y are
composed of Spaniards, even to the soldiers in the ranks, and to the
sailors at the guns. It is said by the supporters of the government that
this order is not adhered to; and they point to a capitan-general, an
intendente, and a chief of the customs, who were Cubans. Still, such is
the written law; and if a few Cubans are put into office against the
law, those who are so favored are likely to be the most servile of
officers, and the situation of the rest is only the more degraded.
Notwithstanding the exceptions, it may be said with substantial truth
that an independent Cuban has open to him no career, civil or military.
There is a force of volunteers, to which some Cubans are admitted, but
they hold their places at the will of the government; and none are
allowed to join or remain with them unless they are acceptable to the
government.

There are vexatious and mortifying regulations, too numerous and minute
to be complied with or even remembered, and which put the people in
danger of fines or extortion at every turn. Take, for instance, the
regulation that no man shall entertain a stranger over night at his
house, without previous notice to the magistrate. As to the absolute
prohibition of concealed weapons, and of all weapons but the regulation
sword and pistols--it was no doubt introduced and enforced by Tacon as a
means of suppressing assassinations, broils and open violence; and it
has made life safer in Havana than it is in New York; yet it cannot be
denied that it created a serious disability. In fine, what is the
Spanish government in Cuba but an armed monarchy, encamped in the midst
of a disarmed and disfranchised people?

The taxes paid by the Cubans on their property, and the duties levied on
their commerce, are enormous, making a net income of not less than
$16,000,000 a year. Cuba pays all the expenses of its own government,
the salaries of all officers, the entire cost of the army and navy
quartered upon it, the maintenance of the Roman Catholic religion, and
of all the charitable and benevolent institutions, and sends an annual
remittance to Spain.

The number of Spanish men-of-war stationed on the coast, varies from
twenty-five to thirty. Of the number of soldiers of the regular army in
Cuba, it is difficult to form an opinion. The official journal puts
them at 30,000. The lowest estimate I heard, was 25,000; and the highest
was 40,000. Judging from the number of sick I saw at the Hospital
Mili