Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1898-03-04
BLOCKADE OF CUBA.
How the War with Spain Would Be Sue
ceSSfu in a Short Time.


In case of war between the United
States and Spain the island of Cuba
would be freed from Spanish rule much
more easily than is generally imagined.
This country would not need TO send
large army to the island to fight the
Spanards in the field. Neither would
st need to lombard Havana nor attack
1t in any other way. Perhaps the war
would end. as far as Cuba is concerned.
without the Americans firing a single
shot either by land or sea. Though
these statements may at first appear
astonishing. they are merely the logic
al conclusion to be derived from
knowledge OF the real state of affairs
In the struggling island.
Extent of Spanish Control.
The Spaniards with an army of 49,
900 men. of which not 80. 1000 are regu-
lar troops all that is left of the 100000
soldiers sent from Spain since 1899
and decimatcd by battle and sickness.
contrOi only the seaports and the
strongly fortified towns in the interior
The country from east to west is in
the hards Of the insurgents The cas-
ern par, OF the island. including San
tiago DC Cuba and Puerto Principe. is
held by the Cuban Generals CaliXto
Garcia Jesus Rabi and Lone Recio
LOynaz There the Cu5ans are strong
er thar in any other section of the
island. They nave in these two prov
aI n
with plenty Of ammunition. There
they nod the Spanish columns in con-
stant check anu the recent defeats Of
General Pando in Santiago de Cuba. al
the entrance OF the CautO river. and of
General Jime2ez CastellaEGs at La Es-
peranza almost within sight OF Puerto
Principe city. show conciusively what
the power of the Cubans is in the east
The central part of the island. that
is To say the province of Santa Clara.
is controlled by General Maxine Go
meZ. The Cuban Ommander-in-chief
has at least 10000 men there under his
orders. with Generals GARLIC. Monte
agudo. Alvarez and several others as
subordinate commanders
strength OF the Cubans.
There are about 5000 insurgents in
the provinces OF Matanzas and Havana.
This Is where the Cubans are weak
est. he Spanish fortified towns being
nearer to one another and the Spanish
army more numerous. Bu; neverthe-
less they have strength enough to keep
up very lively guerrilla warfare raid
ing almost daily the most important
towns and making dashing attacks on
the outskirts of Havana city itself The
recent tealh of their plucky leader.
General Ayanguren. has not abated
their ardor. General Betancourt. Gen
eral Alexandra Rodriguez. General Ra-
fael de CardeEas. and Colonies Davalos.
COLLAGE and Others ale cutting out
great deal of work every day for the
Spanish and the guerrillas in Havana
and MatanaZs provinces. Pinar del
Rio province. the western extremity. is
a Cuban stronghold The Cubans there
are as strong as in Santa Clara and
hold the long and impregnable chain
of mountains extending through the
province They do not allow the Span
iards 20 get out of their towns Gen
erals DelgadO and Ducasi are the prin-
cipal Cuban leaders in that province
The result of this situation is that the
SpaniGrds cannot exist on the prod
ucts OF me country in any part of the
island. The country near the towns
was laid waste by General Weyler. and
the gaunt specter of famine stalks all
over Cu0a The determination of the
peacea.le inhabitants by hunger is go
Ing Oh rapidly. All these facts are too
notorious 20 be denied at this time. The
recOncentrados. or non-combatant.,
starve and die by thousands only be-
cause the country, on which they ex-
clrSively depend. is not producing food.
The insurgents keep zones of cultiva-
ton of their OWE. where they raise