THE BRITISH OCCUPATION--SPAIN'S GRATITUDE.
In the early years of the eighteenth century, Cuba was more or less at
peace, that is so far as Spain, a degenerate mother of a far more
honorable daughter, would allow her to be at peace, and she increased in
population, and, to a certain extent, in material prosperity.
But in 1717, a revolt broke out, a revolt which was thoroughly
justified.
Spain felt that the agricultural wealth of the island was increasing,
and she desired for herself practically the whole of the advantages
which accrued from it.
Therefore, she demanded a royal monopoly of the tobacco trade. This
demand was strenuously and bitterly opposed by the Cubans.
The Captain-General, Raja, was obliged to flee, but finally the trouble
was ended, and Spain, by might far rather than by right, had her way.
The monopoly was established.
But the oppressive government led to another uprising in 1723, which
again was quickly quelled. Twelve of the leaders were hanged by Guazo,
who was at that time the captain-general.
Twice, therefore, did the one who was in the wrong conquer, simply from
the possession of superior force.
It is said that the mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceeding
small. And in the light of recent events, this seems to be, and in fact,
so far as human intelligence can determine, it is true.
Richard Le Galliene, to-day, toward the end of the nineteenth century,
speaks in clarion tones, as follows:
"Spain is an ancient dragon,
That too long hath curled
Its coils of blood and darkness
About the new-born world.
Think of the Inquisition
Think of the Netherlands!
Yea! think of all Spain's bloody deeds
In many times and lands.
And let no feeble pity
Your sacred arms restrain;
This is God's mighty moment
To make an end of Spain."
About this time, that is, from 1724 to 1747, Cuba, chiefly, if not
almost entirely, at Havana, became a ship building centre, of course,
once more, at least for a time, to the advantage of Spain. In all, there
were constructed some one hundred and twenty-five vessels, carrying
amongst them four thousand guns. These ships comprised six ships of the
line, twenty-one of seventy to eighty guns each, twenty-six of fifty to
sixty guns, fourteen frigates of thirty to forty guns and fifty-eight
smaller vessels.
But then Spain became jealous--imagine a parent jealous of the success
of its child!--and the ship-building industry was peremptorily stopped.
During the present century, in Cuba only the machinery of one steamer,
the Saqua, has been constructed, and two ships, one a war steamer and
one a merchant steamer, have been built at Havana.
What a commentary on the dominating and destructive
policy--self-destructive policy, too--of Spain!
In 1739, there arose in England a popular excitement for a war against
Spain. One of the chief incidents which led to this was an episode which
caused Thomas Carlyle to call the strife that followed "The War of
Jenkins' Ear."
The English had persisted in maintaining a trade with Cuba in spite of
Spain's prohibition.
A certain Captain Jenkins, who was in command of an English merchantman,
was captured by a Spanish cruiser. His ship was subjected to search, and
he himself, according to his own declaration, put to the torture. The
Spaniards, however, could find little or nothing of which to convict
him, and, irritated at this they committed a most foolish act, a deed of
childish vengeance. They cut off one of his ears and told him to take it
back to England and show it to the king.
Jenkins preserved his mutilated ear in a bottle of spirits, and, in due
course of time, appeared himself before the House of Commons and
exhibited it to that body.
The excitement ensuing upon the proof of this outrage to a British
subject beggars description.
Walpole was at that time prime minister, and, although essentially a man
of peace, he found it impossible to stem the tide, and public sentiment
compelled him to declare war against Spain.
This war, however, was productive of but little result one way or the
other.
But before long another struggle ensued, which was far more reaching in
its consequences.
In 1756, what is known in history as the Seven Years War, broke out.
This seems to have been a mere struggle for territory, and, besides a
duel between France and England, involved Austria, with its allies,
France, Russia and the German princes against the new kingdom of
Prussia.
This naturally led to an alliance between England and Prussia.
Towards the end of the war, early in 1762, hostilities were declared
against Spain.
An English fleet and army, under Lord Albemarle, were sent to Cuba. The
former consisted of more than two hundred vessels of all classes, and
the latter of fourteen thousand and forty-one men.
The opposing Spanish force numbered twenty-seven thousand six hundred
and ten men.
