furnished, and the consumption of country produce is immense, more than 2,000 beasts being constantly employed in bringing it up, besides that brought by way of railroad and other conveyances.

Havanna is the residence of the Captain-General, an Episcopal See, and seat of the government of the northern province; but Puerto Principe is the seat of the supreme judiciary. The principal nations of Europe and America have consuls resident therein. Havanna was founded in 1511, by Diego Velasquez. It has suffered several times from piratical and hostile visits. In 1762 it was captured by the British, but was restored to Spain in the following year, the whole island having been exchanged for Florida. Next in importance to the Havanna, is SANTIAGO DE CUBA, the residence of the authorities of the eastern province. It is one of the best cities on the island, and third in commercial importance. It lies six miles from the sea, on the river of the same name, the mouth of which forms its harbor. Latitude, 19° 37′ 29′′ N., and longitude 70° 3′ W. Population about 30,000. The public buildings are the cathedral, several churches, a college, a hospital, and numerous convents and schools. The port is from north to south about four miles long, with an irregular breadth, and in some places rather narrow, but it has water enough for ships of the line, and is sheltered from winds on every side. The entrance is narrow, and well defended by the Moro and Estrella castles. The city, like all the coast cities of Cuba, is very unhealthy, and frequently suffers from yellow fever; it is hemmed in on every side by mountains, which impede the circulation of the atmosphere, defying all the precautions of the strictest police. Santiago is the see of an archbishop. It was the capital of Cuba until the beginning of the 18th century, when the Havanna was raised to that dignity. Its trade is considerable, and is increasing from year to year. Santiago is the port from which the copper ore from the Sierra de Cobre is shipped. It was founded by Diego Velasquez in 1514.

MATANZAS ranks next to Havanna in commercial importance. It is situated at the bottom of a deep bay, 52 miles east of the capital. Latitude 230 2′ 28′′ north, longitude 81° 37′ 44′′ west. The population is estimated at 18,000 inhabitants, one-third of which is of European origin. It is wellbuilt, partly of stone, and contains some fine public edifices. The Bay of Matanzas, defended by the Castle of San Severino, is extensive, but exposed on the north and east. The harbor in front of the city is protected by a ledge of rocks, four feet below the surface, which serves as a natural breakwater, to defend vessels at anchor within it from the swell. There are two channels by which to enter, the one by the north and the other by the south end of the ledge, but the south channel is fit only for coasting-vessels. The town is enclosed by two rivers, which bring down to the harbor so much mud as materially to injure the anchorage ground, and render it necessary to load and discharge the shipping by lighters and launches.

Matanzas, though situated in a most fertile district, had little importance until within the last 40 years. Under the old colonial system it was merely a subsidiary port to Havanna, and was not allowed to carry on any direct intercourse with foreign countries, but all impolitic restrictions having been removed in 1809, Matanzas immediately became the centre of a considerable trade, and the town and its commerce have since continued to increase, with the rapidly-increasing cultivation of sugar and coffee in the adjoining districts. A railroad connects the city with the interior.

The exports from this port in 1847, among other articles, consisted of

387,183 boxes of sugar, 3,405,777 pounds of coffee, and 54,841 hogsheads of molasses-distributed in the following proportions:

The number of vessels employed in this trade was 173 ships and barques, 294 brigs, 82 schooners, 17 polacres, and one lugger, with an aggregate burden of 123,939 tons; of which 59,057 tons belonged to the United States, 30,697 tons to Great Britain, and the remainder to Spain, Germany, Sweden, France, Russia, Prussia, Brazil, and Norway-the relative amount according to the order of the above arrangement.

