If any one will take the trouble to draw, on any good map of the
United States, a line due south from the extreme point of the peninsula of
Florida, it will be found — after crossing the inlet, sixty miles wide, from the
Atlantic Ocean to the
Gulf of Mexico--to intersect the
Island of Cuba at a point about one-third of its length.
The northern shore of the remaining two-thirds of that island winds, in a gentle curve, in a southeasterly direction, finally terminating at Cape Maysi.
What is known as the "Windward Passage," a strait which connects the
Atlantic ocean with the
Caribbean Sea, separates
Cuba from Hayti; the distance between Cape Maysi, the eastern terminus of the former island, and Cape St. Nicholas, the western terminus of the latter, being not more than twenty-five miles. In the western portion of Hayti, covering about one-third of the area of the island, is established the
Republic of Hayti, Port au
Prince being its capital.
The eastern division of the same island, and by far the most mountainous, constitutes the
Republic of
Dominica, of which
San Domingo is the capital.
The Mona Passage, another entrance from the
Atlantic to the
Caribbean Sea, separates on that side Hayti from the island of
Porto Rico, the strait that divides them being about the same breadth as the
Windward Passage--twenty-five miles. It will thus be seen that Hayti lies exactly midway between
Cuba and
Porto Rico, both of which are Spanish dependencies, and any Power holding these three islands would be in possession of the ocean gateways to the
Gulf of Mexico, the
Caribbean Sea, and all the States of
Central America.
We have been the more particular in describing the geographical situation of these islands, and their relative positions in regard to each other, because intelligence reaches us from
Havana to the effect that
Spain has seized upon that part of the
island of Hayti which is known to us as the
Dominican Republic, or, more popularly still, as
San Domingo, and is about to re-annex it to the
Spanish Crown.
There is nothing at all improbable in this report, though it is not unlikely, if it should turn out to be true, that the fact of this reassertion of an authority which had been abandoned for nearly half a century will lead to grave complications with this Government.
We forbear from making any comment at this time upon a movement which may have been misunderstood, and concerning which we have as yet but imperfect details.
Until we know more with regard to the matter, the foregoing
resume of the history of the island will serve perhaps to enlighten some of our readers, and will certainly enable us, on any further occasion, to render better understood such remarks as we may have occasion to make upon the question of Spanish occupation.--
Baltimore Exchange. 
