In the suburb of Guadalupe the increase of all classes is much greater than that of the whole district, but there is by no means the same disproportion between the different castes. There must of course be a commensurate disproportion elsewhere.

From these materials and various statements of the proportionate increase of population in other American cities, as well as a comparison of the births and deaths, and the numbers cured, in the two principal hospitals, there are some curious topics for consideration with regard to population.

The supplies of provisions are good; but the police is said to be bad, and it has been stated that on an average there are two murders committed daily; but this is not sufficiently proved, and it is, indeed, admitted, by one of the most inveterate writers against the Havaneros, that he resided seventy days in the city, and passed every night after nine o'clock three of the most notorious spots, without ever having been interrupted. We always suspect exaggeration in reports to which such a fact may be opposed.

The extent of Cuba, owing to the shallows which surround it, has only been fully developed lately. By documents published by the hydrographic depôt of Madrid up to the year 1807, this has been completed, so that its area has been calculated with more precision than formerly. There is a remarkable resemblance in the form of Cuba to that of Java. Notwithstanding the increase of good data, there are still considerable differences in the estimates made by M. Ferrer, M. Lindenau, and M. Bauza: although they approach more nearly to each other than to the older estimates, some of which were absurdly exaggerated. M. Lindenau has computed the area of Cuba and its dependencies at 4102 square maritime leagues (20 to a degree). M. Ferrer's result is 3848 maritime leagues for the entire group; but that of M. Bauza (which is probably the most correct) makes Cuba alone to contain 3520 maritime leagues, and with the isle of Pines 3615; from which it appears that it is oneseventh less than it had previously been considered; that it is fifty-five hundredths larger than Haiti: that its surface equals that of Portugal, is within one-eighth of that of England, exclusive of Wales, and equals all the rest of the islands in the West Indian Archipelago.

Little is known of its geognostic relations; but it would appear that four-fifths of its extent, consisting of lowland, is composed of secondary and tertiary formations, which are sometimes pierced by granite, gneiss, syenite, and serpentine; and it is probable that the auriferous sand that attracted so much attention at its first discovery was derived from the latter rocks. Vegetation is extremely active. The rivers are few-there not being above ten that are any thing more than streamlets. The climate is precisely what might be expected on the verge of the two zones, and nearly corresponds with that of Calcutta, Canton, Macao, and Rio Janeiro. There are about fifty ports and anchorages.

With the details, of which we have endeavoured to extract the substance, M. Humboldt intersperses some interesting remarks on the

conduct of meteorological researches, and on the geography of plants-a subject in which he always delights to revel.

Cuba, like all the other Spanish settlements in America, has ecclesiastical, politico-military, and financial divisions. Our author does not detail the first of these, as there might be consequent confusion; and, in truth, there is less need for it, for since the year 1797, there has only been one Audiencia, established at Puerto Principe, which has jurisdiction from Baracoa to Cape San Antonio. This island, together with Louisiana and Florida, formerly depended on the archbishopric of St. Domingo, and contained only one see, which was founded by Leo X. In 1788, Pius VI. divided the island into two sees, adding that of Havana to the original one of St. Jago de Cuba. In 1804, St. Jago de Cuba was erected into an archbishopric. The boundary of the two dioceses passes from the Cayo Romano, between the town of Santo Espiritu and the city of Puerto Principe.

In its politico-military distribution, the captain-generalship is divided into two governments, that of Havana, (of which the captaingeneral is always the governor,) and of Cuba. The actual limits of these do not correspond with the ecclesiastical bounds.

The financial administration extends over three intendencies or provinces, the Havana, Puerto Principe, and St. Jago de Cuba. The intendant of the first named district is also intendant-general of the whole Island.

There are forty parishes in the diocese of Havana, and twenty-two in that of Cuba. In the former eighty-six cities and towns; in the latter five cities. We must not, however, attach too much importance to the word city, which rather bespeaks privileges than grandeur or extent. The importance of the preceding dry statements can only be understood by a knowledge of the population. Unluckily, the actual facts are few; but scanty as they are, they lead to valuable results. In 1775 the total population was esti mated at

1791

1817

170,862

And on similar principles the number at present would be about 750,000-but we apprehend it would be more: we know that the late intendant general three years ago believed the number considerably greater.

This total population differs but little from that of the whole of our own colonies, and is nearly double that of Jamaica alone; but the most remarkable point of comparison is the proportion of the different castes. In Cuba the free population composes sixty-four-hundredths of the whole; in the English islands it forms scarcely nineteen-hundredths; in the whole Archipelago the slaves and free coloured amount to eighty-three-hundredths.

