tain one. It is said that the tobacco growers, disgusted with their
treatment, have always been in favor of the revolutionists.

The mineral riches of the island have never been exploited to any
considerable extent and yet it is known that they are by no means
unimportant. Gold and silver exist. Some specimens of the finest gold
have been obtained, but at an expense of time and labor that could not
remunerate the parties engaged in the enterprise. There are copper mines
near Santiago of large extent and very rich in ore. There are also
several iron mines. Numerous deposits of manganese have been found in
the Sierra Maestra range. As nearly all the manganese used in the United
States comes from the Black Sea, it is thought that these mines will
prove very valuable, when the conditions for operating them are more
favorable. Bituminous coal is very abundant. Marble, jasper and slate
are also to be found in many parts of the island.

The trade of the United States with Cuba since 1891 is given as follows
by the bureau of statistics, Treasury Department:

Imports. Exports.
1891 $61,714,395 $12,224,888
1892 77,931,671 17,953,570
1893 78,706,506 24,157,698
1894 75,678,261 20,125,321
1895 52,871,259 12,807,661
1896 40,017,730 7,530,880
1897 18,406,815 8,259,776

The commerce of Spain with Cuba since 1891, the figures up to 1895 being
taken from a compilation by the department of agriculture, and those for
1896 from a British foreign office report was:

Imports from Exports to
Cuba. Cuba.
1891 $7,193,173 $22,168,050
1892 9,570,399 28,046,636
1893 5,697,291 24,689,373
1894 7,265,120 22,592,943
1895 7,176,105 26,298,497
1896 4,257,360 26,145,800

The railways are insufficient and wretchedly managed, while the roads
are in a deplorable condition, sometimes, in wet weather, being almost
impassible.

In regard to the future commercial prosperity of Cuba, Mr. Hyatt, who
until recently was our consul at Santiago, gives the following opinion:

"Railroads and other highways, improved machinery and more modern
methods of doing business are among the wants of Cuba; and with the
onward march of civilization these will doubtless be hers in the near
future. Cuba, like other tropical and semi-tropical countries, is not
given to manufacturing; her people would rather sell the products