Phenix Gazette

Cuba.—The high importance of this island is pretty well appreciated, we believe, by all the great Powers, both European and American.— This importance is rising of late, from an ameliorated administration of its concerns. From an article on the subject in the American Quarterly Review for June, we extract some of the more striking statistical particulars respecting the island—particulars the more interesting to us on account of our proximity to it, and the large share we possess of its trade.—Balt. Am.

The area of Cuba is nearly thirty-three thousand square miles, which is something more than one-half the area of Virginia. Its fine climate and fertile soil do not require mention. Its population probably exceeds 500,000 souls, of whom more than 286 thousand are slaves, nearly forty-one thousand are free blacks, and more than fifty-seven thousand are free mulattoes. Those proportions in the population are worthy of the most serious attention, connected with some circumstances which we shall mention hereafter. Of the productions the most valuable is Sugar, of which the whole produce for the year 1827 was calculated at more than 102 millions of pounds and the whole export at 156 millions. It is stated by the reviewer, on undoubted authority, that the largest sugar crop ever obtained in Louisiana was that of 1828 when it amounted to 88 millions of pounds. The whole consumption of the United States is estimated at 140 millions of pounds, a little more than ten pounds to each person; a great amount certainly, and indicative of much general comfort in the article of food. The total production of Molasses was 81,000 hhds. of Rum 35,000 pipes. Of Coffee the total production, according to the custom-house returns, was millions of pounds: but these are justly believed to give very inadequately the real amount produced, smuggling being carried to a great extent in Cuba. The low price of coffee has introduced some great improvements in its culture and preparation. With a machine called a divider, 12 bags may be picked where 6 were picked before; and 130,000 trees have given, with manuring, as neat a product as 500,000 without it. Of Tobacco, the product is 12 millions of pounds: of Maize, the most extensive agricultural product, the crop was, in 1827, 1,617,800 fanegas, (of 150 pounds.) Numerous other esculents and fruits are found in abundance on the island, which has also a great variety of the most valuable trees. Of the 1,055 entries of foreign vessels into the port of Havana in the year 1827, 57 were Spanish, 48 were French, 71 English and 785 American, with a tonnage of 105,395 tons. This shows sufficiently what was the importance of this trade to us as our tonnage amounted to half the commerce of the island. Its revenue has advanced in the same proportion as its agriculture and trade amounting in 1827 to $4,697,474. The regular and secular clergy are of moderate number not exceeding 1,015 and most of the land is tithe free. Having given these particulars, we reserve for another occasion the reflections of the reviewer on some points in the history, administration, and political condition of Cuba.