M. Humboldt therefore considers that Cuba, from the peculiar constitution of its population, is more likely to be exempt from servile insurrection than its neighbours. But as that is a question that will be more suitably examined hereafter, we shall reserve our observations for the close of this article.

The remarkable disparity of the sexes is noticed by Humboldt, the number of males being among the slaves on the sugar estates to that of females as 4 to 1; throughout the island as 1.7 to 1; in the towns or small farms as 1.4 to 1; and the city of Havana as 1.2 to 1. This disproportion is owing to religious scruples, which, however ridiculous they may appear to us, prevailed until the latter part of the last century. "The slaves," says our author, "were forced to celibacy under the pretext of preventing disorder in their morals! The Jesuits and Bethlemite monks alone renounced this fatal prejudice; they themselves allowed negresses on their plantations."-vol. i. p. 165. One of the most interesting points connected with the present population is, the local distribution of the free coloured and black portions of it; for on the facilities of concert and combination much would depend, in the event either of combined or merely servile insurrection. In the year 1811, the tribunal of commerce of the Havana formed an estimate, by which it would appear, that at that time, in the western part of the island—that is, in the government of Havana-there was in the towns 11 per cent. of the whole of the free coloured people in the island; in the country, 1 per cent.: while of slaves there were in the towns 11 per cent., and in the country 34 per cent.; making altogether 58 per cent. of the entire black and coloured races in that province. In the eastern province, that of Cuba, there were in the towns 11 per cent. of the free coloured people, and the same number in the country; of slaves there were 93 per cent. in the former, and 104 in the latter; making altogether 42 per cent. But this proportion must have varied very much since 1811; for there is doubt that between this period and 1825, that is, in 14 years, 185,000 African slaves were imported into Cuba, of whom 116,000 were entered at the custom-house of Havana between the years 1811 and 1820.

It is a very curious fact, that the population of Cuba, notwithstanding its absolute extent, should be, relatively to its area, four times less than that of Jamaica; or, as M. Humboldt expresses it,

"If Cuba were as well cultivated as this lat

ter island, or, to speak better, if the density of the population were the same, Cuba would have 3615 (area in square leagues) × 874 (the population of Jamaica to the square league), or 3,159,000 inhabitants; that is to say, more than is calculated at present in the republic of Colombia, or the whole archipelago of the Antilles."-vol. i. p. 127.

One melancholy fact is developed by the very laborious comparisons instituted by our author, of the various censuses that have successively been made, that a most frightful destruction of life among the slaves must have taken place; for although in six years (from 1811 to 1817), more than 67,700 slaves were imported, the actual excess of the slave population, in the last of these years over that of the first, was only 13,300. We hope that there is some error in the estimate, otherwise the sufferings of these unhappy people must be unparalleled, and the boasted humanity of Spaniards to their slaves must have altogether disappeared from Cuba.

The general results of all that has been most laboriously collected are: that the whites increase more in the country than in towns; that the free coloured race, who generally prefer mechanical trades to agriculture, augment with greater rapidity than the other castes; and that the negro slaves, among whom there is not one-third of the number of females requisite for that of the males, diminish at the rate of 8 per cent. annum.

The commonly received opinion of the extent of the ancient population is, we have no doubt with our author, exceedingly exaggerated; for the statements are nearly as contradictory as they are numerous. He has fallen into an error when he asserts that the aboriginal race has entirely disappeared from the Antilles; for we have ascertained that there are now in the island of St. Vincent at least 200 red and black Charibs, the former being the pure race, and the latter a mixed breed with the negroes; and that in the interior of Dominica there are several families of the pure Charibs. We have seen miniature canoes, bows and arrows, made by the latter, and presented by their chiefs to the Earl of Huntingdon, when governor of that island: and a most intelligent officer, well known for his arduous services during the Peninsular war, and since in Burma, has assured us that he resided some time with these people; whose habits he describes as most simple, probably differing in no degree from those of their earliest ancestors. It would be inconsistent with our limits to enter into a detail of all the facts and reasonings connected with the dif ferent castes of the population; but it is with satisfaction that we find from M. Humboldt, that many proprietors employ themselves in the most praise-worthy manner, with the amelioration of the condition of their slaves.

The state of intellectual improvement is said to be principally confined to the whites, and society is equal to that of Cadiz, and the most flourishing commercial cities of Europe; but in the small towns and country districts there is less refinement. Custom too may uphold the natural, or rather the obvious distinetions between the different races, but they are

not insurmountable; for we know that very lately nobility was conferred by Ferdinand on a man of colour at the Havana, and that he was received by the municipality, although some little demur took place among some of its members.

