ADMINISTRATION OF CUBA. 



381 



Railway operations began as early as the year 1837, but were at first restricted 

 to a few short lines connecting Havana with the surrounding plantations. Even 

 still a regular system of lines is confined to the western districts, the eastern 

 parts of the island possessing only the first links of future projects. The " Central 

 Railway," which is ultimately to traverse the whole of Cuba from Cape San 

 Antonio to Cape Maisi, still exists only on paper. On the other hand the telegraph 

 system already covers the whole island, and is connected by submarine cables with 



the rest of the world. 



Administratio N . 



The central authority is represented in Cuba by a governor- general, residing 

 at Havana, and controlling the land and sea forces. Under his orders is a civil 

 governor for each of the six provinces. According to the electoral law, voters who 



Fie 



182. — Railways of Cuba. 

 Scale 1 : 12,000,000. 



P5^ 



f/estoi ureenvvich 



Dep'lis. 



to 500 

 rathoms. 



500 to 1.000 

 Faihoms. 



1,000 to 2.fX)0 

 Fathoms. 



2,000 Fathoms 

 and upwards. 



1S6 Miles. 



have been ten years free and pay an annual tax of £5, send to the metropolitan 

 senate 16 members, 3 for Havana, 2 for each of the provinces of Matanzas, Pinar del 

 Rio, Puerto Principe, Santa Clara, and Santiago, one for the university and special 

 schools, and one jointly with Puerto Rico for the various " economic societies." 

 The members of the Cortes are returned in the proportion of one for 40,000 inha- 

 bitants. Each province has also its local assembly, while the municipalities are 

 administered by councillors varying in number with the population of the comnrane. 



Instruction is obligatory for all bet-ween six and nine years of age. The army, 

 including one battalion of bl icks, consists of 19,000 men on a peace footing, paid by 

 the local revenue. About half of the public income is derived from the customs, 

 25 per cent, being levied on all imported goods. One fifth of the expenditure is 

 absorbed by the interest of the debt, w^hich amounts (1891) to £38,000,000. 



Cuba is divided for administrative purposes into six provinces, tabulated in the 

 Appendix. 



