Year: 1873

$l,UUO,OUO Fun CUNGhESSMhS'
f.. HAVANA, Dec. IL, 1873


II the hazard OF some demonstration by Span
fards against Americans has been avoided the
credit is entirely due to Captain General Jouvear
He, at least, was cool and collected while every
body else was uneasy and bewildered. One word
from him in the direction Of insub0rdinati0n to the
orders OF the homo government would have pre-
Ciptated explosion which could be the result Of
nothing but extreme rashness and unthinking
passion. II the Madrid government failed to
coerce the unruly authorities Of the island 1t
would naturally devolve upon the government at
washington to step in and force o COM
pliance with its demands Throughout all
tine excitement, running at times 10 the
verge Of outbreak the Captain General preserved
his eQuanimity. He heard such men "a Zueetta,
President Of the Casino Espa1ol, colonel OF volun
teer regiment and richest slave0wner on the
island OF Cuba, besides being man whose conn.,
mercial and social relations give him an extensive
influence,


CLAMoRrNG FOR WAR,


for vindication OF .'the honor Of Spain" and re.
sistance to the death against the demands OF
America. He heard the voice OF the Casino Espahol
! OF Havana and OF all the casinos throughout the
island protesting against the surrender OF the vr.
ginius. He represented the perilous condition
OF public feeling here to the government
at Madrid, aud besought it TO solicit sucn
a modification OF the terms with America
as would avoid disturbance in Cuba. He asked
the government OF CASTELAR, to induce President
Grant to agree to the giving up of the vessel to
some neutral Power, or to sending her to Spain to
be from thence consigned to the United States.
CASTELAR,, however, was as determined as the
Casino Espahol was obstinate. Still the latter
gave no sign that 1t was disposed to acquiesce in
the surrender, nor did the Captain General evince
disposition to force his orders to an ISSUE He
placed his faith in the quieting influence Of time,
and every day he put forth his strength In calm
appeal and persuasive argument in behalf Of obe-
dience to the orders OF the home government. Up
to the time OF this writing it would be fair to say
he has been successful The temporizing policy
he first tried with the volunteers secured him the
delay he wanted, and, now that the strong, popu-
lar feeling Of week ago has given place to the
exercise OF calmer reflection, he returns to his
original intention of


EXECUTING THE ORDERS FROM MADRID.


He says this must be done at all risks, whether it
provokes a disturbance or not. The other day he
telegraphed to the Commander OF the Bazan, who
had taken away the prisoners from Santiago in
the fear that the populace there might massacre
them before there was time to give them up, to





indication that His Excenency means to
hand them over at once to the United
States war vessels Wyoming and Juniata,
It's reported this morning that the Tornado has
been ordered to coal up and be in readiness take
the Vrginius out OF the harbor. With the vir-
ginius and the prisoners delivered over to the
United States, the Captain Generals duty and re-
sponsibility In this matter will cease. The other
questions will no doubt be disposed OF, between
the government proper OF Spain and that OF the
United States. Left to themselves to the gratnca-
ti0n OF their strong resentment and seli-sulciency
the volunteers would have actually dared the
power Of the two countries-dared the authority
OF the one and the might OF the other, despite
the desperate character or the prospect We have
yet to see the virginius delivered up before con-
graduating ourselves that all trouble has been
avoided; but so far there is no denying the fact
that the Captain General has acted with consum-
mate tact and prudence throughout. Should he be
entirely successful and the virginius and her
prisoners handed over safely and without a breach
Of the peace he may natter himself on being the
only Captain General who, In the management
Of the affairs OF Cuba for some years past, has
shown happy blending OF the suartter In modo
with the Jorttter In re- With however much ridi-
cule the Americans may receive the


HIGH, SOUNDING BOASTS


and threats that filled the papers here during the
excitement Of last week. there is no gainsaying the
fact that at the bottom OF all the fanfaronade there
was much earnest feeling that overbore consldera-
tions even OF selfinterest and that was ready to
face the last extremity Of war and ruin. The
weakest OF peoples have occasionally experienced
moments OF high and daring resolve, and the iso-
lated spaniards Of Cuba pledging their lives and
fortunes to resist what they called the aggression
OF America and the indefensble authority of Spain
might furnish heroic picture for the age had the
resistance been given reality.


THAT THREAT OF cAsTELAR's


TO treat the Spaniards here on footing with the
Cartagena ntransigentes was what knocked the
starch out OF the warike Iberians on the island.
They might hight America, for they had already
footed up her resources ana pronounced them in.
adequate to conquer Cuba; but with the mother
country opposed to them, her sympathies with.
drawn and her attitude one OF harsh coercion in
place or generous help, they lost heart or grace.
and the most plucky among them saw neither fun
nor glory In the remaining prospect. Then, when
they came down from their lofty height OF sent.
ment to pra ctical calculation OF their resources
they found themselves very poorly provided for
war. There is


s NO COAL IN CUBA,


and the supply stored up here and elsewhere for
the needs OF the nine vessels OF war and thirty
eunpoats employed In the defence OF the island
would be exhausted In two weeks In case OF war;
Every port In the rest OF the West Indies would be
closed against thep-Kingston, St. Thomas, Porto
Rico, Bermuda &c. AS intransigentes they would
be shut out from recognition, and, with their sup
plies OF coal exhausted, they should either deliver
up or destroy their navy. In two weeks the navy
would cease to exist. In four weeks their supplies
OF army stores would begin to fail In the
hands Of the volunteers ranking as enectiye
modern weapons equal to any In the hands OF
american troops. there are not more than 10000
srms' The remainder Of the small arms belong 10