Too much praise cannot be bestowed on the principal inhabitants for their zeal in promoting every useful object. A patriotic society has been founded not only in the capital, but in the principal towns: there is a university, with chairs of theology, jurisprudence, medicine, and mathematics-one of political economy, another of agricultural botany-a museum, and school of descriptive anatomy; a public library; a gratuitous school of painting and design; a naval academy; Lancasterian schools, and a botanical garden. In short, improvement has its foundations very extensively laid.

Connected with the population is the national force or militia. We have already seen that the white population in both the provinces always exceeds in a very large proportion, that of the slaves; and when united with the free coloured people, whose interests are, we consider, identified with their own, they stand in the eastern province in the ratio of 195 to 65; and in the district of Havana, where there is a greater number of slaves, in that of 203 to 147; consequently, a considerable number of the small proprietors must cultivate their respective properties without the aid of slaves. We have seen examples of this kind, even in the province of Havana. Men thus habituated to the climate, many of them natives, form an admirable supply of militia; and accordingly we find that they are organized throughout the Island into mounted militia, there called monteros: in the towns they form, as well as the free coloured people, regiments of foot militia. The former are described as very daring, well mounted, inured to fatigue, thoroughly accustomed to the climate, completely armed, perfectly acquainted with the country, and so dreaded from these qualities, that the presence of one of them is sufficient to overawe a considerable body of negroes.

year 1760 to 1824, by which it appears that the minimum was, as might have been supposed, on the first of these years, being only 13,000 chests, and that the increase has been since going on, though at no regular rate, until 1823, when it amounted to 300,211 chests. In 1824 it fell off to 243,329, but that was considered a very unproductive year. This table is derived from official records, but it may be calculated that at least 1-4th more was fraudulently exported, which is an enormous addition to the known quantities. Besides the exports, it is supposed by M. de Humboldt, that the internal consumption in 1825 was not less than 88,000 chests. He also estimates the production of Cuba to be 1-7th less than that of Jamaica, and institutes some other curious comparisons with the produce of the remainder of the West Indian Islands, together with their areas and population. He gives a similar comparison with Equinoxial North America and Brazil.

The sugars of Cuba are divided into three classes, according to their purity, which is effected by means of claying. This is done by putting the raw sugar into cones of porous earthenware, with a small opening at the apex; these are then inverted, and a coating of clay (whence the name of the process) spread over the base; this is moistened with a small quantity of water, and the successive filtrations through the loaf of sugar carry off the various impurities. The purest is that immediately below the clay, and is, in fact, white sugar, resembling the lumps of the refiners;-the next, about the middle, less fair, is called azucar que brado;-the apex of the loaf is the least pure, and is distinguished by the name of cucurucho. As the forms vary in size, the weight of the loaves is equally various. Generally each of them weighs about an aroba, or 25lbs. The proportions in each loaf of the different qualities are 5-9ths of white, 3-9ths of the second quality, and 1-9th of the worst. The prices, of course, depend on the quality, and are subject to all the variations that must occur in articles so dependent on accidental circumstances, as all tropical produce must ever be. Scarcely any Muscovado sugar is manufac tured.

At the actual price of 24 dollars the chest, sugar is still profitable, although more than two-thirds less so than it was twelve years ago.

M. Humboldt details some results of his inquiries in 1804, which are valuable to those curious in West Indian statistics. He found that on an estate of 50 caballerias, or 1610 English acres (each caballeria being equal to 32 2-10ths statute measure) there was produced from 32,000 to 40,000 arrobas (about

In a table published by Humboldt, we have the progress of the sugar exports, from the

appropriated to the cane, the other half being employed in raising vegetable food, or in pasturage. There is considerable difference in the value of land, according to its local advantages. Such an extent of cultivation requires 300 negroes, each of whom may be valued at from 370 to 500 dollars, and whose maintenance costs 45 to 50 dollars each annually.

Three mills, worked either by cattle or water, are necessary; eighteen boilers with twelve clarifiers and traches. It is commonly

come more enlightened to their true interests, and discouraged by the low price of colonial produce: and in a strain of prophecy, predicts the future grandeur of Cuba, as well as its exemption from the present "narrow and pitiful system," as he calls it. This appears to be a misapplication of terms. The present state of cultivation in Cuba is the necessary result of its population, and its relations to the rest of the world. At present, its sugar and coffee give better returns than any other objects of cultivation to the proprietor, who can buy his other supplies more advantageously from foreigners, owing to the scantiness of population. In all societies similarly constituted the same thing must happen, not from design, but from expediency; nor can it be obviated, until the growth of the population be equal to meet all the demands for labour. The destruction of the sugar culture will never increase that of other articles; however certain it is to take place, whenever the planter loses the power of coercing labour.

