The herald., 1896-07-15
GRANT OF REFORMS URGED
ln the Hope OF Making an End OF the
War
An Active Sum1er Campaign Is Planned by
the Insurgents
With the Spanish Army Decimatcd by Yel-
low Fever the Trocha Offers No
Obstruction to the Ever
Active Rebels
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, July 14-In the sew
enteen months during which the Cuban
revolt has lasted Spain has lost 1000
soldiers and expended nearly 5000, ,OG0, 900
in the prosecution of the war The
strain is one which would try the
strength of a powerful and wealthy ma
ton, and it is one under which Spain,
in her weakness and poverty, groans
within the hearing of all the world
1t has been made manifest by the re-
cent intelligence from Madrid that Spain
has become utterly weary of prolonged
ontention in Cuba, and is consumed
with desire for it's termination. Deser-
tionS from the Spanish army in Cuba
have been numbered by the thousands.
There is a record of fourteen Spanish
generals who have left Cuba for Spain
under various preteXts, and there are
on file at Havana the names of nearly
400 officers who have applied for leave
to return to Spain. Not few regiments
are in state of decentralization. Every
Spanish camp is ravaged by disease,
and death stalks along the trocha, which
has become a burying ground.
ic idteSI duNlCeS received mere from
Havana by the marine hospital service
confirm other reports of the alarm, al
most amounting to a panic which ex-
lists in the Spanish army on account Of
the rapid increase of yellow fever this
month, and how mortal it is among the
sufferers from it. There is ground for
apprehension that the army will be thrice
decimated by the epidemic in July and
August The unfortunate army can find
no rest.
Even in this season of distress the in
surgents' columns under Gomez, Anto-
MO Maceo, Garcia and other leaders
are constantly making assaults on the
Spanish camps and detachments With
IN the past four weeks there have been
between forty and fifty fights, in some
OF which more than 1000 combatants
were engaged, and it may be said that
not day has pasesd without skirmish-
ing. At every opportunity for attack
insurgents are ready to meet Spain,
as they do not suffer from epidemics,
asi do imported Spanish troops.
Some of the Spanish soldiers and
statesmen are now urging the govern
lnent to grant reforms to Cuba, even
"iiiAS tiAO 1CNOll 10 yet dCllNe, uuQeT In0
belief that thus the war might be
brought to an end. The belief is ground
less, and the offer of reform would be
rejected by the insurgents. The Cubans
will retire from the field oCly when they
have won their independence.
THE SUMMER CAMPAIGN.
NEW YORK, July 1.-THE Herald
this morning says:
The Spanish reports at Havana and
Madrid say that Carlos M. Aguirre,
chief of staff and nephew of Jose Maria
Aguirre, is dead. Nevertheless Aguirre
arrived here yesterday from Tampa. He
was accompanied by Dr. Joaquin Cas-
tillo.
Col. Aguirre comes here upon an i'm
portanat mission direct from Gomez Ma
Geo and his uncle. In an interview he
said:
Last summer we pursued a Fabian
policy. This summer it will be policy
of vigor. The fever lis eating up thek
Spanish army and they are in terrible
condition. We propose to take advan-
| tage of their weakness and shall force
the conflict.
| Antonio Maceo is no more dead than
am. left him on July 4th full of
health and brim full Of fight. Orders had
| just been given that he with Agurrei
was to concentrate his troops for series
of desperate, blows at the close of this
month or early next month. Before
| leaving Cuba my special duty was to
look after General Weyler's trocha in
| Plnar del Rio. I know every inch ofiit.
There has not been a day when we could
not cross it at will. Maceo can go
! through the line whenever he is ready.
He is only waiting for Gomez to say the
word. And Gomez is now hurrying west
ward from Camaguey with the newforces
and new supplies which he went there
| for.
1.-THE line os communication between
Gomez and Maceo and the other generals
of the Cuban army is unbroken. Maceo's
last order, issued just before 1 left Cuba,
was to burn every house, shed or i'm
provised barrack which can afford shell
ter for Spanish troops, so they will be
forced to stand the exposure of the open
field.
! "Maceo has issued a circular to the
Spanish soldiers, advising them to leave
the sovereignty of Spain and to join
J their Cuban brothers. He points out
that they are ill-fed, poorly clad. badly
paid, and unappreciated in the Spanish
army and promises them good treatment
good food and a good home for their
families and a future for themselves un-
! der the Cuban republic. Many OF the