time Cuban
ownership of the isle was definitively confirmed by the government of
the United States.

The other point was that of American naval stations. A report was made
by Rear-Admiral Bradford of the United States Navy, recommending the
establishment of naval stations at Triscornia, in Havana Harbor; and at
Guantanamo, east of Santiago; and the establishment of coaling stations
at Nipe Bay and Cienfuegos. The Cubans were not inclined to object to
any of these excepting the first-named, to which their objection was
reasonable and convincing. It would not be agreeable, they thought, to
have the flag of a foreign power flying right in front of their own
capital and at the very gate of the harbor of that capital, so that
foreign vessels would pass by it and salute it equally with the Cuban
flag. This objection was recognized and respected by the United States
government, which waived all claim to Triscornia, and on July 2, 1903,
contented itself with land for naval stations at Guantanamo, one of the
finest harbors in the world, on the south coast of Oriente, and Bahia
Honda, another superb harbor, on the north coast of Pinar del Rio. Of
these only Guantanamo has actually been utilized.

The matter of reciprocity between the United States and Cuba was taken
up, but it was long before anything was effected. General Wood had urged
that a reduction of at least 33-1/3 per cent. should be made in the
sugar duty in favor of Cuba, as absolutely essential to the prosperity
of the island, and President Roosevelt urged upon Congress in the
strongest possible manner the desirability of some such action, partly
for the sake of Cuban prosperity, and partly for the fulfilment of
America's moral duty toward that island. Indeed, such commercial
relations had been promised to Cuba, and it was bad faith to withhold
them. Of course the commercial interests of Europe, both in sugar and
all other wares, were earnestly opposed to any such arrangement, and
they had their governments exert all possible influence to prevent its
being made. There were also large beet sugar interests in the United
States which strenuously opposed any reduction of the tariff on Cuban
sugar. President Roosevelt had a long and desperate battle with
Congress over the matter, before he finally prevailed upon it grudgingly
and imperfectly to make a reciprocity agreement, from which the United
States would profit much more than Cuba. This was on March 29, 1903.
Meantim