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Outline History of Cuba from May, 1896, to January, 1897

A Memorable Year-A Long Period of Spanish Stagnation--The Rainy Season Recess--Maceo Disturbs Peace in Pinar del Rio--Weyler's Policy--Bird's-eye View of Cuban Provinces--Resemblance to New England--The Famous Trocha--Conflict of Testimony--Common Carelessness as to Truth--The Death of Maceo, and Variety of Fiction Founded on It--Dr. Zertucha a Sinister Character--Two American Correspondents with the Spaniards Give Interesting Information--The Story of a Fight at Sea--Fantastic Falsehoods--Castelar's Political Poetry--No Spanish Reform--Cleveland and Congress--Importance of Diplomatic Form and Dignity.

THE year 1896 will be forever memorable in the history of Cuba. In the first month of it the fact that there was a greater war in the Island than ever before--a war with torch and knife, and a fierce resolution on both sides to fight it out to the bitter end--became known to the world; but there were many particulars wanting to enable the public opinion of nations to be certainly grounded as to the merit of either the political and economic differences or the military situation, every point of fact being ferociously disputed. There was, however, enough obvious to inform all spectators that the insurgents had adopted a more destructive method of warfare than had appeared in the ten years' contest, and that the armed forces of the rebellion were more numerous and their policy more adventurous than on former occasions. The demonstration of this was in the march of Gomez with fire and sword from the Eastern through the Western Provinces, which had in all former experiences been exempt from invasion. It was when the burning cane-fields reddened the sky in the Provinces of Matanzas, Havana, and Pinar del Rio, and the ruddy glare was discerned from the streets of Havana and the decks of steamers on the Gulf, that the great military chieftain and pacificator of Spain, Martinez Campos, who had hastened to the scene of former exploits to close up the insurrection at once, was recalled; and this seemed, to thoughtful men, to declare beyond dispute the loss to Spain of the Island. The successor, after a short interval, of Campos (Weyler) has occupied about the same time with substantially the same results. Spain has made terrible sacrifices, and the insurrection continues.