PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2317, 28 July 1898, Page 58

PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Cuba and the Philippines.

I haven't written anything about the Spanish- A raoncan war because I think the "a"ony" has been long enough drawn out in the telegrams uJid excerpts horn European ,iud American papers; but perhaps the present is a. suitable time for a brief summary.

Jn the Fortnightly Review ior .Juno there is an aiUflo, "Cuba and her Struggle for Ficedoin"; m the CorUempoiary Keview there is another labelled in the table of contents " A Visit to the Philippines," but headed "The Ruin of Spain" in the body of i ho number; and another good aitirla 1m been wiittcn by Albeit 1). Vamkm called " Spam with the. Gl.ire Off."

The Fortnightly article is written by Majoi -genera l Leo, Jatc Consul at, Havana. Two years ago he. reported that the loss of pnperly audiifo going on was imineuso, and us in the intcival these evils have been mcicased be thinks tho United St.ites were peiiectly justified in intervening and in compelling'the Dona to furl their flag and depart,. In many respects, ho says, Cuba is the most, fertile land in tho world. Its rich chocolate soil, its abundance of heat and moisture, its variety of position, enable it to produce anj-thing tropical, though sugar and tobacco are almost all produced as yet. Minerals, too, are known to abound, and the forests form a wealth of hard woods, mahogany being so common as to be u>ed in places as sleepers, or cross ties, «s Lee calls them. Yet. though Spain has been in possession of tins gem for 400 years she has constructed no public or country roads ; there are ny telegraphs except, along- railway lines, and the railways have been laid down by British capital. Spain has had no desire eithei lo encourage trade and commerce or to effectually occupy (there's that split infinitive) any part of the island but its edges. Owing lo various causes the inhabitants have bci-n "separateO into two divisions — Cubans (Insular (Spaniards) and Spanish (Peninsular Spaniards) : and this line of cleavage has been accentuated by the Cubans in their desire for freedom being forced gradual!) but surely to .surreridpi most of theii property and irade —- :md the.refoie wealth— to tho traders and commission agents who conirol the coroineice of llu- island Combined with civil disabilities, (he result hns been poA'erty to the Cubans and an intense dislike on their part, to the domineering Dons. For 75 years, iiuno or less, Cuba has dreamed of' independence, and Spain has resolutely fought ''io retain Avh.it she could not help seeing she miiht at some, time inevitably lose. She h.!-s made superb efforts Over 200,000 soldiers have been tiansporld at immense expense over 4000 miles of sea. tho largest number ever taken in ancient or modern history so far from heart h and home. But though personally courageous, these have mostly been inefficient as fighting machines; they have not been drilled, disciplined, or organised ; they have been badly clothed and fed, am) not acclimatised to stand sun and slonu, so have become too listless to lift a ritle or unable to overcome fever and disease.

"Weyler. who is looked upon by many &•* the only capable general and politician Spain h.is. hoped witli his 150,000. more or less, to crush out the rebellion by making trochas. or ditches acros> the island from sea to se.i. The spoil taken from tin 1 ditches was piled up on one &ide and barbed wires erected on the other. Every hundred y;uds oi so twostoreyed block-houses were ereot.cd. the upper storey being used by the vedette, or sentinel, and the uu'dei serving as a barrack room for the knot of soldiers ready at a moment's notice. The idc\> was lo pen or corral iho insurgents and o^erconji* them by clearing section by section Tbn work dono was enoniKiu^ly expensive, but the insurrectionists found means of escaping. The Cubans are co.ii rolled by Gome/,, a grim, resolute, hoiiftst.. conscientious old veteran of 75, whose policy is to prolong the struggle and weaj iS}>:un out financially. Arid so far he has bwn {successful, for he" ha? 35,000 followers who, dependent upon filibusters for the sinews of war. hsvo learnt in fighting to inilict the maximum amount of loss with the minimum loss to themselves.

Weyler. seeing that his ditchf-s weren't goinjj'to win the day for him. resorted to the °Eoconcentrado order." To him everything is justifiable in war, and someone has said of hi A) -" That, man has no heart ; he is a castsi e-rJ s-ildier." This order st.Ucd th.it all old iron, all women and children, owl non-. cciijlmtants had to leaxe their lialdin£9 ail d conio within Spanish lines. Then all houses were, lo bo fired and crops destroyed ; cattle. ]»i;TS. fowls, etc. , wore conilscaied os food The. brutality of this order became apparent, apart from loss of property, when the 400. C00 brought, within Spanish lines had no provision made for their support In a short tin:? it is s-iid 200.000 died of staivalion. " Hi i 't«!'\- nowhere presents so appalling a record, nor do military annaU furnish such a horrible spectacle, the result of a military older, based upon a supposed military necessity "

A* rou know the AAmerica«a a« have secretly ard o pe.nl v been fjiviiij! the Cubans assistance, and (his has naturally we Hired (ho resentment of .Spam. American.-; nave been arrested and kepf "in i-ommunicado " (without, communication) on siK-pioHn. and for an indefinite time. This doesn't (&J!y either vulh the British or AinoriiMii fer,iP of justice., '"d was one of (.lie ephivjc* I hit raised sv.ch a strong jin^m'stk' spirit in America.

When it «\is seen that Hie Americans were pretty well sure to declare wsr. Spain offered Cuba autonomy ; but this «us refused In the first place the rebellion li.id gone so fjr and was in measurable distance of achieving success ; and secondly the Cubans ran place no reliance in Spanish promises. Autonomy failing, an attempt was made to bribe f.ho lenck-r^ Tlip bribers and their messengers were, however, in most instances not on.lv unsuccessful, but were tried nt drum • head com I martial and received short siirift.

Seeing that tlierp was no immedi.ifc prospect of peace, inferventiop became to the Unifed Sf.a<p,<s a necessity. Commerce and an ontlftt; for investments would indefinitely increase wif.li a settled government acceptable to the insurgents: humanity demanded it: and geographically and strategically it was

desirable to control the island, or at any fate see that no European power held ib any longer. Says Lee : — ■" Anchored at the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico, whose waters wash u've American States, in position to protect the trade of the Mississippi, the Missouri, ami the Ohio basins, standing like a huge sentinel to watch over the proposed transit across Nicaragua, inth shores indented with splendid harbours, with an ideal an/1 unrivalled winter climate and immense resources — Cuba, whether an independent republic, er later Americanised and annexed to the United States, is destined to emerge at last from the dark shadows of the past and stand side- by side with those countries which havti then pl.ice m the broad sunlight of peace, progress, and prosperity." In the FortnightJy the past and present of Spain are eery vividly contrasted, and the corruption of the politicians exposed ; but I snail pass all this by just now and tell what the writer has to say about tin* Philippines. T .im afraid lip ir unduly depreciating (he pi-silion of tho Spaniards, for, referring to the fortifications, he says the defences of Manila aro in much the sxme state as when it wa.s discovered 400 years ago. The squadron there was composed of ships which were merp shells, and ihe guns toy pistols comp.'ucd with the rifled ordnance of the enemy There were no torpedoes, no mines, no search lights. The news of the battle of Manila reaching Madrid was interpreted to mean victory over the Yankees, and the Marine Mmisl'cr went to a hull fight, while his colleague drew up an official account to Ip flashed through Spain In Havana the Spaniards ran riot with delight to think that the Yankees had been beaten in far away jW.'iriil.-i. A couple of days later the Minister for Marino had to admit defeat, but explained that the action was fought beyond reach of the shore batteries, and that he. had since sent out 150 torpedoes to lay fields in tht harbour. Rather late in the day. ore wouh think.

Perhaps J may give yon a bit more abruii Spain next week.