THE PRINCIPE PRISON IN CUBA. [From the Galveston News we take the following interesting account of General Castillo’s main prison.] Cuba boasts that Principe Prison, its national penitentiary, is one of the model prisons of the world. Officials of foreign governments who have made lifelong studies of prison conditions have declared it to be as near a model prison as one can be made. It is ten years old and within that time only one prisoner has ever escaped, and he, after a few days’ liberty, voluntarily gave himself up and asked to be returned to his section. Within it have been confined desperate criminals of world-wide reputation, but they have never succeeded in getting by prison vigilance. Principe Prison, or Castillo de Principe, Castle or Fort of the Prince, is one of the historic points of Havana, and its history is closely interwoven with that of the city. It was built in 1774 and completed in 1794, and was then considered one of the strongest fortresses on the Western Hemisphere. There is a legend that it was built chiefly by French and Spanish engineers, who upon its completion were put to death lest they might divulge some of the secret tunnels and defenses. It is situated on Principe Hill, about two miles west of the national palace, and overlooks the entire city. It has five bastions and is surrounded by a moat fifty feet wide, twenty feet deep and loopholed for rifle fire upon both sides. There is an ancient drawbridge at the main entrance, but it has been out of use many years. The scarp walls are about forty feet above the moat and are crowned with medieval sentry boxes and lookout stations. There are many secret passages leading from Principe to various other fortifications, but these were hermetically sealed during the provisional administration of General Leonard Wood. The principal one extends to Morro and Cabanas castles across the bay, a distance of two and one-half miles. The governor of the prison is General Demetrio del Castillo, and Lieutenant Colonel Tomas Garzon is assistant. Cuba is thoroughly modern in her treatment of prisoners. The terrible “third degree” is an unknown quantity. There is no whipping post nor “chamber of horrors” at Principe. Solitary confinement in a well ventilated cell, equipped with toilet and shower bath and a wall berth is the usual punishment. The prisoners are not only taught industrial trades, but are given the elementary branches of schooling. Even some study music, painting and sculpturing. The government employs twenty instructors, most of them being graduates, to teach the 400 “pupils.” There is a prison library, an orchestra and a brass band. The band is the pride of the prisoners and is composed of forty musicians and taught by a professional teacher. Several “lifers” are members, who took up the study of music after they were sentenced, and are now what might be considered tip-top musicians.