2G2 
PORT OP THE HATAHNAH. 
Gulf of Mexico, where the high roads of the commercial 
nations ot the old and the new worlds cross each other. It 
was remarked by the Abbe Eaynal, at a period when a^ri- 
culture^ and industrj^ were in their infancp, and scarcely 
threw into commerce the value of 2,000,000 piastres in 
sugar and tobacco, “ that the island of Cuba alone mi^ht 
be worth a kingdom to Spain.” There seems to have been 
something prophetic in those memorable words; and since 
e parent state has lost Mexico, Peru, and so many other 
colonies declared independent, they demand the serious 
consideration ot statesmen who are caUed upon to discuss 
the political interests of the Pennisula. 
XT j Cuba, to which for a long time the court of 
Madrid wisely granted great freedom of trade, exports, law- 
lully and by contraband, of its own native productions, in 
sugar coffee, tobacco, wax, and skins, to the value of more 
than 14,000,000 piastres ; which is about one-third less than 
the_ value of the precious metals furnished by Mexico at the 
period of the greatest prosperity of its mines.* It inav be 
said that the Havannah and Vera Cruz are to the rest of 
America 'vhat New York is to the United States. The 
tonnage of 1000 to 1200 merchant ships which annually 
enter the port of the Havannah, amounts (excluding the 
small coasting-vessels), to 150,000 or 170,000 tons.f In time 
ot peace, from 120 to 150 ships of war arc frequently seen at 
anchor at the Havannah. Prom 1815 to 1819, the produc- 
tions registered at the custom-house of that port only fsu<rar, 
rum, molasses, coffee, wax, and butter) amounted, on the 
1 11,245,000 piastres per annum. In 
1823, the exportation registered two-thirds less than their 
actual^ pnce, amounted (deducting 1,179,000 piastres in 
specie; to more than 12,500,000 piastres. It is probable 
and silver specie was struck at Mexico, to the value of 
tr»nn. -il f * piastrcs ; but, taking an average of ten years of political 
tranquillity, we find from 1800 to 1810, scarcely 24i million of pias- 
t In 1816, the tonnage of the commerce of New York was 299 617 
tos, that of Boston, 143.420 tons. The amount of tonnage is not 
einort Hef fl commerce. The countries which 
tSn Ac frnW i “'• 'Otton. require more capaciousnesi 
^ a T regions, of which the productions (cochineal, indigo 
sugar, and coffee) are of little bulk, although of considerable value. * ' 
