Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-11-10
CuBANS WILL WIN.
II Their Combined Forces March Upon
Havana.

| Now that Mckinley has been elec
ted President of the United States
f, Cuban sympathiZers are beginning t.
ask what steps he will take to put al
end to the bloody struggle now goin;
on in that unhappy island.
There was no uncertain ring to tbs
| Republican platform adopted in St
Louis. and the very least the new
| President can do when he takes the
presidential chair will be to bring the
| matter before sympathizing Con
greSS.
In the meantime, what are the Gu
| bans going to do to help themselves
| For the last six months they have re-
manned practically idle as far as eff
| fective warfare is concerned. They
have burned several towns and have
fought several battles, but nothing
strategically important has been eff
fected. A great deal of this idleness
has been imposed by the rainy season
1t is no easy matter to move troops
over a country that is knee deep in
water and reeking with fevers and
malaria. Another thing that hampers
the Cubans just now is their lack of
horses. Thousands of animals were
ridden to death on that long zigzag
march down the island to Pinar del
Rio, and thousands more We're shot by
the Spaniards. At present the Cubans
are in a bad way for horses. and with
out horses they cannot move with a
celebrity sufficient to circumvent
mounted forces such as the Spanards
have.
This, according to reliable Cuban in
formation, is why nothing has been
heard from Gomez in such a long time
and why Maceo has remained 50
quiet in Pinar del Rio.
The latter has done almost all the
fighting during the last summer, but
he has done the most of it with his
loot soldiery. AT present it is said
that he has barely sufficient horses to
transport his camp equipages.
All this, however, is to be remedied
at an early day. Until then the Gu
bans will remain quietly in the noun
famous districts, avoiding open en-
gagements and combining themselves
to occasional sOrties on the Spanish
lines.
l am told that arrangements have
been made to land between four thou
sand and five thousand horses in the
ruelta Abajo district at an early day.
.sud an equal number will be landed
in the vicinity of Cape Maisi. Then
the patriots will begin their old
scneme of marches and counter
marches and their quick attacks on
the Spanish positions.
These horses will practically drain
the Cuban treasury, but if they can be
'afely landed the Wornout soldiers will
welcome them with far more satisfac-
ton than they would welcome guns and
ammunition
It is not likely that ten thousand
horses would last the Cubans over a
season at most. Uracclimated horse
are inevitably stricken with fever-a
sort of equine yellow fever in fact
which carries them off in great mum
bers.
Within two months, however, it is
expected that the Cubans will make a
decided move in the direction of Ha-
vana province Maceo has. already
demonstrated that he can cross the
trocha when and where he pleases. and
as soon as Gomez gets his horses he
w III ,lIlOFC "ColN ohu AAOii uNi ~
Principe.
Will they attack Havana? Most GER
tainly, if the Spaniards do not beat
them back before they reach that city.
Not that they would have any chance
Of capturing the place. Such thing
without siege guns would be practically
impossible. But an hours dash through
the streets of Cuba's capital and pos
sible dynamite attack on the palace Of
the governor general is by no means an
impossibility.
The Cuban Junta says that such a
thing win happen within the next three
months. 1t would be serious thing
indeed if Havana, the last stronghold
of the Spaniards in this hemisphere,
should be attacked by the Cubans.
AS for the Spaniards themselves, they
would not hesitate to lombard their
own city in their efforts to GUST the
Cubans. From the MORO castle. the
Cabanas and the Punta there would
come a steady rain of shot and shell.
1t is doubtful, however, if such bonn
bardment would do much damage to
the invading forces. Havana streets
are so narrow and the houses are SO
strongly made that hitting an invader
would be work of art.
Most of the forts are exceedingly
The guns on the Dastlons
of Moro Castle are all of the ancient
Dahlgren pattern. Two or three shots
from n modern battle ship would utter
Nv dismantle the fertilization. The
MORO stands at the mouth of the bay.
in olden times-that is. hundreds OF
wears ago-when it was built, the fort
might have been formidable. AT pres
emf il is not worthy of the name.
Just behind the MORO is the Cabanas,
q little more modern. a little more
.oomv and a little more formidable. At
he same time. both of these forts, even
assisted by the low stone fortifications