Cuba

(kūbah,) a large and important island of theW. Indies, belonging to Spain, and the chief of the Antilles group-whence her poetical appellation of Queen of the Antilles. C. is of crescent-like form, and lies bet. 21° 54' and 23° 70' N. Lat., and 84° 57′ 15″ and 81° 11′ 45" W. Lon.; having Florida and the Bahamas to the N., S.W. Hayti, S. Jamaica, and W. Yucatan and the Gulf of Mexico. Length, abt. 660 m.; breadth, varying from 11 to 135 m.; coast-line estimated at 1,800 m. Total area (with outlying islets) 48,469 sq. m. The shores of C. are much indented; the principal inlets are the bays of Buena Esperanza, Honda, Broa, and Negrila. Capes. San Antonio, Cruz, Maysi, and Mulas. Seaboard generally low, and with many salt lagoons. A cordillera of mountains intersects the entire length of the interior, attaining a maximum height of 7,500 ft. Soil. Fertile in the extreme; forests of vast extent are interspersed over the interior, presenting a vegetation almost unequalled for luxuriance and variety. Clim. Hot and variable; hurricanes and shocks of earthquake are frequent. Prod. Sugar is the chief staple of industry, followed by tobacco, coffee, rice, maize, tropical fruits, and vegetables. The Cobre mines yield large supplies of copper-ore, and coal, bitumen, and varieties of marbles and valuable stones are found. Manuf. Sugar, rum, mola es, cigars, and applications of wax. The commerce of the island is principally in the hands of foreigners. C. is divided into 3 depts.- the Eastern, Central, and Western-having Santiago, Trinidad, and Havana as their respective caps.; the latter is also the metropolis of the island, and the residence of the Spanish viceroy, who is styled captain-general. C. is represented by delegates to the Spanish Cortes. The Roman Catholic is the established form of worship. Before 1865, C. po e ed abt. 818 m. of railroad. Communication between the coast and the interior is still, however, very defective. The pp. ports are Matanzas, Puerto Principe, Cardenas, Cienfuegos, Guines, Manzanillo, and Sagua la Grande, besides those of Trinidad and Havana. Hist. C., discovered by Columbus in 1492, at first bore succe ively the names Juana, Fern and in a, Santiago, and Ave Maria. It has, however, retained its native appellation. The Spanish settlement was consummated in 1512, and the culture of sugar-cane and tobacco introduced abt. 1580. American filibustering expeditions against the island occurred in 1850-51, both of which ended disastrously to their projectors. Owing to the oppre ive rule sanctioned by the home govt., the island broke out into revolt in Sept., 1868, and her people, declaring their independence, formed a so-called National Junta, and appointed Don Manuel Cespedes their commander-in-chief. A sort of guerrilla warfare was thus initiated, and carried on until 1878, marked by random engagements and resultant ma acres on both sides. Since Oct., 1868, about 90,000 soldiers have been sent to Cuba from Spain, of whom scarcely 15,000 survived. The gradual abolition of slavery has been decreed in C. Pop. 1,500,000. [s. 250]