PRELIMINARY ESSAY. 



39 



tern question. The happy accord and good under- 

 standing between France and England, have been 

 extended beyond the Eastern policy to the policy 

 affecting all parts of the world, and I am heartily 

 rejoiced to say, that there is no portion of the two 

 hemispheres with regard to which the policy of the 

 two countries, however heretofore antagonistic, is not 

 now in entire harmony." 



The foregoing extracts, with the subsequent mea- 

 sures taken by Spain in Cuba, render it evident that 

 the political relations of the island to England, which 

 were for a long time the subject of warm discussion, 

 have experienced a radical change. The conduct of 

 the British naval commanders in the mid- American 

 waters last winter, sustain this view. As the effects 

 of this change, and the consequent measures taken 

 by the Spanish government in Cuba, relate more 

 particularly to the social relations of that island, we 

 shall consider them under that head. 



The political relations of Cuba to the republics of 

 Spanish America, are of the most limited character. 

 Havana was for a long time the centre of the opera- 

 tions by Spain against her revolted colonies, and 

 became the refuge of her troops, when they were 

 driven from the continent. The few years that 

 have elapsed since the recognition of the independ- 



