found that the reported strong Home Rule party does not exist, and that the Cubans decline the honors offered them. He had to threaten one man with banishment from Cuba before he could persuade him to take any part in the establishment of the reforms.

The war is being actively pursued all over the island. General Garcia has, it is said, captured Holguin and Mayari in Santiago de Cuba.

At Pinar del Rio City the insurgents defeated the Spanish troops and took from them some guns and a large store of ammunition.

It is said that a million dollars, sent over to pay the Spanish army, has mysteriously disappeared from Havana's treasury, and the soldiers are extremely indignant over it.

The desperate want of money among the troops is leading to some very reprehensible acts, if we are to believe what we hear.

It seems that some soldiers brought their colonel word that they knew where they could lay hands on $14,000, and they said that if they were allowed to go and seize it they would bring it to the colonel to pay the regiment, which otherwise would mutiny.

The colonel allowed his men to set off on their shameful expedition, and learned that sure enough they had obtained the money. What was his surprise and indignation to find that, instead of bringing it to him, they had deserted to the Cubans with their booty.

While the promised reforms are being put into practice without delay, the new Captain-General is, it is said, making active preparations for war. The winter campaign against the rebels is to begin at once, and it is believed that severe fighting is ahead.

It remains to be seen whether the soldiers will do better under General Blanco's leadership than they did under Weyler.

You will be interested to know that the trial of the Competitor prisoners takes place in Havana this week.

The Spanish Government evidently wishes to settle this matter, which has been a grave source of difficulty between Madrid and Washington.

Under General Weyler's rule it was impossible to get these men tried, but Blanco has brought orders that they be tried immediately, and it is rumored that if they are found guilty they will be pardoned on condition that they leave Cuba and never return to it.

The Competitor case was explained to you in No. 40 of The Great Round World. Briefly, she was a schooner engaged in a filibustering expedition, and was overhauled and captured by the Spaniards. All the persons on board escaped but five, three of whom were sailing the ship, and claimed to be American citizens.

The defence made by these men was that the filibustering party had taken passage for Florida, and had given no indication of being engaged in any unlawful pursuit till the vessel was out of sight of land, when they took possession of her, and forced the captain to carry them over to Cuba.

This defence was not believed, and the men were sentenced to death. Our Government interfered on account of their being American citizens. A protest was sent to Spain, and a new trial was ordered. This was over a year ago, but by one means or another Weyler always contrived to prevent it.

It is reported that this Competitor case was one of the main objects of General Woodford's mission, and that the pardon of these unfortunate prisoners is in response to the President's request.

If all we hear is true, the Competitor prisoners will only be a few of the many persons whom General Blanco has been authorized to pardon. It is said that all persons prosecuted for rebellion, and all rebels accused of other crimes, are to be pardoned by the new Captain-General.

This clemency does not, however, meet with the approval of the Cubans. The pardon states that it is extended to all those whose crimes are against the state, but not to those criminals who should be punished by military law. It therefore amounts to little more than the releasing of the prisoners who are in the jails; the insurgents who have taken up arms against Spain have all been declared outlaws, and their crimes are punishable by military law, so the pardon does not apply to the soldiers who are or have been fighting in the war, and they are liable to be put to death for outlawry whenever caught.

Reference was made, in The Great Round World No. 49, to the disgraceful proceedings which were taking place in the Austrian Parliament.

Unfortunately the members of that legislature have not yet seen the shame of their conduct, but have continued to grow more violent and add to their scandalous behavior in every possible way.

The use of the Czech and Magyar languages by the officials in Bohemia and Hungary has again been under discussion, and the scenes that have occurred in the Austrian Parliament day after day are almost beyond belief.

Instead of discussing the matter in hand, the deputies fell to calling each other names like a lot of vulgar street-boys, and would eventually have fought if a few of the cooler-headed members had not forcibly restrained them.

When the din would reach its highest point, the President would adjourn the meetings; but frequently the uproar was so great that the deputies did not know that he had done so.

These scenes have continued for over a week. On one occasion when a member rose to speak on the Austro-Hungarian compact, which is also unpopular in the House, Herr Wolff, the young Bohemian who recently fought a duel with Count Badeni, the Prime Minister, began to pound loudly on the lid of his desk, and calling his friends to aid him, sang, shouted, and read from the newspaper at the top of his voice, until, after an hour and a half of confusion, the member who was trying to speak gave up the attempt in despair.

At the present moment there are three important matters which have to be considered by the Parliament, all of which have their bitter opponents. One is the language question, another the calling to account of the Prime Minister for the various acts which have displeased the people, and the third is the important question of renewing the Austro-Hungarian compact.

We told you in an earlier number that this was an agreement by which Hungary paid thirty per cent. of the money needed by the Government, and Austria the remaining seventy per cent.

Before we go any further into this matter, we had perhaps better explain to you the government that binds Austria and Hungary together.

The two countries are united under the rule of one monarch, who is known as Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary.

The two countries are linked together by certain common interests, but each is governed by its own constitution, which is in both cases a limited monarchy. This means that the power of the sovereign is limited by certain rules and laws laid down for him in the constitution.

Austria and Hungary each have their separate parliaments, and the decisions of both these legislatures require the consent of the Emperor and King before they can be made laws.

Each country has its own Premier and Cabinet, and to manage the affairs common to both countries there is a third parliament, as it were, composed of members from Hungary and Austria.

This body is appointed for a year, and meets alternately at Vienna, the capital of Austria, and Buda Pesth, the twin capital of Hungary, a city which lies half on one bank of the Danube and half on the other. It is the duty of these lawgivers to consider the matters that concern the affairs of both countries equally.

There are three state departments, whose officers are responsible for their work to the Delegations, as the third body of lawgivers is called.

These officers