and moving upon
the fortifications of Havana, where the difficulties and dangers that
proved so formidable at Santiago would have been quadrupled, and our
losses in the field and hospital excessive. The unpreparedness of this
country for war has not even up to this time been appreciated except
by military experts and the most intelligent and intent students of
current history. The military notes prepared in the War Department
of the United States at the beginning of the war with Spain, contain
the following of Santiago de Cuba:

This city was founded in 1514, and the famous Hernando was its first
mayor. It is the most southern place of any note on the island,
being on the twentieth degree of latitude, while Havana, the most
northern point of note, is 23 degrees 9 minutes 26 seconds north
latitude. The surrounding country is very mountainous, and the city
is built upon a steep slope; the public square, or Campo de Marte, is
140 to 160 feet above the sea, and some of the houses are located 200
feet high. The character of the soil is reported to be more volcanic
than calcareous; it has suffered repeatedly from earthquakes. It is
the second city in the island with regard to population, slightly
exceeding that of Matanzas and Puerto Principe. So far as American
commerce is concerned, it ranks only ninth among the fifteen Cuban
ports of entry. It is located on the extreme northern bank of the
harbor of Santiago de Cuba, a harbor of the first class and one of the
smallest; hence, as is believed, the great liability of its shipping
to infection. According to the chart of the Madrid hydrographic
bureau, 1863, this harbor is, from its sea entrance to its extreme
northern limit, 5 miles long, the city being located 4 miles from
its entrance, on the northeastern side of the harbor. The entrance
is for some little distance very narrow--not more than 220 yards
wide--and may be considered about 2 miles long, with a width varying
from one-eighth to five-eighths of a mile. For the remaining 3 miles
the harbor gradually widens, until at its northern extremity it is
about 2 miles wide. The city is so situated in a cove of the harbor
that the opposite shore is only about one-half mile distant. At the
wharves from 10 to 15 feet of water is found, and within 300 to 500
yards of the shore from 20 to 30 feet. This, therefore, is probably
the anchorage ground. Three or more so-called rivers, besides other
streams, empty into this harbor, and