The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-10
sFGURA WINS IN A SKIRMISH.
,VTONIO MACEO'S MEN UNDER A
RED HOT FIRE.

,ts We're KILLED and BOO Wound
1.-THE Spanish Loss Given as :
E,IIed and 35 Wounded = Gen.
Nt.riu Declares the Insurgents De-
void of Honor.
From a staff Correspondent Of the United
Press.
Havana. Feb 9.-As told in these dis
ra+obes on Friday last the rebel force
under Antonio Maceo was defeated at
candelaria. province of Pinar del Rio, by
cen. Canellas and compelled to retreat in
the direction of San Cristobal. on the
same day Col. Segura, with 600 men be-
Iongfng to Gen. Canellas' column, which
was in pursuit of the retreating rebels,
came upon more than 5000 of the insurg-
ents. The Spanish column had been di-
,-i5ed in order to more effectively pur-
sue the rebels, and the troops under Col.
seg1Ira followed the road from Candelaria
toward San Cristobal, which, as the event
nroved. was the route taken by the rebels.
As soon as the troops came up with the
insurgents the latter formed an extensive
circle about them. The troops formed into
squares and continued the advance, keep
ing up an incessant fire that played havoc
in the rebel lines. When nearing the viii
their attack upon house that was occu-
pied by a number of rebels, and disloged
them. The building was then turned into
hospital for the troops. All this time
the rebels were lowering about the troops,
but Col. segura who had with him a piece
of artillery, used it with good effect, and
by means of shells caused the insurgents
to finally fall back
pf
cavalry, under command of Col. Ruiz and
two companies of infantry, belonging TO
the Smancas regiment, opportunely ar
rived and broke through the rebel circles,
thus saving Col. Segura's column from
what would have undoubtedly have been
an overwhelming defeat. The Spanish
losses are given in the official report OF
the engagement as eight killed and thlr-
Ty-hve wounded, while the supposed loss
Of the rebels is placed at 100 killed and
800 wounded. The above accounts of the
fight are entirely official
Acting Captain General Marin return
ed TO Havana to-day from the fed. In
an interview with the correspondent of
the United Press he said: My campaign
has been a continuation of the plans
encounters with both Maceo and Gomez,
but can throw no more light upon them
than is contained in the reports that have
been published of the fights"
When asked, having been in the field,
what he thought of the military organi-
Zation of the insurgents, Gen Marin said:
The insurgents can never be recognized
as an organized army because the first
consideration of such a body is honor.
whereas the insurgents think it no dis
honor to flee from an enemy to avoid an
encounter. A regular military body would
think 1t dishOnor to attack defenseless
soldiers, whereas the insurgents think
nothing of it. They do not hesitate to
force men into their ranks during their
passage through the country, which re-
suits in the impressed men becoming tar
gets for the Spanish army. In one word
what the insurgents organization Is, Is
1T is said the Spanish army is rapidly
being changed from infantry to cavalry
Is that policy to be continued
mo infantry has been changed into
cavalry. The regular cavalry bodies here
have been mounted as fast as horses could
IF the Spanish had more cavalry would
the result up to the present time have
brought the war nearer an enG?"
If the Spanish had had more cavalry
the insurgents would have adopted other
means of warfare. Their great force lies
in policy of deviating from all lines OF
IS mere anarchy. II we had had plenty
Of cavalry they would have resorted to
ambuscades. and surprises They would
nave waited for the cavalry to come up
and then destroyed them. When we have
an encounter there is never any doubt
OF the Spanish defeating the insurgents
50ur 10 one. The insurgents run away.
Ihat IS their strength. There was an il
lQsuation of this day before yesterday in
Nle encounter Wmcn nau with them
near San Cristobal, where coo of our men
were attacked by 1000 or 5000 insurgents
and our men defeated hem"
What is your opinion after your in
spection of the Spanish army in the
neighboring provinces?"
Il am satisfied that the men are well
cared for
In your opinion. how long is this revo-
luton likely to last?"
! can hardly say. but believe that the
insurgents will be wiped out, inasmuch as
vigorous policy has been inaugurated
replacing the benevolent one that has OBJ
famed, not policy of cruelty. but a rig
4uiy military policy"
What in your opinion is the value of
passing of the insurgents?"
1 have never placed much reliance up
on the trocha as a means of preventing
me Insurgents crossing in either direc-
ION. nave regarded it only as an OBJ
aerNatory OF the movements of the insur-
heHls. Its value is chiefly strategic, for
lhe quick mobilization of troops at any
point along the line, and, of course, to in
convenience the passing of the insurgents
as much as possible
DO you regard the revolution as now
losing strength or gaining?"
It Is on the decrease. We are conquer
ing little by little"
Gen. Marin added that he intended to
leaVe for Porto Rico Tuesday.
London, Feb. 9.-The Standard will to-
morrow publish a dispatch from Madrid
saying that Immediately upon landing in
Cupd' zen. Weyler, the newly appointed
captan general will negotiate with the
autonomist, reformist and conservative
leaders to induce those parties to take
Part IN a general election in March con-
current with the elections in Spain, so
mat Prime Minister Canovas del Castillo
can get parliamentary majority in April
in Cuba The present avaiiable resources
VIII be exhausted in April Besides a re-
tIslon Of the tariff, the government plans
10 double the capital of the Bank of Ha-
Eana, enabling it to issue several hun
UIeu millions of dollars in notes to assist