New-York tribune., 1896-03-31
HOPES FOR THE CUBANS.
CONDITION OF AFFAIRS SINCE THE AR
RIVAL OF THE BERMUDA.
TALK WITH Ebert RAPPLEYE coRRE-
sPoNDENT EXPELLED FROM THE ISL
AND WEEK AGO.

sPoNDENT EXPELLED FROM THE ISL
AND WEEK AGO.
Cuba on the aggressive. Spain the defensive,
the revoutonists fired more than ever with deter
minaton 10 conquer the Spanish troops encircling
then-that is the situation in the island to-day as
told by Ebert Rappleye the correspondent for
THE New-York Mail and Express expelled from
Cuba by Spanish opposition to his news reports. He
arrived home yesterday on the Yucatan The ex-
pulsion was as sudden it unexpected. Mr..
Rappleye said: While ] had heard that my life
WAS in danger every hour l was surprised at mid
night a week when the authorities came 10 my
room In the hotel in Havana and demanded admit
tance to inform that must 60 from the Island
BY the order Of General Weyler. So ! have re-
turned TO New-York 'deportado' of General
Weyler In his decree expelling me from the ISL
and am called an enemy of Spain. that charge
being based letters published here over my sig
nature Any familiar with existing conditions
In the island OF Cuba would know that the only
ermity II any. which i have shown toward Spain
has been in telling the truth without fear or preju-
dice This. Of course. has resulted in my expul-
SON
las an impartial observer OF affairs in Cuba. un-
hesitatingy that within three months the In
surgent cause would be triumphant II the United
States Government would grant the begerency right
and give the Cuhans anything resembling a fighting
opportunity. The Spanish are now on the defensive
Every battle fought in Cuba recently has been in
yited by the revolutionSts They have more am
muni,ion than they have had. and If
they maintain a source Of supply there is moth
ing that can prevent them from overthrowing Span
tsh rule. The great difficulty has always been TO
obtain sufficient ammunition. GIns. they have
plenty; 1t IS powder and bullets the revo.utonists
want.
General weyler has been spain's greatest mis-
take in the war. His name and reputation carried
odum which attracted the attention Of the
world. The best evidence of his poor military tao
tics is his complete failure 10 hold the insurgent
armies back after they had left the western prov
inces OF Cuba. Maceo has started his western
campaign. He has 1900 Cuban followers one-third
OF whom had war-pece with which TO fight.
That force of revoutonists is coming back now
from Bahia Honda with the whole cargo Of the
Bermuda, which brought ammunition from New
York When the Bermuda landed at Bahia Honda
her arrival was hera.ded throughout Cuba within
General WeyIer is now making strenuous efforts
10 block the advance of the Cubans who have the
ammunition procured from the Bermuda he Is
one-haf of the principal points Of the island in order
10 march upon the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and bar
their progress. This leaves Gomez with larger
army than Maceo practically unrestricted to DO as
he pleases in three-quarters OF the area OF CUBA,
while the barrier which Weyler Is attempting 10
place before Maceo is acknowledged by one OF his
own generals. with whom talked just before my
Maseo's army. despite the fact that in all Of the
evasons heretofore the Spanish have unsuccess-
fully attempted to Illustrate the Cubans by forces
While there has been some doubt. perhaps just-
sa sSout e sS e ndt % any l as
the forces are perfectly organized now, now with t4
the Spanish
that the Cubans inflicted cruelty and torture upon
their Spanish captives in battle On the other han1
great cruelty. and few escaped the punlsnmen' o, o.
Havana but the authorities permitted the
death scenes 10 be witnessed