The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-07

outbreak Of hostIli,;w with spoln
appeared In q gorgeous new tunic a
own design. iIbezally adorned with
lace. and wearing 4 sash or olto<U
yellow and gold stripes The most
markable feature OF the uniform ~
ever. was not the splendor Of the q
inss. but the prominence of the o
leaf and acorn decorations. curlo
fact. as they are supposed TO be "a
tlnctive military embieTas OF the Bf1
ish crown. General MileE neverthol0
intimated that he was going 20 81
the best features Of every other natit1
dress regulations ana incorporate tho
into his new system for the clothing
the American army.
All that is left OF the Spanish army a
10000 men sent 70 Cuba since 1895 aJ
10000 regulars. and these. with the 60.
600 home royalists. total OF 150 QQ@
have controlled only the seaports ann
strongly fortified towns in the tntor1oE
The open country from east 70 west Il e
i'm the hands OF the insurgents. INT
province OF Pinar del Rio, at the e1k4
treme west, is a Cuban stronghold, tl0
insurgents there. under command Oh
Generals Delgado and Ducasi. holding
the long and impregnable chain "a
mountains extending through the prov<*
ince. In the provinces OF Matanzas ana
Havana are about 5000 insurgents. The
fortified towns are nearer to one an>l
other in these two districts, the Spau4 q
ish forces more numerous and the Cu@/
bans the weakest, but the latter hnvG
always been able to keep up a liveIyl
guerrilla warfare. raiding almost week.
ly the larger towns and making dashe0*
into the suburbs OF Havana. Althougli'
they lost their brilliant leader Arau-
guren short time ago. they have still
the brave commanders Generals Betan~|
court. Alexandra Rodriguez and Rafael
de Cardenas and Colonels Davalos. Cox
lazo and others.
The Cuban commander In chief, Gelln
eral Maxine Gomez, controls the Gems
tral portion of the island. in the prov@
ince OF Santa Clara, with 10000 men
and is associated with Generals Alvo.
rez. Garlic and Monteagudo. He and
General Calixto Garcia, who, with h11
subordinates. Jesus Rabi and Lope1
Loynaz. controls the eastern end OF the
island In the provinces of Santiago Dc
Cuba and Puerto Principe. have beau
able to win notable victories againDe
some OF the best military leaders OF the
late defeat OF General Pando In Santio~
go de Cuba, at the mouth of the CantQ
river. and OF General Jimenes Castellas
nos at La Esperanza, within sight %
the city OF Puerto Principe.
In these provinces the Cubans are
stronger than In any other section. have
ing fully 10000 well armed men plcntf>
fully provided with ammunition, tho
sequence of the numerous succesgfu1.
filibustering expeditions.
The rush OF the navy. or at least thoU
part OF 1t known as the north Atlantic
squadron. on Havana was amazing to
the people of the United States, who
expecting war, had still considered thot
there would be "a hours notification "a
them Of the advance. w
The fleet under Captain william A.
Sampson, who was some time ago given
the highest relative rank and has since
been designated as rear admiral conn
manding, while Investing Havana &C
the same time holds open the Florido
straits for the undisturbed transporta~
ton of supplies to our troops on the is~
| land and for conveyance Of more sole
diers as they are needed. A part Of our
naval fotilla also guards the gulf to the
west of Havana for q similar purposes
The feet co-operated with the land
forces from the moment they landed In
Cuba. SO that they both simultaneously
menaced the capital city.
1t was from the beginning the army
plan to unite with the forces OF Comes
and Garcia troops to be sent 20 Join
those revolutionary bodies In Puerto
Principe or Santa Clara.
The principal object Of the invading
army has been to form Immediately the
closest alliance with the insurgout
troops. With the establishment Of .
stable and independent government In
free Cuba the army will have no con>
nection. It's task will be to sweep tho<
Spaniards out OF the island. AZ hao
been understood by the United States
government for weeks past. absoIuto
warfare Is not essential The Spanisb
army there depends upon the provisions
imported Rice. beans and -four come
from the mother country. Meat Is sene
them from Mexico and Florida The
condensed milk they use has been OBJ
tanned from the United States, with
eggs and vegetables from Florida Evs
ery potato is from abroad. On accounts
| of the great financial distress In Ha>
vana the merchants are not very we'll
SUPPLIED with provisions. The country
| near the towns was laid waste by Wey~
| Ier, n policy that will result In Dooms
erang finish and the gaunt speoter q
| famine stalks throughout the lsianos
This is now being alleviated by cargoeo
of food from the United States The
reconcentrados, or rioncombatants. have
been dying of starvation by the tnous
sands because they were not allowed 70
raise crops on their land. being driv~
en- from their homes and forced to abide
in the towns. The insurgents, however,
have had zones OF cultivation OF their
own where they raised vegetanies ana
corn and stored their cattle, but they
would not divide their provisions with
the noncombatants. nor would they Ale
low food supplies to be raised by others
than themselves. because 1t was theiE
policy to prevent the spanish army
from obtaining any kind Of aid or com>
fort. in the country districts. Conse-
quently the 10000 spaniards under
arms have depended upon steamers
laden with provisions.
IT, frI