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“...by railway—extending from the
south of Florida. The chief settlement of Havana
was first established by the Adelantado Don Diego
Velasquez on July 25th, 1515, on the south coast near
the mouth of the Giiines or Mayabeque River. From
there it was transferred to a spot on the north coast
which, on account of its exposed position and consequent
liability to attack by pirates, was in turn abandoned in
favour of the present site in 1519. By its founder it
was proudly named Llave del Nuevo Mundo y Baluarte
de las Indias Occidentales (“ Key of the New World
and the Bulwark of the West Indies.)
The approach to Havana from the sea has been
justly praised by many well-known writers. Beyond
the surf-beaten coast the first conspicuous object to
strike the eye is the historic Morro Castle, whose vener-
able fortifications command the narrow bottle-neck
entrance to the harbour, and its tall lighthouse, erected
in 1844 by Governor-General O’Donnell, whose name is
inscribed upon it. The name Morro, which...”
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