The evening times., 1896-05-18
MASTERS OF THE island
Maceo and Gomez Gould Capture
Havana If They Desired.
WEYLER's DEFENSEs WEAK
Col. Tichenor, Who Has just Re
turned From Mexico and Gu ba Talks
of the Rebellion-He Says Spanish
Officers Luck Patriotism and the
Insurgents VIII Gain Independence.

Col /. A. Tichcnor, formerly auditor
of the District, has just returned from
visit to the City OF Mexico. ON his way
DOWN the colonel spent some time in Ha-
yana, and tulksvery entertainiDgly on the
revolution in progress there. Col. Tiche-
nor took the trip for the benefit OF his
health, and his friends will be glad 10 learn
that he has greatly improved.
Il met u numberef Cubans,' he said to
a Times reporter this morning, ION the
steamer going down, and when we reached
Havana another batch came aboard. Also
in the City of Mexico l naturally came III
contact with friends of both sides.
.sOnc thing soon learned, and that Is
that YOU cannot believe one word of the
reports OF battles sent out from the island.
Gen We yler holds the cable at Havana, and
Will allow nothing to go out except under
his supervision, and you will discover that
in all accounts of engagements the insur-
gents lose large numbers in killed and
wounded, while the Spanish loss is never
more than two or three killed and half
dozen wounded. ] know OF one instance
where such a report was circulated. and
the ambulance corps brought in over 200
wounded SpaEiards.
A DEFENSIVE CAMPAIGN.
Gen. weyler and his army hold what Is
kno wn a 5 the Trocha. This is narrow strip
of land between the seas, in the vicinity
OF Havaua.@Msyierh has Dragged that Maceo
cannot GROSS il. but he has done so several
times and could do il again if he chose.
But that is.Bot his idea. He is conducting
a defensive and not an offensive campaign.
The SpaniIrtis have very few gunboats
to patrol nearly ], 400 miles of ccast, ana
those that they have are very poor affairs.
The insurgents are destroying all sugar
and tobacco plantations. their purpose be-
ing to cut OF the revenue OF Spain. saw
several plantattoGs burning and know OF
many Others that bad been fired.
The little steamer bermuda that runs
down there has a-cican pair of heels and
an outruH any gonbeat in the Spanish
navy. She loads up with munitions OF
war, medical supplies, etc, and then word
Is sent to MaCeo or Gomez where a landing
will be made. They dispatch force of
5000 or 5, 600 Inen to the place, and the
supplies are received. If a gunboat puts
IN an appearance the Bermuda steams away
and hovers about until she gets an oppOr-
unity to land. l do not see anything to
prevent the Bermuda or any other fast
vessel from landing troops and ammuni-
ion on the Cuban coast whenever they
desire.
SPANISH OFFICERS NOT PATRIOTS.
lone thing that impressed me forcibiy
IS the lack of patriotism among the Spanish
officers. Their hearts are only half in this
war. They lie around the hotels in Ha-
vana, and their only aim i'll life seems TO be
4 desire to get promoted and receive deco
rations from the king. That is one reason
they send out such absurd dispatches in re-
gard to their Sictorics.'
The rainy season is just beginning and an
outbreak of yellow fever is soon expected.
Gomez and Maeeo are depending on these
two conditions TO depopulate the Spanish
forces on the island
Il have no doubt OF the truth of the
stories in regard to Weyler's cruelty.
While lying in Havana harbor about
o'clock in the morning, we could hear the
shots from the rear of Mora Castle. where
condemned prisoners were being executed.
This is about an everyday occurrence.
"One thing l was greatly surprised to
see and that was the barren condition Of the
country, both in Cuba and Mexico. There.
was none of the luxuriant tropical growth
that we read about. Just sandy, arid
waste.
There are some good guns lying around
Nora Castle. hut they are unmounted. and
the Spaniards have no one to work them
The smallest Of our cruisers could easily
capture that place.
After wing the situation from the
field OF action, as you might say, I have
come To- the conclusion that Cuba will gain
her independence, and that the war will not
last ten years. either, like the former one
did weyer and his army now hold about
one-tentb of the island, while the Cubans
are in possession of all the rest