The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-12

| edSe than the average American voIun
| teer. By American volunteers 1 do no
mean national guardsmen. They marcl
out Of their armories better soldiers thar
| Gomez can produce, even with our assist
| ance, in three years.
SENTIMENT SHOULD BE DISCARDED
Il do not say this to disparage the Gu.
bans. l have espoused their cause an6
| appreciate fully the wonderful sacrifices
! they have made for liberty. But the ques-
ton Of ending this war is no longer q
matter OF sentiment, and only facts
| should be considered. Blanco will never
be defeated unless United States troops
| enter Cuba and do the job. The alternative
| to decisive action OF this kind is a pro-
| longation of the war for months and
months. This means the starvation OF
thousands of women and children All
the island now occupied by the Spanish is
under military rule, and the stores are not
permitted to sell any food to the people.
HAll Is reserved for the soldiers.
Now, about climatic dangers. The
greater part of such talk is nonsense. I
believe mortality from disease in an
American army In Cuba in any season will
be less than among the Cubans. say
this after seven years residence on the
island and more than a year with the
insurgents. The heat in Cuba now and
for two months to come Is not nearly so
severe IS summer heat in a majority of
the states. Danger from yellow fever and
small pox Is greatly exaggerated. 1t does
exist to a considerable extent in coast
towns, but this is largely due to the in
effective sanitary precautions, and the
mortality is very small. The nights are
cool and there is heavy dew
TROOPS SHOULD HAVE TENTS.
eff United States troops are sent into
Cuba they should be provided with tents
If they are 50 provided. observe ordinary
sanitary precautions and are supplied
with wholesome food, they can go through
a campaign with as little danger from
climatic influences as if the scene of OPP
erations was at Chickamauga Park.
Forty thousand troops from the United
States are enough to annihilate Blanco's
army and take Havana, and three-foruths
Of them can return after a campaign of
a month. The Spanish soldiers will fight
They remind me of a pack of mules AS
AOAlS oo bilCy are leu liiSy CoI De UIlNEI.
Their. officers literally drive them into
battle, generally taking positions behind
the troops to urge them on. The men are
enduring and will stand hard treatment
IF United States troops invade Cuba at
any time within two months not more
than 5000 insurgents are in position to CO.
operate. These aren ow stationed at Ha-
vana and Pinar del Rio provinces, under
General Rodrigue and Diaz. These
troops, such as they are, can be available
within five days after notice has been
given them.
Gomez could not get to Havana from
his present camp with any body of troops
in less than twenty five days, and it would
take Garcia six weeks. Gomez advises
that only light artillery be brought to
Cuba, such as gatlfngs and light field
pieces. With artillery the troeha can be
broken at any point within an hour. If
American troops are landed soon they can
not affard to wait for Gomez"
Somerford brings news that a few days
ago Blanco telegraphed the Spanish gar
rison at Caibarien that the Spanish fleet
in the Philippine waters had won a great
victory. The officers prepared TO give a
grand ball in honor of the victory. The
ball had scarcely begun when a second
telegram was received announcing that
the Spanish fleet had been destroyed. This
news threw the assemblage into mourning
and the bah was abandoned.
Blanco has modified five battalions
alone the Jucaro-Moron torcha in antici-
patton of an attack from the east.
When the Herald's representative left
Gomez's camp. at dusk on May 4. in com
pany with Juan iowa, special emissary
from Gomez to Admiral Sampson. Cap
tain Garlic and three soldiers They
travelled all that night and the next day.
and at nightfall reached the coast fifteen
miles from Caibarien. Two Spanish FISH
ing schooners were lying just off the coast
and Captain Garlic took three men and
captured them, taking fifteen prisoners.
Near Caibarien Somerford joined another
party OF American correspondents. who
were equally anxious to get to the United
States, and they Joined forces.
EXCITING EXPERIENCES.
Taking the larger OF the schooners and
compelling the captain to guide them,
they set sail westward along the coast.
Nine miles from Caibarien the pilot ran
the schooner on a bar, and it took AZ hour
TO get of. the men being compelled to
take off their clothes and lift the boat. be-
sides shift all the ballast.
Their situation was periIous. as they
were in plain sight of the Spanish gun
boat in Caibarien harbor and dawn was
breaking. At last they got away and soon
left the town. in the distance.
On the night " May they were com
PEELED By gale 70 anchor of Cruz de
Padre, between Sagua Ia G-ande and Car
denss. The next morning they sighted
the torpedo boat WinsIow. which headed
toward them and fred shot 70 compel
Them TO heave 70. They were taken on
board the WInslo~ and transferred % the +
Machias. which later put them on board
the torpedo boat Foo;e. which brought
them safely 20 Key West
William p. Smith, who bears special Z
dispatches from Gomez 70 Washington.
started today for Tampa on the steamer
Mascotte.
COLD, WITH HEAVY RAINS