PUERTO-PRINCIPE, situated in the interior, about 20 miles south-east of Neuvitas, is a small town, and derives its importance from being the residence of the Audiencia Real, and the centre of a rich district. NEUVITAS, above referred to, is the port of Principe. CARDENAS, east of Matanzas, has an excellent harbor, and has a considerable trade. TRINIDAD, on the south of the island, about its centre, is also a place of considerable commerce. Population, 15,000. It has a good harbor, but exposed from the west. CIENFUEGOS is rapidly rising into importance. It has a superb harbor on the Bay of Xagua, and promises to become a flourishing mart. Population, about 6,000. Several houses in New-York have transactions with this port. MANZANILLO is a thriving commercial town, but small, having a population of 3,000 or 4,000 souls. BAYAMO, an old town in the interior; HOLGUIN, also in the interior, and north-west of Bayamo; EL COBRE, the centre of the mining district, and BARACOA, the oldest settlement on the island, among many others, are the most noted places of Cuba.

Cuba was discovered by Columbus in 1492. It has always been held by Spain, except from 1762 to 1763, during which it was occupied by the British. In the latter year it was exchanged for Florida.

PORTO RICO,

OR PUERTO RICO, is the smallest of the larger Antilles, and most eastward, lying between latitude 17° 55′ and 18° 30′ north, and between longitude 65° 40′ and 67° 20′ west. It forms part of the great wall between the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, and is separated on the east by the Virgin Passage from the Virgin Islands, and from Hayti on the west by the Mona Passage. The island resembles a parallelogram in shape, its length, from east to west, being 100 miles, and its breadth about 38 miles-area, 3,865 square miles. The population numbers more than 350,000, of which only 127,000 are of European descent; the remainder being negroes, three-fourths of whom are slaves.

The general course of the mountains in Porto Rico is from east to west,

midway between the north and south coasts. The greatest elevation is at the north-east extremity, being there about 3,000 feet above the level of the sea. Numerous rivers have their sources from this chain, which, flowing down the slopes to the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, fertilize the soils and beautify the island. Some of these are navigable for two or three leagues for sloops and coasters. The whole coast is much indented, and the harbors are good, and fit for the reception of the largest class of shipping. The face of the island wears all the luxuriant vegetation of the tropics, and is highly cultivated, and dotted over with a number of thriving villages. The climate is said to be less unhealthy, and more desirable as a residence of Europeans, than most of the Antilles. It differs widely, however, in different parts; in the north it is liable to heavy rains, and in the south, to droughts. Violent hurricanes frequently sweep over the island, and spread devastation and ruin among the plantations.

Porto Rico is singularly destitute of wild animals. "There are almost no indigenous quadrupeds; and scarcely any of the feathered tribe are to be found in the forests. The birds are few, both in numbers and species. You may travel whole leagues without seeing a bird, or even hearing their chirp. On the rivers there are a few water-fowl, and in the forests the green parrot. Almost every other island in the West Indies is infested by snakes, and other noxious animals. Here are none. But rats, of an enormous size, and in great numbers, infest the country, and sometimes commit dreadful ravages on the sugar-canes; and although continually persecuted, their numbers do not decrease.”—(Flinter's Puerto Rico, 53.)

The resources of Porto Rico are essentially agricultural. No minerals are found, and no manufactures exist; but one-half, however, of the available lands are cultivated. The staples produced are sugar and coffee, with the usual catalogue of West India produce. The breeding and feeding o. cattle is largely attended to, and it is estimated that the number of these amounts to more than 200,000. Cattle-breeding is, perhaps, more profitable here than any other department of agriculture; but owing to the subdivision of the property, few persons own more than 1,000 cattle. The numbers of sheep, goats, hogs, mules, and asses, are, however, very limited; but there are about 80,000 horses, of tolerably good breed. The value of live stock is estimated at from $7,000,000 to $8,000,000.

Previous to 1815, Porto Rico, being excluded from all foreign countries except Spain, was either stationary or increased very slowly. But in that year a royal decree favorable to commerce, and a free trade under moderate duties, has since been permitted. In consequence of this liberal measure, the island has made rapid progress in every department of internal and external prosperity.

The following statement of the commerce of Porto Rico, in 1846, taken from Balanza Mercantil, published in the capital, exhibits the present condition of the colony in reference to its foreign trade.

