Present State of the Military and Naval Forces Upon the Island of Cuba

Item

Type

Autograph Draft Document

Title

Present State of the Military and Naval Forces Upon the Island of Cuba

Description

Detailed accounting of the military and naval forces of Cuba which included an assessment of the dissatisfaction of the people with their form of government. Author argued that if the inhabitants were allowed to purchase slaves in proportion to their ability to pay for them, the island's productivity would increase significantly.

year created

1790

author

in image

notable person/group

James McHenry
Oliver Wolcott, Jr.
blacks
whites
of color
of colour
troops
militia
infantry
battalion
priest
carpenter
workmen
laborer
slaves

notable location

Cuba
Mississippi River
Santa Domingo
Havanna
church
fortification
Santa Theresa
Fort del Principe
Porterico
St. Domingo
Mexico
custom house

notable item/thing

race
coffee
sugar
cigars
tobacco
snuff
gold
hides
beef
pork
rice
hogslard
butter
cheese
candles
bees wax
apples
potatoes
cod fish
beer
cider
iron
horse
frigate
spirits
barrel
molasses
coffee
tobacco
pistols
jug
honey
gold bars
ingots
raw hide
starch
guyacum
grandilla
mahogany plank
cedar
pitch
tar
tarr
silver
dry goods
gammons
candles
mast
yard
irons

notable idea/issue

government
dissatisfaction
coup
defense
export
trade
supply

notable phrase

The inhabitants of the whole Island of Cuba may without any exception be pronounced universally dissatisfied with the heavy yoke imposed by their despotic system of government.

document number

1790999900001

page start

1

number of pages

4

transcription

Vol. 10
no. 74 [margin]
The following is the present state of the Military & Naval Forces upon the Island of Cuba...viz.
At the Havana and its environs 100,000: men who may be brought under three equal different descriptions. Viz. One third nearly white, and one third of Colour and the remaining third Black - and throughout the other parts of the Island about another 100,000. Souls of like proportion in Colours.
In the number mentioned at the Havana and its environs is comprehended the Kings and Hibernians, Regiments of regular troops, each of which ought to consist of 1377. men but they are at present very incompleat.
The Havana Militia consists of Your, separate Corps Viz. a Regiment of white Infantry a Batallion of Horse, one regiment of Coloured, and another regiment of Black Infantry each of 1377 men. They are all well disciplined but were they put to the Test, I am of opinion the tryal of them in prowess would do them little Honor. The most able bodied men are of the clerical order, their number about 2000. Priests & Fryers and 500 Noviciatures who occupy 14 chances or larger Co.
With respect to the Country Militia, they are much dispe [page torn] over the country, that little efficient aid could be [undecipherable] [page torn] from them upon any emergency whatever.
Their fortifications are all [undecipherable] strong particularly Moro and Cavanas at the instance of the harbour Santa Theresa at its head but the strongest Fort called Fort del Principe on the Land wide is not yet finished. Their
Their marine at present consists of only, one 7D and 2 Frigates in good order but badly manned they have a Ship of 100 Guns upon the Stocks, but through the want of money the Carpenters employed in building the Ship as well as the workman upon the Fortifications are stopped from proceeding in their several works. Government at this time owe to its subjects at the Havana about Four Millions of Dollars and proportional sums at the Mississippi Porterico & St. Domingo - but speedy payment is expected form the exertions of General Galvez who is gone to Mexico in the Quality of Vice Roy.
The Inhabitants of the whole Island of Cuba may without any exception be pronounced universally dissatisfied with the heavy yoke imposed by their despotic system of Government and they doubtless will at some future period eagerly embrace the earliest favorable opportunity to shake off the galling chain nay even the Military part are far from being pleased with their situation.
The following is the reports from the Havana for two successive years taken from the Custom House Books.
in 1783
642.344 Arobas & 17lb of white Sugar
426.737...17lb of Clay
9760 barr.s of Spirits
507 do. of Molasses
693.13" of Coffee
20th.3067.20 Tobacco in leaf
35,624.16 Snuff on acct. accts [undecipherable] King
in 1784
(Trobas
431..968..18lb of white Sugar
314..979..5 Clay
9.489 Barr.s Spirits
283 do. Molasses
417.2 Coffee
30,613.18 [bracket] Snuff & leaf for the King -
79,349..18
1783
300.8 Snuff...}
224.8 in leaves for Individuals }
9.206.17 Bees wax
4.111 ~ Jugs of Honey
923 ~ Starch
112.766 Pistoles
377 Ounces Gold barrs
9.824..864..6 marks in Ingots
53.778 .. Raw Hides
6..702 .. do Oressed.
1784
246 ~ }Snuff and Tobacco
463.62 } for Individuals ~
13.044..18lb Bees qx
252. o Starch
132.. of Guyacum
700 of Granodilla
444. Mahogany Plank
238 Cedar
186.266 Pistoles
1.446 ounces gold Bars
3.041.096 Dollars
1.241 marks in Ingots
3.989 ... do Oressed
111 Barrd Pitch
147 ... do Tarr
The slightest view of the soil and attention to the Happy climate of this Fertile Island must force conviction that were the Inhabitants per=mitted to purchase Slaves proportioned to their abilities to pay for them their exports in the several articles of produce would be increased many fold for no industry is to be expected from the exertions of the white Inhabitants of that region of [Llosh?] _
To form a proper opinion of the amount of the cash exported from the Havana, the above account is not to be solely relied on for in order to save the heavy duty of non [undecipherable] upon all money exported, many run the risk of smuggling it on board of outward bound vessels, consequently monies so exported cannot appear upon their Custom House Books. Perhaps not less than on third may be added to the exportation of the Gold & Silver articles _
The necessary annual imports exclusive of Dry Goods 40,00 Barrels Flower
40,000 / 80,000 Bs {Beef, Pork, Rice, Gammons, Hogs Lard, Butter, Cheese, [undecipherable], Candles, Bees Wax, apples, Potatoes, Cod Fish, Beer & Cyder, Masts & Yards Irons
Iron & Stub _ Supposed to be equal to 40,000Bbs ... all which ar=ticles may be at least estimated to amount to 800,000 Dollars
(private)
State of the Hand of Cuba _O.P._

Item sets

Document instances

In image In source Location in source
[view document] (4 pages) NBK15 (4 pages) Collection: Oliver Wolcott Jr. Papers. 10:74

Document names

Type Name Location Notes
Author James McHenry [unknown] [n/a]
Recipient Oliver Wolcott, Jr. [unknown] [n/a]