Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-06-25
MUCH SOUGHT AFTER.
Collector Ryan Besiesed for News About
Lee and Cuba.
TO SEE THE PRESIDENT TO-DAY.
Our Consu1-Generai mt Habnna Look
ing Better Than He Has Looked
I'm Many Yenrs-He Is Studying
Spanish.

WASHINGTON, ID. C., June 2i-(spe-
cial)-Mr. William Ryan reached Wash
ington from New York this morning at
5 o'clock and went directly to the Me-
tropolitan Hotel. where ne found a num-
Der Of reporters> awaiting his arrival
Mr.. Ryan has been more sought after
by representatives Of the press since re-
turning from Cuba than almost any other
man In the country. gentleman who
saw him step Off the quarantine tug. at
Pier No. II, IN New York yesterday az
ternoon. said II was a sight to see the
reporters bcsiege him. There was at
least fifteen reporters in one gang. They
all wanted to know about General Lee.
and about special dispatches said TO have
been sent by the Consul-General 10
the State Department. They wanted TO
know about the war; about General Wey-
Ter: about General Maceo. and other
prominent people. Mr.. Ryan says that
some OF the interviews IN the papers are
quite accurate while others are badly
mixed and somewhat misleading.
Soon after breakfast MT Ryan went to
the Treasury Department and paid his
respects TO Commissioner Miller. and from
the Treasury he went TO the State De-
partment and was cl0seted FOR half an
hour or more with Acting-Secrctary Rock
HILL Secretary Olncy being absent from
the city for a day. Mr. Ryan's visit was
unofficial. but II is supposed that he gave
the department a pretty full account OF
General Lee and Of things in Cuba gene
rally. lie is 10 see Secretary Olney and
President Cleveland Tomorrow II is
h.. hos ~
port to the department. giving his views
OF the war; win be received next Tues
day.
GENERAL LEE LOOKING WELL.
Mr.. Ryan says he has not seen General
Lee look so we'll I'm many years as he is
looking now. He is learning TO speak
Spanish and in a month or two will have
the language pat lie has employed a
tutor and spends an hour every day
saying his lessons. Mr.. Ryan heard
General Weyler compliment General Lee
in facetious way about the progress he
was making IN Spanish. General Lee
could road Spanish before he went 10
Cuba but had never learned TO speak IL.
All the Cubans, said Mr.. Ryan. are
agreed that some day, not far distant.
Cuba win be annexed 10 the United
States They do not want autonomy
under the Spapish flag, but only anneXa-
ton. 1t is pretty wei understood here
that President Cleveland Is not favor
able TO annexation. II remains TO be
seen whether General Lee will favor the
scheme. and, If So whether the Presi-
dent will act on his accommodation.
There seems 10 be no exaggeration
about the corruption OF the Spanish Off
Gals in the administration of Cuban az
fairs said Mr. Ryan. 1t Is growing
worse every day.
Mr.. Ryan left General Bradley T. John
son well, and very much Interested in
his work-that of writing letters for the
New York Journal.
CUBAN SITUATION.
When asked about the war condition on
the island Mr.. Ryan sald his opportun-
ties to ascertain the actual situation
were circumscribed. and his sources OF
information limited and meagre. He
talked with numbers Of Americans and
others on the subject, and from all he
could learn. the insurgents numbered
about twenty thousand weil-armed men,
twenty thousand indinerently armed. and
probably ten thousand not armed a all.
The Spanish army he said. according to
the best estimates, numbered 10000
well-armed and equipped troops.
why then, do they not clean out the
insurgents. and be done with it?' he was
asked
We'll" he replied. because they can't
get at them. The insurgents have
peculiar mode of warfare They make
forays and raids at opportune and we'll
selected periods and then retreat TO their
mountain hiding-places, which are mac
cessible TO regular troops. In this way
they have been enabled 10 carry on the
war for so many years. and. with aid
from the outside, they can continue IL
for years 10 come, until. finally. their in
dependence vii be secured"