Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-01

vodonga great festival is held in commem-
oration of the victory achieved by the Gothi
| over the Moors at that place. Mass is said
in the open air, and thousands of pilgrims
resort there for the celebration. The fire
works are on a very elaborate scale. A
magnificent cathedral is in the course ot
| erection on the site OF the famous battle
| ground, and it is one of the most picturesque
places have ever seen.
One of the stories that have been handed
| down Is that part of the Gothic army lay
hidden in the cave of Covodonga. 1t
hardly seems credible, as the cave could not
hold more than 40 people all told.
An interesting place in Spain that Amer
leans rarely visit is the Rio Tinto mine. II
is supposed to be the Tarshish Of Solomon's
time. 1t is over 4, 900 years old, and is still
being worked to some profit. Palos, the
point from which Columbus embarked on his
momentous voyage of discovery, is not far
from Huelva, the seaport of the Rio Tinto
mine. The Convent OF Sarablda at Palos
is still standing in a good state of preserva-
tion and contains many handsome paintings
descriptive of Columbus great work.
THE WORLDS FAIR.
Not much interest was manifested in
Spain over the agitation of the question of
holding a worlds fair in this country.
Senor CASTELAR, and Senior Moret, the former
Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Spain, both
promised me that they would be present at
the opening of our Worlds Fair centennial,
but do not think that Spain will be largely
represented at our celebration. Spain IS
gettibg up an exposition of her own to COM
memorate the discoveries of Columbus.
The idea, I believe, is to confine it to the
Latin races. 1t will probably be held at
Barcelona, which is the principal seaport of
the country.
There is not much apprehension in Spain
regarding the probable annexation of Cuba
by the United States. They have not for
gotten that 80 years ago, before our Civil
War, there was movement among our
Southern States looking to the annexation
Of Cuba for the purpose of enlarging the
slave territory; but during my stay in Mad
rid did all could to assure them that
that feeling had died out in this country as
tar as 1 knew.
The only people know of now who are
agitating the annexation of Cuba are a few
spectators who are anxious to make money
out of the transaction. There has been no
diplomatic correspondence between our
government and the government of Spain
looking to the purchase of Cuba by the
United States.
HOTELS AND BANDITS.
The hotels in the interior of Spain are
much better relatively than those in the
cities. The stories of bandits in that coun-
try are largely imaginary. I believe man
could travel from one end of Spain to the
other without being molested in any way or
having an impertinent word spoken to him.
In the northern part especially travelling is
safe.
The Spanish people are peaceful and
peaceable-selfrespect and respectful.
Treat Spaniard politely and you are al
ways sure of good treatment. There are
fewer capital crimes in Spain than in any
country 1 know of.
The photographs of the infant King AL
fonso XIII. do not do him justice. They
make his head appear too large for his
body. saw him on several occasions. He
would impress an American as being
delicate child, but he is fully up to the
average of the Spanish children physically.
Unless he meets with some accident, the
chances are more favorable to his living
and occupying the Spanish throne than
otherwise. T. W. PALMER.