Arizona republican., 1896-11-21

NEW YORK, Nov. 20.-Col. Stuart Weatherley, chief of artillery on the staff of General Maximo Gomez, is in New York, after a year of adventurous campaigning with the Cuban army. He is silent as to his mission in the United States, but gave many facts concern ing the military situation in the island that have not heretofore been pub lished.
 Col. Weatherly is an Englishman, with record in the African wars.
 General Gomez" said Col Weather ly, "is brave and shrewd soldier, as we'll as patriot. These qualities have enabled him to subdue and control the wild spirits in his army. They will follow him anywhere This has been shown in hundred engagements dur ing the past year, in which at the end of their terrible machete charges the revolutionists have drawn off victnrs Their warfare is of a distinctly new kind. In practically every battle the CubanS have their choice of position, and they usually begin in ambuscade The battle goes on until the Spanish lines show signs of wavering, when General Gomez is always ready with his grim command, La Machete' This cry always means to the Cuban soldier the beginning of the victory. They understand that when General Gomez says La Machete' they have but to charge and the battle is won"
 l The Cuban leaders, including Gen eral Gomez and General Maceo, ac- cording to Col Weatherley, believe that within few months the island will be free. "They are fully ad- vised," said he, "of the elaborate prep aratiOns for an aggressive winter cam palgn now going on in the Spanish army, but are not dismayed While Spain is strengthening her army both in numbers and position the revol,- tionists are closing in upon them from the east and west, and dominate prac- tically every part of the island not ac- tually held as bases If operation by the Spanish
 Tt is impossible to conceive, with out having actually seen it, the diff ference year has made in the con- ditiOn of the Cuban soldiers A year ago their situation was we'll nigh hope less. One hundred dollars would have bought the most wonderful collection of arms for hand-to-hand conflicts ever got together in the world. There were no modern weapons, such as swords or rifles; no ammunition and none of the appliances that go to make up the modern military equipment. Instead, they had all sorts of knives and clubs and makeshift devices that might do
 service in the eXigen cies. of defense.
 but were of no value in aggressive
 warfare. Added to this, they were hungry and insufhciently clothed. Now they are we'll equipped with : modern arms in addition to their own |, formidable weapon, the niachete, and are accustomed to the privations of
 the field and camp. It is this change
 more than anything else which gives the leaders confidence of final victory
 over the comparatively large numbers
 of the Spanish army. They are ab-
 solutely self-reliant, and expect to win
 entirely by their own strength. There l is no expectation that the United
 States will aid them in their struggle
 against Spain nor that Spain, crip- . pied by her poverty and dissensionf t at home, will abandon the connict. Ii f a war were to arise between the United
 States and Spain Havana would fal within two months. Without such 2 war, or any other unexpected blow tf 8 Spain, Havana will fall within eigh'
 months, and the republic Of Cuba will
 be established.