So far we have spoken of the actual state of trade; we find that its increase has been proportionate to other improvements. So long ago as 1800 the description was flattering, as may be seen in an extract which M. Humboldt gives from an unpublished manuscript: "At the Havana," says the intelligent author, "all the effects of accumulated wealth begin to be felt. Provisions have doubled their prices in a very few years. Labour is so dear, that a negro newly imported from the coast of Africa, by mere bodily labour, (without having learned any trade.) can earn from four to five rials a day. Negroes who exercise any mechanical trade, however rude, earn five to six francs. The patrician families remain in the country; the individual who has been enriched by his own exertions does not return with his capital to Europe: some families are so wealthy, that Don Matèo de Pedroso, recently dead, has left landed property worth above two millions of dollars. Many houses of trade in Havana buy every year ten to twelve thousand chests of sugar, for which they pay from 350,000 to 420,000 dollars. The transactions which take place annually in this city amount to more than twenty millions of dollars." " Such," adds M. Humboldt, "was the state of the country in 1800. The prosperity of the succeeding years has much transcended that which has been described; for, whenever the Mother Country, disregarding her best interests, has attempted to retrograde, courageous voices have been raised, not only among the Havaneros, but even among the Spanish administrators, to vindicate the cause of American commerce." Havana enjoys the rights of an entrepôt on the most advantageous terms.

The internal trade is rendered costly by the want of easy communications. To obviate this inconvenience, in 1796, the Conde de Jaruco and Mopox conceived the plan of the canal of Guines, which would have connected the city of Havana and Batabano, a distance of eight and a half maritime leagues. The preliminary survey was effected with considerable talent by two able engineers, the brothers Lemaur, (one of whom lately distinguished himself by his gallant and protracted defence of

the Castle of San Juan de Ulloa,) and its practicability determined; but like many other great projects of Spain, the work was never carried further. The benefits which such a canal would confer on the island are immense, and it would not be the least to set an example of establishing easy communications.

M. Humboldt observes, in speaking of the rapidly advancing improvements that are going on in Cuba, that "at the Havana, as every where else, when trade and the riches it produces have a speedy augmentation, complaints are made of the evil influence which that increase produces on old customs. This is not the place," he adds, " to compare the first condition of the Island of Cuba, covered with pastures, before the capture of the capital by the English, and its actual condition since it has become the metropolis of the Antilles; this is not the place to compare the candour and simplicity of the manners of an infant society, with those that belong to the development of advanced civilization. The spirit of commerce, bringing the admiration of wealth, no doubt leads mankind to depreciate that which is not to be procured for money. But the state of human affairs is happily such, that whatever is most desirable, whatever most noble, and most free in man, depends solely on the inspirations of the soul, and the extent and amelioration of the intellectual faculties. The adoration of wealth, if it could possess an absolute influence over all classes of society, would infallibly produce the evil of which those complain, who see with regret that which they call the preponderance of the industrious system; but the increase of commerce by multiplying the relations among different people, in opening an immense sphere to mental activity, in directing capital to agriculture, in creating, by the refinements of luxury, new wants, presents the best remedy against the dangers which are supposed to be impending. In this extreme complication of causes and effects, time is necessary to establish the equilibrium between the different classes of society. Must it not be admitted as undoubted, that at every given epoch, civilization, the progress of information, the development of public reason, may be estimated by the tonnage, by the value of the exports, or by the perfection of the arts of industry? But nations, like individuals, must not be judged of by one solitary portion of their lives: they only complete their destinies by going over the entire scale of a civilization, suited to their national character and their physical situation."-vol. i. p. 292-3. There is much truth in these observations, and they ought to be seriously considered by all those, who, adopting but one measure of propriety, either among individuals or nations, and forgetting the infinite diversities of temperament, moral and physical relations, regard all deviations from their imaginary standard as violations of an absolute rule of right.

The increase of agriculture and commerce has been productive of a proportional increase of revenue: this M. Humboldt states as high as four and a half or five millions of dollars, or, taking the exchange at four shillings to the dollar, at one million sterling. The customhouse of the Havana alone yields in one year