newly appointed commander of the forces in Cuba was Governor-General of the Philippine Islands at the outbreak of the war there, but was recalled for political reasons.

Unfortunately, his record for cruelty is not far behind Weyler's, and so the savage character of the war in Cuba is not likely to be changed by the change of commanders.

The Cubans know Barman Blanco well. He was Captain-General of the island in 1879, when the second insurrection against the Spaniards started.

Under him was Camilo Polavieja, who as Governor of the Philippines has made for himself an unenviable reputation for cruelty.

To these two men was intrusted the task of suppressing the revolt.

The insurrection of 1879 was not a very serious affair; the Cubans as a body took no part in it; but notwithstanding this fact, which was well known to the authorities, fully fifteen hundred men of position in Cuba were arrested, and many of them put to death without being tried or given an opportunity to prove their innocence.

The Cubans have not forgotten this, and they have little to hope from General Blanco, especially as he has announced his intention of dealing with the present trouble in the same manner that he did with the revolt of 1879.

He will find, however, that matters have changed considerably since 1879.

In those days a mere handful of the Cuban people were in arms against Spain; now he will find himself among a people who are unfriendly to the cause he represents, and who have besides organized themselves until they have a government to direct their movements, and an army of veterans to protect them.

Were this not enough to make his task a difficult one, he will find to his cost that the soldiers of Spain on whom he must rely are ill, poorly fed, and angry with the Government because it does not even pay them the pittance due in return for their services and sufferings.

It is true that General Blanco is to take twenty thousand fresh troops with him. But sickness and disease are ravaging Cuba, and the new-comers, unused to the climate, are likely to be the first to fall victims to the fevers and plagues that are turning the beautiful island into a pest-house.

It is said that Sagasta has ordered General Blanco to continue the war as long as there is an insurgent in arms against Spain, but that he does not intend to conquer the people by force of arms alone.

The soldiers are to punish the Cubans if they will not obey the Government, but Señor Sagasta means to try and win the friendship of the people by giving them a kind and liberal form of government under which they may prosper and be happy. With this policy he hopes to bring the war to a speedy end.

General Blanco's first act is to be to repeal some of the cruel laws made by Weyler, especially those which have driven the unfortunate peasants into the towns to starve, while their ungathered crops lie rotting in the fields.

Whether these efforts to secure the friendship of the Cubans will be successful or not, the future alone can tell.

At present the Cubans are not disposed to listen to any offers. They persist in their declaration that they are fighting for freedom, and that the change of ministers or captains-general makes no difference to them. They are not going to lay down their arms because Weyler is recalled, nor yet because Sagasta offers them Home Rule.

As a last act before he leaves the island, General Weyler has pardoned a great number of Cubans whom he had exiled from their country, and these men are now free to return to their homes.

In the mean while the Cubans have won two brilliant victories in Havana Province, and have also gained possession of a seaport town called Santa Maria, in the province of Pijar del Rio.

General Weyler has stated that he has pacified the eastern part of the island, and has only a little more work to do before he will have the west completely subdued.

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