The San Francisco call., 1898-05-10
CUBANS NEED FOOD
 AND GUNS
But Gomez Does Not Want Any American Troops
 Landed.

Copyrighted 1898. by James Gordon Bennett.
 KEY WEST, Fla, May 9.-At last the Herald is able to give its readers and the Government reliable tnforma- tion regarding the condition and situa- tion of General Gomez and other 1nsur- gent forces in Cuba. A Herald repre- sentative, Fred O. Somerford. arrived at Key West last night, having Just come, after a journey attended With great peril, from the headquarters or Gomez. He left the Cuban general May 4, and was the last American 10 converse with the insurgent leader.
 For more than two months he has been either with Gomez or other 1nsur- gent chiefs. He left Havana March 3, commissioned by the Herald to make his way into the interior, visit all the insurgent camps, talk with the leaoers and learn from actual observation the real conditions, and he has done It. ie was peculiarly fitted for his task, as ne has been a resident of Cuba TOT seV- eral years and speaks the language f1uentIy. Until the Cuban 1nsurrectlon broke out he was engaged in commer- cial pursuits on the island. Suspected by Weyler of sympathy with the HIS ai V. = gents, the Spanish troops destfoyeo HIS property and remuneration was re- fused. although he is an American cltl- zen Since May, 1897, he has been a greater part of the time with the in- surgents. oroo
 sThe insurgents have now about 3ooo men in the vicinity of GomezS camp, that is, within radius of thirty miles, said Somerford. "The best troops east of Jucaro Moron trocha are the ol- vision commanded by General Con- gales. He has 800 infantry, who arc well armed and we'll disciplined. one company is armed with Mauser rifles which were captured from the Spanish For these rifles there is but small supply of ammunition. The other com panies are armed with the long Rem ington which throws a bullet of 43 cal- iber This is weapon in common use among the insurgents. They prefer It to the Mauser in spite of the latter's repeatins property Gomez's immedi- ate command consists of body guard of 15O cavalry and seventy-five infan- try, under command of Major Joseph Desrampes Desrampes is an Amerf- can from New Orleans and good ar tfllerist This force of $500 is all that are in fighting shane just at present, but if there were arms and equipments it could be swelled to probably 3O,O0o Gomez told me he wanted 40,00O guns to equip an army large enough to drive the Spaniards from the island. he wants long Remingtons or Springfelds for the infantry and carbines of the same character for the cavalry.
 ..Garcia's force in Santiago de Cuba is all infantry. In reorganization they should be compelled to remain infantry They are drilled as such, and, never having had horses, are accustomed to make long marches on foot. l know Gomez wants to unite Garcia's forces with his own, although Gomez did not tell me this himself. I am told the man never makes his plans known when he can help it. My information, however, comes from the inside. Gomez regards artillery as very important, but the Cubans have none. They have the greatest contempt for the Spanish ar tillerymen and assert that not a Cuban has been injured in the entire war by the Spanish field pieces.
 ''The question of food and supplies Is an important one to be considered in any plan contemplating the utilizing of the Cuban forces against Blanco. A