Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-04-05

IN name was given by the Span
iards. who knew what they
were talking about. For some reason
of soil of climate Cuba is the most ia
vored OF all the West Indian islands.
Not only is the scenery of the ISLAND
of wonderful beauty and variety, but
the products of her soil are finer IN
quality than the products of any oil
her neighbors though they lie In yrac-
tically the same latitude and grow the
same things.
Wrapped up In Cuba is most OF the
military romance of our generation.
The war with Spain was very little
affair as wars 90 nowadays. All the
fighting that took place hardly
amounted To- the size of a good Skin
mish in the Russo-Japanese war. But
it was an intensely dramatic and pic
turesque campaign and it was the only
American war of our generation. IL
marked the full development OF the
United States as world power. And
Il was the most deliberately reported
war that ever took place. Naturally,
therefore, we think good deal OF II,
though II may seem a small affair b
other nations. And as a.matter Of fact
It was intensely interesting and anus
ing II you ask any war correspond
ent who has attended the campaigns
of the last fifteen years. which OF
them all he remembers with the most
interest, he will certainly choose the
Spanish-American war as the best ex.
perience of his life.
The Broken hawser.
The reason for this lies largely In
the romantic scenery of the Santiago
province. The harbor of Santiago with
its ancient Moro castle guarding the
entrance is one of the most pictur.
esgue sheets of water in the Carib-
bean. II runs inland through a gap
in the high rocky coast like a long
sieve Just inside the entrance the
sieve turns, so that from the outside
IL is impossible to see. the harbor at
all. When Schley, with his. flying
squadron, was sent around the south
side of Cuba to search for Cerveras
feet, he passed by Santiago and de-
clared there was no Spanish feet In
side That evening a coaling vessel
which was being towed along by one
of the warships broke the hawser and
was left behind for few hours. While
the cable was being mended one Of
Cervera's vessels came and poked her
nose out OF the mouth of the harbor
thinking that the American fleet had
gone. She was seen Immediately by
the collier and Schley was brought
back to bottle up Ceryera. II that col
lier had not broken her tow-line Ger.
vera might have come out OF Santiago
and proceeded to Havana; and the
whole course of the war would have
been different.
That would have been a pity; for
Santiago provides the most wonderful
setting for a campaign. Back from the
rocky coast, a few miles inland, runs
a high range of mountains. Between
these mountains and the coast the
country is covered with the richest
vegetation. The American army In at.
lacking Santiago had TO advance along
one narrow. path through an almost
impenetrable forest. When Grimes
planted his battery on the famous hill
of Ell Poso which lies about three
miles from the entrance TO Santiago
bay along the light green Of the
grassy slopes. the attack had begun.
The American army. after lying for
hours under the CALLING fire Of the
Spaniards. had at length made up its
mind to stay quiet no longer. 1t rose
and slowly walked UP the ridge OF
hills. That was little bit of battle
as battles go. But size even In war Is
not everything. And in the history Of
American arms there is no more TO
mantle page than that which describes
the frontal attack on the San Juan