, 1874-05-23
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Spanish power, there is the same region of
mountain and wood in the scarcely disputed
possession of the insurgents, and there is the
fatal fringe Of debatable land traversed at ftful
intervals by the "Peninsular'' columns, and
defended with tenacity by the rowing and agile
bands of the island guerrillas. The gunboats
still steam around the coasts or lie in wait in
wooded creek or inlet to surprise the furtive
landing of stores or reinforcements from the
Cuban %juntas at New York and New Orleans.
Santiago and the Havana exhibit the same
parade of "Volunteers of Cuba,' Cubans only
in name, and yet almost as terrible to Spanish
Captains General as to Cuban prisoners Of war.
But in a deeper and truer sense the scene has
vastly changed, and the changes are signif-
cant.
1t is some time since Cuba has been compel
led to flood her markets with paper money.
1t is only lately, however, that even her loyal
Volunteers have refused to have their pay
reckoned in the deprecated bank-notes of the
island. Since February, and thanks to the last
Captain-G General, Jovellar, it has been decreed
that the Volunteers, at any rate, are not to
suffer by depreciation; but the exemption
yielded to the armed turbulence Of the Volun-
teer soldiery hardly brings much consolation
to all the other classes of the island. The
want of men is, however, still more keenly felt
than tbs want Of money. Until the present
year, endorsements might always be expected
from Spain. if not in quantities sufficient to
facilitate operations Of any decisive description,
yet to fill up at least the gaps in the ranks of
the local garrison caused by the murderous
inland warfare and the wasting inland climate.
Driblets of two or three or four thousand men
were continually landing at Havana, aud their
appearance much contributed to keep alive the
belief in the despatch, some day or another,
of the great force which was to crush out the
Cuban insurrection for ever, and to establish
for ever the institution of slavery in the Queen
of the Antilles. With Pavia's coup d'stQt at
Madrid-made by the sword and to be main
tanned by the sword-and with Don CarIos's
claims to the attentions of Marshal SerranO,
Cuba has been unable to receive even her ao-
customed quota 0 fSpanish sOldiery. AS a con-
sequence the work of making head against the
insurgents, recruited as they are by Yankee
flibusters, by runaway slaves, and by exas-
perated c%reoles, is becoming daily more difficult.
The "PeninSular" columns in the debatable
land are becoming less and less able to cope with
the widening incursions of the insurgent %guerril-
las. The remaining plantations and properties of
the Spanish settlers are being more and more
exposed to revengeful devastation or systematic
plumber, while, at the same time, the weakness
of the Government increases the chances of the
insurgents being able to gather head, and col
lect forces for expeditions Of a magnitude
which could not be attempted a year ago. The
%clearest proof of the exhaustion which has
fallen upon the Government, is afforded by the
recent proclamation OF the Captain-G General,
ordering, or rather recOmmending-the poor
man has scant power to Order-a grand levy in
mass, a supreme effort, a colossal movement of
the loyal inhabitants against the rebel enemy.
Aware that the Volunteers would steadfastly
refuse to quit the seaport cities where they
stalk and command, She Captain General APP
peals to the remaining population to submit
themselves to a oonscription by lot for the
purpose of filling the gaps in the army. A
similar appeal, it is remembered, preceded the
REIMBURSEMENT by the Spaniards Of their South
American possessions.
Still more symptomatio is another measure.
Just as the American SeoessiOnists, at the last
extremity for want of white men to fill their
armies, and afraid to place weapons in the hands
of any considerable number of their slaves, hit
upon the middle course of impressing negroes
to act as military labourers," to attend the
march Of the troops, and perform every service
from which white man could be spared, so
the Spanish Government in Cuba, similarly
pressed by sore extremity, has had recourse to
a simil ar palliative. The Captain General has
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