The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-03-22
THE HARDsH|Ps OF cUBAhs
Supplies Of Food and Clothing
Difficult to Obtain.
GREAT NEED OF MEDICINES
Saddles, Machetes and Other Arti.
cles Made in the Cuban Work
hops-Insurgents Suffer From
the Lack Of SaIt-Pacificos Afraid
TO Approach the Coast to Get 1t.

New York, March 22.-The Herald prints
the following dispatch from it's specia
correspondent at the camp OF Gen. Gomez
II has been stated that the Cubans could
hold out just as long as their food suppl,
lasted. During the ten years war they
suffered Inany hardships from the scare
ity OF food, and they always base their
arguments on the premise that il they
were able 10 pass ten years without starry
ing, they can repeat it this time. But
there were only about 900 active insur-
gents at that time, as compared to more
than 1875 900 at present who are consum-
ing the existing food supply.
This number includes the large number OF
families living under Cuban rule, and, al
though not active insurgents, they are so
classed by being outside the pale OF Span
ish protection. In the eastern provinces,
where the Spanish columns operate only
when necessity coinpels them, the Cuban
families have little to fear and pursue their
peaceful vocations as before the war
But the cattle in the province OF SAINT.
ago de Cuba have practically disappeared,
and the chief sources of food are sweet
potatoes, yucca and vans, which grow in
abundance. In Camaguay there still re-
main many cattle, but vegetables are
scarce. The same condition exists in
Las Villas. In Matanzas the food supply
of the insurgents is nearly exhausted, and
Havana and Pinar del Rio are slowly and
surely approaching the same condition.
The forces under Gomez have been sub
sisting chiefly on roast meat, without salt,
since their appearance in this province.
Gomez and a few OF his officers enjoy the
luxury Of sweet potato when there are
any TO be found
The civil government, through its ntri-
cate system of prefecturas, is supposed TO
be responsible for the supply of vegetables,
and to this ehd all pacificos are COM
PEELED TO work at least tw q days per week
in the clearings reserved for raising veg
etables for the active forces This system
as carried out in the East has given very
good results but in the West, where the
Spaniards are continually on the watch,
and the iron hand OF Gomez is not felt, the
system is not practicable Many of the
civil authorities neglect this work, and
the armed forces are compelled to forage
for their food In Camaguey, when Gomez
utClleS 10 tHCdlilps TIC SSHuS " the
est project, and orders him TO supply a
certain amount Of vegetables, cattle and
salt, and woe betide the unfortunate Off
cial if he says he has none. HIS court
martial is sure to follow.
The insurgents suffer more from the lack
of salt than any other necessity. 1t is
largely due TO their own inactivity, as the
coast S always within easy reach, and de-
tachments of pacificos could be at work
always in obtaining it. The truth is that
the pacificos are generally afraid to APP
preach the coast for fear OF the cruisers
and gunbOats.
The luxuTies of a soldier-coffee, sugar,
tobacco and runl-are here found n bund-
ance in certain districts. In Santiago de
Cuba, Las Villas and Pinar del Rio, the
Cuban soldier drinks his coffee as regularly
as though he were in his home. Raw sugar
is made in the hills by simply boiling down
the cane juice. Tobacco in the western
provinces has not yet failed the insnrgent,
and before the large sugar factories were
fortified their distlleries suppl ed him
with all the aguardiente, or rum, that he
could drink.
Workshops have been established in the
East, where many useful articles for the
troops are made from the raw material
found in the country. All hides are collected
and tanned. Large numbers of shoes, belts,
cartridge boxes, scabbards, riding boots
and other articles of this class are turned
out at these Cuban shops. Saddles are made
and repaired, and for once the insurgents
have shown their good judgment by abolish
ing the heavy square saddle of the country
anh IA inc tho Mcclellan trap as a fOuuda-
ton. These saddles are not very artistic,
but they are strong and well made. The |
cavalry regiment of Victoria that accom-
panics Gomez is supplied throughout with |
them. Drinking cups and machete handles |
are made by dissolving cattle bones and |
moldlpg tEem into shape.
In the armories an efficient corps of me- |
chanics is constantly employed repairing |
arms and changing the large number of |
fire rifles to take the center-fire cartridge.
Machetes are made and are eagerly sought |
for, as they are generally superior to those |
in common use. In the Liguanea Hills the |
Cubans have succeeded in casting two |
brass cannon from the old brass collected /
in the sugar factories Tools for all this /
work have been carried away from the |
shops in the factories.
Clothing has to he struggled out of the |
towns. This is very dangerous owing to /
the vigilance of the Spaniards, and con- |
very few Cubans are well Dire ssed. /
Some have only breechcloth around their /
oins, and others might ne mistaken for /
Indians, blankets being their only cos
tune. 1t would ne a very good idea for
the Cuban Junta TO send an expedition |
with a cargo of clothing for their COM
AIDES in the bush.
One great danger is the scarcity of |
medicines. There is q strict order, pro-
Uniting sending them from the Spanish |
owns, but q certain amount always finds |
is way to the insurgents.
Or. Sanchez A gramonte, chief Of the Cuban |
told me that he ha d made con-
iderahle progress in extracting valuable
emedies from the plants of the country.
)ne in particular was valuable substitute
or quinine and had been used with success |
N extract from the cedar tree has gwen |
God results as n cure for coughs and throat
roubles. Antiseptics are sent from the
forth, and as proof of their efficiency, |
Dr.. Agranaonte says that he has not had |
ne case Of gangrene or blood poisoning |
uring the war.
The natural wool of the "ceiba" tree has |
zen cleansed and proves a fair substitute
or absorbent cotton The medical corDS ]