THECUBAREVIEW 13 



Aeromarine White Aerial Fleet 



The largest fleet of commercial flying boats ever assembled is now in operation in 

 the south. The White Aerial Cruisers of the Aeromarine Airways are now fl3dng between 

 Key West and Havana and at Palm Beach and between Miami, Bimini and Nassau and 

 also at Tampa. 



The general public are taking to flying in these beautiful White Flying Boats and as 

 the public interest increases, so do the rates come down. Last year it cost $75.00 to fly 

 between Key West and Havana. Today the fare is $50.00. 



One reason why more passengers than ever before are using these Aeromarine Flying 

 Boats is because of the fine record they have established during the past year. This 

 covered the operations of the Aeromarine Airways and showed that a total of 95,020 

 miles were flown and that 6,814 passengers were carried without a single mishap either 

 to them or to the operating personnel. In addition 29,002 pounds of mail were also carried. 

 This remarkable performance shows that America is not behind Europe in the develop- 

 ment of commercial aviation, particularly in regard to flying boat transportation. 



Nassau is only two hours away from Miami or Palm Beach by Aeromarine flying 

 boat and the flight between Key West and Havana is made in one hour and a quarter. 

 Although the southern season has hardly begun, Aeromarine passenger agents are report- 

 ing a brisk business at all of the Aeromarine air bases. 



Side Glimpses of Cuba — Natural Features 



By Mary Elizabeth S'pringer 



From the time that Columbus discovered America and Velazquez at the head of 

 three hundred followers settled Cuba, a halo of romance has enveloped that island which 

 poets call "The Pearl of the Antilles." Bathed by the iridescent waves of the Gulf of 

 Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, Cuba is surrounded by coral reefs and verdant isles. 

 It has an extensive coast line of nearly seven thousand miles, including all indentations. 

 This coast line required constant vigilance in days of yore, when English fllibusters and 

 French forbantes ravaged the coast. Nevertheless, during Cuba's struggles for inde- 

 pendence and the Spanish regime, this extensive coast afforded a safe landing for 

 expeditionists who came to take up arms against Spanish dominion. 



Cuba has an area of forty-three thousand square miles, including the Isle of Pines 

 and the numerous keys. Her harbors are like pouches, narrow at the entrance and widen- 

 ing into broad bays, completelj'^ sheltered. Bluffs and rocks along the northern coast 

 and coral reefs in the provinces of Matanzas, Santa Clara and Camaguej^ render navi- 

 gation difficult. Outlying isles are low and covered with a growth of mangrove forests 

 which are sparsely peopled. Along the western coast bluffs reach five hundred feet in 

 height. Santiago's coast is abrupt and rugged, rising in terraces from the sea. It is 

 mountainous on the south coast from Cape Maysi to Cape Cruz and the Sierra Maestra 

 reaches an altitude of several thousand feet. 



Loft}'' heights covered with verdure are the most beautiful feature of a Cuban land- 

 scape. The Pan of Matanzas is a notable spot and the Pico Tarquino is eight thousand 

 three hundred and twenty feet high. North of Sierra Maestra is the broad and fertile 

 valley of the Cauto and further on the land rises gradually to a high plateau in the interior 

 of the province. On the summit, about one thousand feet high, is Bayamo, famed as the 

 birthplace of Tomas Estrada Palma, first President of the Republic of Cuba. 



Few rivers are navigable. Cauto is the longest and is navigable for sixty miles. 

 Other streams may be considered estuaries. To the west of Cienfuegos is the Zapata 

 Swamp, covered with dense vegetation and teeming with tropical life. Within the 

 limits of this marsh, deadly to foreigners, the Cubans established a hospital for their sick 

 and wounded during the war with Spain, confident that coast malarial fevers would keep 

 their enemies at bay and decimate their ranks. 