With the English, were a large number of Americans, some of whom figured
later more or less prominently in the war of the Revolution. Israel
Putnam, the hero of the breakneck ride at Horseneck, and General Lyman,
under whom Putnam eventually served, were among these, as was also
Lawrence Washington, a brother of "The Father of His Country."
By the way, the American loss in Cuba during this campaign was heavy.
Very few, either officers or men, ever returned home. Most of those who
were spared by the Spanish bullets succumbed to the rigors of the
tropical climate, to which they were unaccustomed and ill-prepared for.
May this experience of our forefathers in the last century not be
repeated in the persons of our brothers of the present!
The defense of Havana was excessively obstinate, and the Cuban
volunteers covered themselves with glory.
But, in spite of the superior force of the Spanish, the English were
finally successful.
Taking all things into consideration, it was a wonderful feat of arms,
one of which only the Anglo-Saxon race is capable.
Nevertheless, it was only after a prolonged struggle that the victory
was complete.
At last, on the 30th of July, Morro Castle surrendered, and about two
weeks afterward, the city of Havana capitulated.
The spoil divided among the captors amounted to about four million seven
hundred thousand dollars.
The English remained in possession of Cuba for something like six
mouths, and during that time instituted many important and far-reaching
reforms, so much so in fact that when the Spaniards regained possession,
they found it very difficult to re-establish their former restrictive
and tyrannous system.
For instance, the sanitary condition of Havana, which was atrocious even
in those comparatively primitive days of hygiene, was vastly improved.
All over the island, roads were opened. During the time of the English
occupation, over nine hundred loaded vessels entered the port of Havana,
more than in all the previous entries since the discovery.
The commerce of the island improved to a remarkable extent, and for the
first time the sugar industry began to be productive.
If the British had remained in possession of Cuba, it is probable that
that unhappy island would have been spared much of its misery and would
have been as contented, prosperous and loyal as Canada is to-day.
It really seemed as if an era of prosperity had begun, when by the
treaty of Paris, in February, 1763, most of the conquests made during
the Seven Years' War were restored to their original owners, and among
them unfortunately in the light of both past and future events, Cuba to
the misrule of the Spaniards.
England, however, was eminently the gainer by this treaty, as she
received from France all the territory formerly claimed by the latter
east of the Mississippi, together with Prince Edward's Island, Cape
Breton, St. Vincent, Dominica, Minorca and Tobago. In return for Cuba,
Spain ceded to England Florida, while the Spanish government received
Louisiana from France. On the other hand, Martinique, Guadeloupe,
Pondicherry and Goree were returned to France.
It was impossible for the Spanish to undo in a day all the good that the
English rule, short though it was, had accomplished.
Moreover, it was more than fortunate for Cuba that there followed not
long after two governors of more than ordinary ability and humanity,
both of whom had her interests at heart, and they caused a period of
unwonted prosperity, most grateful to the Cubans, to follow.
The first of these governors, or to give them their rightful title,
captain-generals, was Luis de Las Casas, who was appointed in 1790.
Now, for the first time in her history, Cuba really made rapid progress
in commercial prosperity as well as in public improvements. Las Casas
developed all branches of industry, allowed the establishment of
newspapers, and gave his aid to the patriotic societies.
He also introduced the culture of indigo, removed as far as his powers
permitted the old trammels, which an iniquitous system had placed upon
trade, and made noble efforts to bring about the emancipation of the
enslaved Indian natives.
His attitude toward the newly established republic of the United States
was most generous, and this helped largely to develop the industry of
the island.
By his judicious administration, the tranquillity of Cuba remained
undisturbed during the time of the rebellion in Hayti, and this in face
of the fact that strenuous efforts were made by the French, to form a
conspiracy and bring about an uprising among the free people of color in
Cuba.
Another thing that will redound forever to the credit of Las Casas and
which should make his memory beloved by all Americans--it was through
his efforts that the body of Columbus was removed from Hayti where it
had been entombed and deposited in its present resting-place in the
Cathedral of Havana.
In 1796, Las Casas was succeeded by another just and philanthropic
governor, the Count of Santa Clara. The latter greatly improved the
fortifications which then guarded the island and constructed a large
number of others, among them the Bateria de Santa Clara, just outside
Havana, and named in his honor.
