The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-04-17
FORCES TO BE USED IN CUBA
VIII Consist OF Infantry, Cavalry
and Light Artillery.


to the Times firm Washington says
1t is expected that the forces that
will be used in Cuba will consist of
cavalry infantry and light artillery.
Heavy artillery could hardly be used
in the wet season, and, beside, it would
not be necessary in operation against
| the Spaniards.
! Consul General Lee, it is understood
| advised the use of these branches of
the service for the campaign in Cuba
He is of the opinion that the army can
successfully conduct operations in the
island during the wet weather, if it has
I cavalry and light batteries. Rapid
| fire guns and plenty of them will be
depended on very largely to do the
| fighting.
1t is reported by all observers of the
| military methods of the Spaniards that
| their infantry at once forms hollow
square upon the approach of cavalry.
| This military formation has been in
practice for a century, and the Span
! iards have not learned any other way
| to reIel cavalry attacks. Military eX-
perts say that when an army is so
| formed it can be decimated by rapid
| fire guns, and destroyed if it does not
| soon break such formation. The cav
airy would be used to force the Span
iards into position to get them at bay,
as it were, and the infantry and light
artillery will then attack with rapid
| fire guns.
1t is said the Spanish forces in Cuba
are poorly armed. They have fairly
good rifle the Mauser, but are made
quately supplied with ammunition,
and most of the troops being young
| boys do not know how to use their
guns. In rapid-fire guns they are very
deficient Artillery is their weakest
point, and they cannot now supply the
deficiency. Even Havana is defended
! by antiquated cannon, with the eXcep-
ton of six fine new Krupp guns, which,
| however have been allowed to rust on
their carriages, and the artilleryists do
not know anything about their use
| At Matanzas they have four guns of
the same kind-heavy 10 and Pinch
cannon-but there are no cartridges
for them, and they are perfectly use
less. 1t is said there is only one ord
nance officer in the army-Ordrinau-
who understands the handling of such
guns.
General Lee, it is understood, advised
the War Department that a few good
regiments would be sufficient for the
| first movements in Cuba. He relies
very strongly upon the efficiency of the
army under General Gomez and Cen
eral Garcia, which would naturally be
our allies in war He reports that the
revolutiCnists have an effective army
of 10000 troops, which they could in
crease to 100000 almost any time if
| the arms for them were found. Gomez
| has kept his army in its present num-
| Der because it was too difficult to main
tain large army in that country after
| it's repeated devastation, and because
| 10000 men were enough to keep up the
war and crush Spain slowly. On the
| other hand, the Spaniards have, he
says, not more than 5000 to $1,000
effective troops If the revolutionists
are armed and a small but wel-disci-
plined and seasoned army from this
country is landed in the island, he
| thinks the Spanish will have no chance
| for successful resistance.
Another element in the war that
| General Lee it is understood, comment
ed on is that SPANS troops in Cuba
are depending upon this country for
| food supplies The island can be en-
tirely chut off from food by the action
| of the United States. 1t is estimated
that Havana would suffer as much as
if it were actually besieged, if we
should prevent our ships from carrying
| anything for the Spaniards, and the
Spanish ships from procuring supplies
from our ports. Havana, it is said by
Consuls and all who have studied the
conditions of affairs en- the island is
| absolutely without food. 1t is said, in
deed, that none of the Spanish armies
have stores or provisions, and that Ha-
vana is worse off than any other place.
An attacking force that merely con-
| tents itself with shutting off the food
| supplies would soon reduce them to
| submission.
| 1t is very probable that one of the
plans of the military authorities is to
make effective allies of the Cubans by
arming them and thus turning a good
| fighting force of a hundred thousand
men against the Spaniards. 1t is said
| that arrangements are already made
| looking to this end and securing the
immediate and effective cooperation of
| the American and Cuban forces
The landing on the island will virtu-
ally be on the western end and on the
northern coast. While this would place
the army at a considerable distance
from the Cuban forces under Gomez. it
has advantages that more than offset
| apparent separation of the allies A
| union could soon be effected and the
revolutioniSts, freed from any restraint
along the military lines in the east.
| would soon sweep on Havana province
and unite with the Americans The
fleet would also aid in the junction of
the forces at any point that would be
fixed upon for such union.
| COAL. CONIyR u a Mn