onsular Report of July, 1898, when the last
revolution began, 1895, the Cuban debt had reached $295,707,264. The
interest on this alone imposed a burden of $9.79 per annum upon each
inhabitant. During the war, Spain had 200,000 troops in the island, and
the three and one-half years' conflict cost her the loss of nearly
100,000 lives, mostly from sickness, and, as yet, unknown millions of
dollars. The real figures of the loss of life and treasure seem
incredible when we consider that Cuba is not larger than our State of
Pennsylvania, and that her entire population at the beginning of the war
was about one-fourth that of the State named, or a little less than that
of the city of Chicago alone. Yet Spain, with an army larger than the
combined northern and southern forces at the battle of Gettysburg, was
unable to overcome the insurgents, who had never more than one-fourth as
many men enlisted. But she harassed, tortured, and starved to death
within three years, perhaps, over 500,000 non-combatant citizens in her
attempt to subjugate the patriots, and was in a fair way to depopulate
the whole island when the United States at last intervened to succor
them.

THE FUTURE OF THE ISLAND.

What the future of Cuba may be under new conditions of government
remains to be seen. Certainly, in all the world's history few sadder or
more devastated lands have gathered their remnants of population upon
the ashes of their ruins and turned a hopeful face to the future.

[Illustration: A SPANISH MESTIZA.]

But the soil, the mineral and the timber not even Spanish tyranny could
destroy; and in these lie the hope, we might say the sure guarantee, of
Cuba's future. In wealth of resources and fertility of soil, Cuba is
superior to all other tropical countries, and these fully justify its
right to the title "Pearl of the Antilles," first given it by Columbus.
Under a wise and secure government, its possibilities are almost
limitless. Owing to its location at the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico,
which it divides into the Yucatan and Florida channels, on the south and
north, the island has been termed the "Key to the Gulf of Mexico," and
on its coat of arms is emblazoned a key, as if to imply its ability to
open or close this great sea to the commerce of the world.

Cuba extends from east to west 760 miles, is 21 miles wide in its
narrowest part and 111 miles in the widest, with an average width of 60
miles. It has numerous harbors, which aff