 1,897 Iron ore mined, tons 6,000,000 Teachers in public schools 3,593 Pupils enrolled 143,000