The annexed statement will show the distribution of the commerce of

The total number of arrivals were 1,135 vessels, with a tonnage of 116,623, and the total departures 1,119 vessels, and the tonnage 117,076, showing a difference in favor of arrivals of 16 vessels, and in favor of departures of 453 tons; this is owing to the fact that a larger class of vessels were used in the exporting than in the importing trade:

The carrying trade of Porto Rico is shown in the annexed table :

Exports.
$1,064,292

10,648

1,654,155

181,316

20,314

1,162,039

258,374

663,809

6,967 43,555

814

2,731

The government, laws and institutions are nearly similar to those established by Spain in the rest of her transatlantic possessions. Porto Rico is governed by a Captain-General, whose authority is supreme in military affairs, and who is president of the Audiencia Real in civil affairs. In the seven towns which are capitals of departments, justice is administered by mayors; in the smaller towns and villages by inferior magistrates, called lieutenants, who determine debts under $100, act as justices of the peace, &c., &c. They are appointed by the Captain-General, who also appoints the clergy to the different livings, on the recommendation of the bishop. Public instruction is backward, but the colonies are increasing facilities in this connection. The island is divided into seven military divisions, each commanded by a Spanish Colonel. The regular military force comprises about 10,000 men, and the militia about 45,000. The naval force consists of a man-of-war, a schooner, and perhaps a dozen gun-boats. The revenue of the island amounts to about $900,000 annually.

SAN JUAN DE PORTO RICO is the chief city and capital of the island, and ad on rising ground at the extremity of a peninsula, joined to the

land by a narrow isthmus. Lat. 18° 29′ 10′′ N., and long. 66° 13′ 15′′ W. The population is estimated at 40,000. The town, which lies on the east side of the harbor, is strongly fortified. The streets cross each other at right angles. being on a declivity, it is well drained, and is reported to be one of the healthiest cities in the new world. The public buildings are numerous, and generally built with good taste, being more solid than handsome. The harbor has a striking resemblance to that of Havanna, to which it is but little inferior. Its entrance, about 300 fathoms in width, is well defended by forts on both sides, and on small islands in the bay. Within, it expands into a capacious basin, the depth of water varying from five to seven fathoms. Porto Rico is the residence of the Captain-General, and seat of the superior courts, &c., of the island. It engrosses the larger portion by far of the commerce of the island, and has in consequence attained to considerable distinction among the emporiums of the West Indies.

The other towns of Porto Rico are comparatively insignificant. They are, MAYAGUEZ, on the west; AGUADILLA and ARECIVO, on the north; and PONCE and GUAYAMA, on the south—all of which enjoy some commerce.

Several small islands lying contiguous to Porto Rico belong to Spain, viz. Bieque, or Crab, Serpent, Great and Little Passage, the Tropic Keys, and several others. Some of these are claimed by Great Britain, but they naturally belong as here noted, and are so assigned by all geographers.

Columbus discovered this island in 1493, at which period it is said to have had a population of 800,000, all of whom were, in no very long time thereafter, exterminated by the Spaniards. In the latter part of the 17th century, it was taken by the English; but from the prevalence of dysentery among the troops, they were soon after obliged to abandon it, since which time it has remained in the hands of Spain. A revolution broke out in 1820, but was suppressed in 1823: the object of the people was separation from the mother country, and an independent existence. All, however, is now quiet, and a spirit of improvement has taken the place of revolutionary ideas.

THE FRENCH WEST INDIES.

THE Colonial possessions of the French in the West Indies, as well as on the continent, formerly comprised an extensive and valuable domain. The revolutionary spirit which disturbed the mother country in the last decade of the 18th century and commencement of the present,, led to the total overthrow of her power in the New World. Her possessions in Hayti were then wrested from her dominion, and from inability to hold on to Louisiana, that fine country was soon after sold to the United States. Little now remained to her; and in the prosecution of her wars with England, she even lost the last vestige of her magnificent empire in America: the superior naval force of the former having captured every island under her sway, and driven her fleets from the ocean. Such was the state of affairs in 1815. By the peace of that date, England relinquished some of the captured West Indian Islands, and at the present period, the French Republic owns only the retro-ceded islands of Guadaloupe, Marie-galante, Martinique, and the north side of St. Martin's. These, with a small fishing station in