ed from the King
special exemptions and privileges for the builders and owners of sugar
mills. He was the first to construct that of Vicente Santa Maria in
Fuente de Chaves. Sugar was at that time sold at fabulous prices. A
cargo of sugar of inferior quality brought in Seville as much as twelve
pesos per arroba (twenty-five pounds). The importation of and traffic in
African negroes who were set to work on the sugar plantations was
inseparable from this industry which henceforth became the chief source
of Cuba's wealth. But Maldonado, too, had troubles with the pirates. As
the two galleys in the port were known to be absolutely useless, the
pirates approached almost within cannon-shot of the place.

The administration of D. Pedro de Valdes, Ensign (alfevez major) of the
Order of Santiago and nephew of the famous admiral of that name, began
most auspiciously. He was appointed successor of Maldonado in 1602. A
worthy heir of his uncle's glory, he started for his post from San Lucas
with a galleon and a galizabra (vessel used in the Levantine trade) on
the seventeenth of April. On his voyage he captured an enemy vessel,
sailed bravely through a Dutch squadron and sank three of their ships in
the port of Santo Domingo. After putting to flight a horde of smugglers
that swarmed about the coasts of Cuba, he cast anchor in Havana on the
nineteenth of July, 1602.

Valdes immediately set out to improve the artillery of the
fortifications, and even to superintend the casting of the cannon.
Within the short space of two years he succeeded in providing the port
of Havana with eighty pieces of good quality and various calibre, most
of which had been cast in the capital itself. Frequent changes of
administration had not only hampered the initiative of minor
functionaries and opened the door to official malpractice of
miscellaneous nature, but had also perceptibly weakened authority.
Valdes was determined to re-enforce it and by his energy and rectitude
brought upon himself the hatred of those elements who had encouraged
disorder. At the end his only loyal supporter was Friar Juan Cabezas de
Altamirano, who had succeeded Salcedo in the bishopric of Santiago. But
Valdes did not mind the hostility, which was more or less openly
manifested towards his government, and continued his untiring efforts in
defense of Spanish interests and policies.

The steadily increasing wealth of these colonies excited the
covetousness of the pirates and b