SPANISH CIGARS.
{"newspaper_name": "The Washingtonian.", "edition": "01", "page": "p2", "byline": ""}
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Not the least among the curiosities Of Sc
vile is the tobacco mandatory. Tobacco is
one Of the royal monopolies, and it is manu-.
factured in palace. A very cursory glance
at this singular establishment, will afford some
idea of the value Of this monopoly. 1t is a
noble and stately edifce, Of quadrangular
form, six hundred feet in length, by four hun
dred and eighty broad 1t is surrounded by
moat, and approached by drawbridge, like a
regular forti6cation. Soldiers are continually
on duty at the entrance and in the courts-all
the work-people are carefully searched every
night on leaving the establishment, and no
cloaks are permitted within its precincts-all
precautions against the abstraction of this pre-
cious weed. 1t employs no fewer than five
thousand hands. Of these three thousand are
women; almost all OF whom are employed in
twisting cigars. Of the two thousand men,
a great portion are similarly occupied; while
considerable number are employed in the
manufacture Of the different articles and i'm
plements which are required in the establish
ment. Women are preferred for the manu-
facture of cigars, as lightness and delicacy Of
touch are important in this branch of the busi-
ness. Two immense halls are set apart for
the cigar-twisters-one for the men, and the
other for the women. The largest Of these,
in which three thousand women are seated,
busily engaged in rolling up the fragrant leaf,
each with little basket of bread and fruit be
side her for dinner, presents very extraord
nary spectacle. The work is performed with
amazing rapidity, and single individual will
roll up from FIVE to six hundred per day. The
time of labor is from o'clock, a. M. to P.
M. One part of the process is sufficiently dis
gusting, but out of consideration for the lovers
Of cigars, we refrain from mentioning it.-Rep


w. Robertson.