The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-27
FRIENDS HANDY.
Wherever Filibusters May Happen to
Strike the Cuban Shore.
PLANS ARE CAREFULLY LAID
For Carrying on the Campaign
For Freedom.

NEW YORK. Feb. .7.-Thcre has been In
che United States some curious interest rs
60 the assurance with which filibustering
expeditions from the United States have
set sail for Cuban shores IL Is well
known that Spain is guarding the Cuban
coast with warships, and to those look
Ing on from u distance it has seemed To
be a hazardous undertaking To land men
and arms on Cuban shores.
Some light upon this subject is afforded
by the Cuban general, Dr. Joaquin Cas-
tillo, who arrived in this city within the
past three days on a mission from the In
surgents in the field. DIR. Castillo states
that the insurgents have Instituted
service of c-ast inspection under which
careful outlook Is constantly maintained
for arriving expeditions from foreign ports.
There Is "A carefully organized band Of
coast inspectors, with armed assistants,
who patrol the beaches or watch the gulf
and ocean from the hill-tops. Thus 1t Is
that approaching expeditions, although
not heralded In advance, are reasonably
sure of finding compatriots soon after
landing at any point upon the island.
Dr. Castillo states that there has been
new reorgani zation of the insurgent army
and of the different services of the rebel
lion. The army is composed of five bodies.
The first and second arc in the eastern re-
gion the third Is in Camaguey, the fourth
is in Las Villas, and the flfth in Habana
and Pinar del Rio. These bodies are
divided into sections, the sections into
brigades, the brgadcs into regiments and
the regiments into battalions. They also
have annexed To them bodies of military
engineers, health sections and military ad-
minstration.
. Every important column has an en-
gneer's section, who direct the construc-
tion Of trenches and make the designs of
the different localities. Each column, ac-
cording to its Importance, has one or more
physicians. Antonio Maceo's had five
when he invaded Las Villas. Every ply
sician has three practitioners at his COM
mand and each of the latter has three
letter carriers. With each doctor goes
mule laden with two medicine chests and
the necessary surgical instruments. The
wounded are never kept crowded In one
place. When circumstances permit, large
and ventilated huts are built, where at
most four wounded are placed, thus avoid
Ing accumulation OF persons so contrary
to sanitation and favorable results.
Military System Perfect.
The military administration is COM
plete, and Is in charge of projects who pro-
vide tho columns of their prefectures with
vegetables, meat and salt. The projects
also have care OF the postoffice stations,
each Office having one chief and several
messengers ready to carry any message or
document whenever necessary, said mes
sengers always requiring receipt OF the
hour in which they. deliver any document.
Projects take care also OF the depots for
horses, which are many, some depots hav-
Ing 200 horses in good condition. They
also oversee the farms worked by the
rebels. The employees OF these farms
make Majagua ropes and mats for the
cavalry.
The projects keep books in which they
register the births, marriages and deaths
in their respective jurisdictions; they act
also as judges, and they legalize marriages
with their presence at such ceremonies
They keep also books in which are the
names OF all men useful for the war, thus
easily replacing the men who die or are
killed in the ranks, always preferring
single men or those who have small fami-
lies and least necessities.
They have tanyards shoe and leather
factories, carpenter and ironsmith shops,
and armories said 10 be as good as In the
cities, one in Camaguey deserving special
mention.
There is body OF auditors or war
judges, the chief of whom is the lawyer
from Holguin, l.. ID. Frexes. Every brigade
has one auditor.
The order and discipline of the Cuban
army are said TO be good; the camps are
in good order; the drums are beaten at
,o1- H., % =
the general headquarters these exercises
are rendered lively by the bands OF music,
of which there are several. General Cas-
tillo says tho spirits of the patriots In the
field are enthusiastic, and they sustain
strong hopes of final victory.
Recognition In June.
This country is approaching a crisis In
its relations to Spain and Cuba, saws the
Washington correspondent of The Herald.
In addition to the action of the senate,
foreshadowed by the speeches made from
day to day in that body, it is now consid-
cred certain that the house will adopt an
even more advanced attitude toward the
Cuban question.
The foreign affairs committee of tho
house, it is reported, will agree upon a
resolution requesting President Cleveland
TO intervene in behalf of peace in Cuba.
Mr. Cleveland has n strong sympathy for
the Cubans. Ii has been said, however,
that he has given tacit promise To Spain
that there will he no interference by this
government until thes rainy season has
put a stop to active military operations.
This promise holds good, however, only
until June, 1t has long been President
Cleveland's intention TO intervene at that
time IL Is said. unlpsS tho rehplli ebon1d
be crushed in the meantime, and he de-
tormiucd that when he did take action in
the matter, IL would be of the sort likely
L., to