Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-05-02

The invasion Of Cuba by American sol
diers and their cooperation with the in.
surgont force under Gomez add new in
terost TO the island OF blood. General Lee
reports that tho reyolutionists have an
effective army Of 80 600 troops, which they
could increase 70 400, 600 at any time IL
tho arms for them wcro found. Gomez has
kept his army at Its present Dumbor be-
cause 1t was too difficult TO maintain a
largo army IN that country after Its re-
pcated devastation and because a., 900
men wero enough % keep up tho war and
crush spain slowly. On the other hand,
the Spaniards have. no says, not more than
10000 to G5.Ojo effective troops. IL tho
ro,olut!onists ore armed and small hut
well disciplined and seasoned army from
this country is landed IN the island. he
thinks tho Spanish viii hayc noChancc for
successful resistance
AccOrdinr 80 Gen raj Leo and all obsefv-
crs Of the military methods of tho Span
iards, their Infantry gG once forms a hol-
low square upon tho approach Of cav
airy. This military formation has been in
practice for century, ana tho Snaniartls
hayo not learned any other way to rcpcl
cavalry atgacl- Military csDerts say that
when an army Is so formed &c can DO dec
imatcd ~ rapid &c guns and DESTROYED
II 10 does not sron hruak such formation.
Tho cavalry vii, 10 used 70 force the Suan-
iards into position. to get them at bay,
as It were, and tho infantry and light ar
tillCTy viii then attack with rapid fro
guns
IL Ia sa!d that tie Spanish forces in CUBA
nro poorly armed. They have a fairly good
rifle, tho MGusCT bus arc inadeuuatplv
supplied with ammunition, and. most OF
the troops being young boys, they do not
Know how 90 us1 their guns. In rapid firing
guns they nrc very deficient. Artillery is
their weakest point, aud they cannot now
supply the deficiency.
The lack Of arms and ammunition on
tho part Of the insurgents is conclusive
evidence that ilibusycr expeditions have
not been Us humorous or successful as
Spain claims and tho general public sus-
poets. The average IlibustCr scheme is
moro exciting than profitable The sums
paid for successful landing In Cuba of
men or supplies for the insurgents varies
from $4,000 to sl0,000. This i about five
times as much as would DO pssd in time of
peace, and IL would DO natural to suppose
that one ~ these boats having made a half
dozen successful trips would place its
owner In comfortable circumstances, but
so far no ono has grown rich from the
business, and those who have been en-
gagged in it seem To inc no better off finan.
cially than they were before. AS matter
of fact, they have made little clear money.
though the expeditions have generally
boon successful. That they have SO gem
orally escaped seems wonderful when the
nature of tho dangers that they have faced
IS considered. IL is Surprising that none
of them he's fallen into the hands of the
Spaniaris.
The coast Of Cuba is closely patrolled
Spain has cruisers in Cuban waters that
arc swiftor than any steamer engaged in
flibustering. Arriving in the darkness,
an expedition might land, and in one in
stance at least ono did land. under the
guns Of fort and in range Of the batter
ies Of a wnrship. II captured, the fllibus-
tiers would have no hope Of mercy.
though IL Is not likely that the Spaniards
would take them at all. II is much more
probable that they would send the filibus-