It was undoubtedly due in a very great measure to the kindly policies of
these two noble and far seeing men that Cuba at that time became
confirmed in her allegiance to the mother country; and had they been
followed by men of equal calibre of both mind and heart, it is more than
probable that the history of Cuba would have been devoid of stirring
events. For, as the old saying has it: "Happy nations have no history."
In 1795 a number of French emigrants arrived from San Domingo, and
proved a valuable acquisition.
In 1802, a disastrous fire occurred in a suburb of Havana, called Jesu
Maria, and over eleven thousand four hundred people were rendered
destitute and homeless.
About this time, the star of Napoleon Bonaparte, the greatest of heroes
or the greatest of adventurers, according to the point of view, was in
the ascendant. Almost without exception there was not a country in
Europe that had not felt the weight of his heavy hand, and, to all
intents and purposes, he was the master of the continent.
Spain was by no means to escape his greed for conquest and power.
Her country was overrun and ravaged by his victorious armies. Her
reigning family was driven away. Napoleon deposed the descendant of a
long line of Bourbons, Ferdinand VII., and placed his own brother,
Joseph Bonaparte, upon the throne.
Then the attitude and the action of Cuba were superb. Her loyalty was
unwavering. Every member of the provincial council declared his fidelity
to the old dynasty, and took an oath to defend and preserve the island
for its legitimate sovereign.
More than this--the Cubans followed this declaration up by deeds, which
ever speak louder than mere words. They made numerous voluntary
subscriptions, they published vehement pamphlets, and they sent their
sons to fight and shed their blood for the agonized mother country.
For this, Cuba received the title of "The Ever Faithful Isle," by which
it has been known ever since.
A very pretty compliment truly! But let us see in what other and more
substantial ways was Cuba's magnificent fidelity rewarded.
The answer is as brief as it is true. In no way whatever.
Many promises were made at the time by the Provisional Government at
Seville, chief among them being that all Spanish subjects everywhere
should have equal rights. But not one of these promises was ever kept.
On the contrary, it was not long before the oppression became greater
than ever. There were deprivation of political, civil and religious
liberty, an exclusion of the islanders from all public offices, and a
heavy and iniquitous taxation to maintain the standing army and navy.
Clothed as they were with the powers of an Oriental despot, most of the
captain-generals from Spain covered themselves with infamy, the office
as a rule having been sought (and this was distinctly realized by the
Spanish government) only as an end and means to acquire a personal
fortune.
To realize the practically absolute authority given to the
captain-generals, it is only necessary to read the royal decree
promulgated after Joseph Bonaparte had been deposed and the Bourbon
king, Ferdinand, restored to the throne.
A portion of this amazing document is as follows:
"His majesty, the king our Lord, desiring to obviate the inconveniences
that might, in extraordinary cases, result from a division of command,
and from the interferences and prerogatives of the respective officers:
for the important end of preserving in that precious island his
legitimate sovereign authority and the public tranquility, through
proper means, has resolved, in accordance with the opinion of his
council of ministers, to give to your excellency the fullest authority,
bestowing upon you all the powers which by the royal ordinances are
granted to the governors of besieged cities. In consequence of this his
majesty gives to your excellency the most ample and unbounded power, not
only to send away from the island any persons in office, whatever their
occupation, rank, class or condition, whose continuance therein your
excellency may deem injurious, or whose conduct, public or private, may
alarm you, replacing them with persons faithful to his majesty, and
deserving of all the confidence of your excellency; but also to suspend
the execution of any order whatsoever, or any general provision made
concerning any branch of the administration as your excellency may think
most suitable to the royal service."
For over one hundred and seventy years these orders have received little
or no change, and they still remain practically the supreme law of Cuba.
This was the way that magnanimous, grateful, chivalrous Spain began to
reward "The Ever Faithful Isle" for its unparalleled loyalty and
devotion.
And Heaven save the mark! this was only the beginning.
"That precious island," says the royal decree. Precious! There was never
a truer word spoken. For Spain has always loved Cuba with a fanatical,
gloating passion, as the fox loves the goose, as Midas loved gold, and
as in the case of Midas, this love has eventually led to her
destruction.