330 



humboldt's ctjba. 



the year 1795, when that Confederation had 4,500,00C 

 inhabitants yet Cuba contains only 715,000. The 

 customs tariff is the principal source of revenue in 

 this beautiful colony ; it produces more than three- 

 fifths of the total income, and suffices to cover with 

 ease, all the necessities of internal administration, 

 and military defence. 



Though the disbursements of the treasury of 

 Havana have, during the last few years, exceeded 

 $4,000,000, this excessive expenditure has been 

 caused by the tenacious struggle which the metro- 

 polis has endeavored to sustain with the emancipated 

 colonies. Two millions of dollars have been dis- 

 bursed in the pay of troops and sailors, that have 

 retreated from the American continent to Spain by 

 way of Havana. All the while that Spain, ignoring 

 her true interests, shall delay the recognition of the 

 independence of the new republics, the island of 

 Cuba, menaced by Colombia and the Mexican Con- 

 federation, must maintain a military equipment in 

 self-defence, that will absorb the colonial revenues. 

 The navy alone stationed at Havana costs more than 

 $600,000, and the land forces require annually nearly 



1 The custom-houses of the United States, which, from 1801 to 

 1808 yielded sixteen millions annually, in 1816 gave only $7,282,000. 

 —Morse's Modern Geography, p. 638. — H. 



