SOCIETX AT TME HAYANNAH. 
245 
Benrly double. The extreme inequality in the distribution 
of the population, the want of inhabitauts on a great part of 
the coast, and its iiniuense development, render the military 
defence of the whole island impossible : neither tlie landing 
of an enemy, nor illicit trade, can be prevented. The Ha- 
Vannah is well dolcnded, and its woi-ks rival those of the 
most important fortified towns of Europe ; the Torreones, 
and the fortifications of Cogimar, -Taruco, IVlatanzas, Mariel, 
Bahia Honda, Batabano, Xagua, and Trinidad, might resist 
for a considerable time, the assaults of an enemy ; but on 
the other hand two-thirds of the island are almost without 
defence, and could scarcely be protected bythe best gun-boats. 
Intellectual cultivation is almost cntmely limited to the 
whites, and is as unequally distributed as the pomdation. The 
test society of the Havannah may be compared for easy and 
polished manners, with the society of Cadiz, and with that 
of the richest commercial towns of Europe ; but on quitting 
the capital, or the neighbouring plantations, which are inha- 
bited by rich proprietoi’s, a striking contrast to this state of 
partial and local civilization is manifest, in the simplicity t 
manners prevailing in the insulated farms and small towns. 
The Havaneros or natives of Havannah were tlie first among 
the rich inhabitants of the Spanish colonies, who visited 
Spain, Erniicc, and Italy ; and at the Havannah the people 
■''ere always well informed of the politics of Europe. This 
knowledge of events, this jirescience of future chances, have 
powerfully aided the iiihabitants of Cuba to free themselves 
from some of the burthens which check the development of 
<iolonial prosperity. In the interval between the peace of 
Versailles and the beginning of the revolution of San Do- 
mingo, the Havannah appeared to be ten times nearer to Spain 
than to JMexico, Caracas, and New Grenada. Eiftcen years 
later, at the period of my visit to the colonies, this apparent 
inequality of distance had considerably diminished; now, 
■"’hen the independence of the continental colonies, the im- 
portation of foreign manufactures, and the financial wants ot 
the new states, have multiplied the intercourse between 
Europe and America ; when the passage is shortened by 
improvements in navigation; when the Columbians, the 
^lexicans, and the inhabitants of Gmitimala, rival each 
other in visiting Europe ; the aucieut Spanish colonies — those 
