The herald., 1896-02-13
Dependence on Volunteers Pend
ing a Reorganization
GRINDING OF SUGAR CANE
May Safely Be Started by the Middle
OF March
Reiniorcements Sent From spaln-The House
Committee on Foreign Affairs VIII Con.
slider Cuban Correspondence
Associated Press Special Wire.

AbsO'Ihleu rreSS Special wire.
HAVANA, Feb. 1.-THE committee ap-
pointed by the Havana chamber of plant
ers and presided over by Senior Arrilla
called upon Captain General Weyler today,
led by their anxiety over the unfavorable
condition of their business, to try to get an
idea of what the new captain.generals
views ere on the prospect of better con-
dition of the planters.
Senor Arrila acted as spokesman for the
committee and rendered request for in
formation to General Weyler, who said in
reply:
1T is evident that the present serious
aspect of affairs must be remedied very
soon if we are to effect the salvation of the
ished. I have confident hope that the
grinding of sugar cane can be safely
started by the middle of March in Pinar
del Rio, Havana, Matanzas and Santa
Clara provinces.
"For the present, however, my whole
attention is given to the task of reorgan-
izing the army on basis suitable for car
ing out my plans of campaign. Until that
reorganization is effected, it is my purpose
to depend on the volunteer forces for the
! protection of the estates."
The features of Gen. Campos' plan of
| campaign which met the most criticism
and opposition here was the cutting up of
| his large force into small bands to form a
separate guard for nearly every estate on
the island. Gen. Weyler's remarks indi-
cate he intends to abandon this plan and
to combine his forces into an effective mill
tary force for aggressive operations.
The act of General Weyler in setting
| free twelve prisoners who were sent from
Santiago de Cuba charged with conspiriag,
on the ground that there was no evidence
to warrant holding them. has produced
| favorable impression toward him in the
public mind, and it is thought he intends to
deal with suspects strictly according to
the principles OF justice.
Something of a sensation has been cre-
ated by the discovery in house in Havana
| of supply of cartridges, the intended des-
| tination OF which, it is believed, was the
| insurgents camp. The landlord of the
house has been arrested. The belief is
| prevalent that some successful measures
| for supplying the insurgents from Havana
hove escaped detection.
! General Weyler today calle1 the colonels
and chiefs OF the volunteer corps to the
| palace for a personal consultation with
him OIL the actual situation.
Word has been received that the firemen
have Rone over TO the insurgents in Porto
Rico, Generals Castillo and Canizares and
Nunez have effected junction of their
forces.
1t is surmised that extensive operations
are soon to be inaugurated against the in
surgents. Horses for the infantry soldiers
are arriving, and the work OF teaching the
soldiers to ride is being continued from
morning to night. The main object in
mounting the infantrymen is to enable
| them to travel longer distances and with
greater speed than heretofore, the adj
vantage of the insurgents in this respect
having been the most marked feature of
the insurrection up TO the present time.
The reports asked for by General Wey-
| Ter have now been received from nearly all
quarters and it is understood that he finds
the situation to be mere favorable than he
anticipated. He has dictated number of
orders to the commanders of the different
districts and the ammunition and supplies
landed from the Alfonso XIII and other
steamers which have recently arrived here
from Spain is being forwarded under
strong escort to the different points at
which material is needed. The number of
armored cars has been greatly increased
during the past two days and several OBJ
servation trains have been sent southward
into the province of Pinar del Rio.
CUBA CORRESPONDENCE
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE most i'm
portant portions of Cuban correspondence
is about printed and will receive primary
consideration at the meeting of the foreign
AFFAIRS COInIulutee OF Iue uOtlSS TOMORROW.
The sentiment OF the chairman, Mr..
Hit, and of other members of the COM
mittee is in favor of a resolution declaring
it to be the sense of the house that a state
of war exists in Cuba and requesting the
president to issue his proclamation accord
ing to the Insurgents belligerent rights.
Mr.. Sulzer, who has given the Cuban
question much attention,says that congress
cannot grant belligerents' rights, or at least
that it has been the universal practice of
the executive to issue proc.amations recog-
niziug q state of war and according the
resoluionists the rights of belligerents.
This was done in the case OF Colombia,
Venezuela and Argentine.
"The granting of belligerents rghts,'
said he, "only recognizes the existence of
state of war, and a state of war exists as
an uprising gets beyond the control of the
authorities. Such an uprising certainly
reaches the dignity of war when it's partici-
pants are able to maintain armed forces in
the field, and the authorities are unable to
restore order and protect property.
THE correspondence shows beyond
question in an official way that Spain,
after struggle of almost year, has been
unable to do either. The recognition of
the independence of the Cubans could not
come until they had created government
and indicated their ability to maintain it
in the discharge of the functions of the
government"
NEEDED REINFoRCEMENTs
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 12.-Reinforce-
ments to the number of 1900 troops sailed
for Cuba today; $500 men will sail tomor-
row and 2200 additional troops on Friday.
OPEN TRAFFIC
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 12.--"We have
grown tired Of having our ships stopped,
our officers arrested and our line libeled
by the Spanish, and we now propose to
give them new kud of medicine''
So spoke Capt. William Kerr, counsel of
the Hart steamship line tonight, and then
he proceeded to give the information that
the company would adopt policy which,
if carried out. will annoy the Spanish
authorities considerably. He also said that
for considerable period boat laden with
ammunition and stores had been lying at
Wilmington, N. G., and that the cargo
would go to Cuba.
II am telling this to let Spain and others
know what we are doing. The steamship
Commodore is now at Wilmington loaded
with arms, ammunition, dynamite and
steres. She is loaded SO full that the boat
is so deep that they could not get anybody
IN IN Ia ber ont Of the mort Tho hoat has