The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-01

SPANS HOPELESS FIGHT.
Cosr IN MEN AND TREASURE OF
THE WAR IN CUBA.
The Real Crisls In Spain Must Inevitably
Come In the Next Few w~eeks-viotor
Hugo's Character 40 Revealed In His
Private Correspondence just Fubnshed.

Hugo's Character as Revealed In His
Private Correspondence Just F%ubiished.
LONDON. Oct. 24.-The real crisis In the af-
fairs Of Spain. forced on by the situation in
Cuba, must come inevitably within the next
few weeks. Tho present Government grows
daily more unpopular. but it is determined.
apparently, to 20 on for the present along the
same melancholy, Intellectual lines. The gen-
orhl public sentiment regarding Cuba grows
daily moro hopeless. 1t is note worthy that
popular resentment and anger against the Unit
ed States, which were quite intense . year
ago. have largely died out. Whether this hos
Hlity viii be revived depends chiefly on the
course followed by the present Spanish Ad-
ninistratlon. It would be an easy and natural
policy for the Cabinet to throw all responsi-
bility for its failure to cope with the Cuban Ia
surrection upon the people of tho United
states. Such an excuse would not be so read
lily accepted now as it would have heen and
vas q year ago. but It would revive in some de-
gree the belliGerent feelings against America.
There are some indications that the Minis
ters are reservinE this anti-American cry as
o last resort with which to justify themselves
before their country.
Whatever may be the shortcomings of the
Spanish Government, It may be safely as
sumed that is present controllers do not seri-
ously contemplate war with the United States
under any circum tan ces. Nor do the Spanish
masse, any longer clamor for it The hard
ships imposed upon the country during he
past year by q desultory rebellion have been
quite enough to kill the war spirit among tho
people. There will be plenty Of bluster II the
United States Interfere in Cuba. but nothing
moro, absolutely nothing so far Is Spain IL
concerned.
Official statistics have Just been published in
Madrid showing, or purportinG 10 show. what
the Cuban rebellion has cost the Spanish Gov
eminent in men and treasure up to tho end of
September. There Is q GER ain incompleteness
however. In the statement Of casualties which
is significant. The figures are interesting, 30
far as they 60. and ] append a summary
When tho rebellion began, at the end of
tsfie3s. :,a asep' .h sss t ons Of G0 a to,ni fePss 81
had really only 1900 eaeetvss. From
aged to send aSiV out to the West Indie. 70 Gem
erals. 5o2 held officers, 4.75s subalterns, and
who were carried across the ocean on men-of-
war, and chteny on the steamers OF the Span
f iiA d sH.sl MSss e 6 Gsa. &. Il F.' s:Saaa soi
GOVERNMENT has sen. from April 10, 1895; e
subalterns, and 43.631 AFOREMENTIONED
odicers a9d priya!es- The grand total Of .he
ITODpS hCu " II "Csb 1nuicbe Turing
the last nineteen mon tbs has been as follows:
Generals, AZ; neld officers, 63s; suballerns.
i5s. 9s7; a total OF Io5, 55l men in ali. Sin ,e the
trsr outbreak. therefore, the Spanish Generals
in Cuba hive had more than 1877 500 regulars
mobiiized volunteers, and the Guerrtllas re-
cruited from the l~oyalIs.s, and which are re-
figures have been much reduced by the effects
Of the climate, 40 telling upon the health Of
whom were lads of from 10 to 81 years OF age.
The military authorities boast that their
hospital and sanitary services that the mortal
ity from sickness and wounds has been proper
t tanatt Il Wns during mqGn ,be Trsa TT G tnS I,e insurr rss
ton o. 1sos-7s. Anyhow. It 10 from ON ;ial
statistics that We derive the Information that,
on an average, at the beginning of the months
1895. there were in the hospitals over 5000
twelve per cent. only of the men who entered
the hospitals and ambulances. In 1895, with
gust. and September. only from $500 10 q, 500
men are reported as being in hospital, with an
average death rate OF $50 TO go every ten
lent among the officers as among the men. to
judge by the monthly list Of deaths sent home.
Generals down to subalterns, invaded and
gone home on sick leave in every steamer.
The reports arc significantly silent with re-
PAID to the loss of life in action and from
wounds, but they contain The important admis-
sion that in spite of the 1877. 900 regulars
sent out, and with the EDITION of large local
forces of militia, &c, the available mon under
Gen. W"yler number less than $4,000
The cost of the war for the first nineteen
months Is stated to have been 500 .0oo. 900,
600, 900 a month.
The reports OF the Minister of War give
IN Interesting account Of the manner IN which
thia 1aroa pilItarv foPca hos baan a,r,tta
In a country having q population Of less than
seventeen millions, and still nominally at
peace. When the instruction broke out the
Government only had at its disposal q regular
army of $4,000 men on paper, and. fortu-
nately, a very great number of oficers-about
200 Generals and 90, 900 officers OF all grades.
The War Minister. Gen. AzcarrLga, immedi-
Ately called In about $4,000 men of the first
class reserve. who had all been In the ranks
q couple of years, and men of tho classes of
1898 ane 1894, and even some of those of
1893. who had been dismissed to their homes
on unlimited furlouGh. after some months of
training. for reasons of budgetary economy.
He summoned to the colors . few months
sooner than usual In 1906 tho 80. 900 con-
scripts of the class of that year, boys under
twenty. When the conscripts of 1898 were
called In the authorities noticed that not q few
were reported by the partchiAl aud provincial
authorities ~ missing-that Is TO say. men
who had eDigrated to Algeria, France, or
South America. to escape military service. 1t
was also noticed that no fewer than 1s, 100
couscriSts elected to pay $500 each rather
than face active service with every prospect
Of having to go out to Cuba The Spanish
treasury used to get on an average S2, AGO.
QUO annually from the redemption money Of
conscripts. and It was q windfall for the Span
ish Minister OF Finance in 1S05-e6 to receive
thus SO, 200, 900. He Will probably get quite
40 much from the same source In lS96-97,
as Gen. Azcarraga has again this year called
out the cUnscripts OF 1896 several months
ahead OF their usual time.
Under the milit airy laws of Spain this year
the class OF 1896 included 1se, 1857 men who
were liable to be called for military service be-
fore they completed their twentieth year. Out
OF this class 90. 777 lads were totally exempted
as being unfit for military service, 2,134 were
de Shared temporarily exempted, 6,26s were re-
ported missing. 63,o53 were declared condi-
tionally liable to serve II necessary, and 90, 525
were told off for active service. All the mon