The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 44, September 9, 1897 | Page 6

place was not easily filled.
On the death of Se?or Canovas, General Azcarraga, by virtue of his office of Minister of War, assumed the duties of the Prime Minister, and it is upon him that the Queen's choice has fallen. General Azcarraga is supposed to be thoroughly in sympathy with Se?or Canovas' plans for Cuba, and to be prepared to carry them out.
He is said to approve of the way Weyler has been conducting the war, and intends to keep him as Captain-General of Cuba.
It is reported that when the news of Se?or Canovas' death reached Havana, General Weyler at once offered to resign his position, well knowing that if Se?or Sagasta was made Prime Minister in Canovas' place there would be a new Captain-General in Cuba within the month.
Sagasta has, as you probably remember, many kindly plans for Cuba, and had he come into power it is thought would have endeavored to give Cuba home rule.
The Queen has, however, put an end to his hopes by appointing General Azcarraga, and Sagasta must be content to wait.
In the mean while the Carlists are gathering in force, prepared to revolt as soon as Don Carlos shall bid them to. It is reported that sixty thousand well-armed men are ready to answer to his call.
Don Carlos, however, persists in awaiting the result of the Cuban war before he attempts to seize the throne. He declares that he loves his country too well to plunge it into a civil war at the moment when it is harassed by outside enemies.
The situation in Cuba continues to improve for the insurgents. They are strong, hopeful, and victorious. They have not as yet risked any great battle, but in their raids and forays against the enemy are constantly successful.
It is reported on the best authority that Gomez has crossed the Matanzas border, and is now in Havana province. It is also said that the trochas have been abandoned by the Spaniards, and the insurgents cross them at will.
The Spanish garrisons are now being withdrawn from the smaller interior towns and concentrated in the important places, principally on the seaboard.
The condition of the Spanish soldiers grows daily worse, while the rebels have become so inured to hardship that they have developed into fine, sturdy soldiers.
If Spain is not able to send strong reinforcements soon, the end of the Cuban war cannot be very far off.
General Woodford, the United States minister to Spain, will arrive in Madrid about September 1st, and it is expected that he will be presented to the Queen Regent about September 15th.
It is stated that he is to endeavor to persuade Spain to put a speedy end to the war by granting home rule to Cuba.
Mr. Fishback, who acted as Mr. Calhoun's secretary, has, it is said, been sent to Cuba on a special mission from the Government. He is to go the round of the consulates in the island with Consul-General Lee, and obtain an idea of the true conditions in Cuba, and report the result of his observations to the President.
* * * * *
The new tariff law has now been in effect for some weeks, and every day there are fresh accounts of the woes of the incoming travellers from Europe.
The zeal of the Custom-House officers in performing their duty is only equalled by the efforts of the passengers in avoiding theirs. Every ship-load that arrives affords infinite sport for the unconcerned onlooker.
Last week a French family, consisting of a mother and two sons, arrived.
When asked if they had any dutiable articles, they declared that they had brought nothing with them that ought to pay duty. As they had twenty pieces of baggage with them, the officials refused to believe that they had nothing on which duty should be levied.
The two sons were very elegant and extremely polite French gentlemen. They courteously handed their keys to the inspectors, and turned around to converse with some equally elegant young ladies who had come to meet their party.
Their pleasant conversation was roughly interrupted by the inspectors.
Only six of the twenty pieces of baggage were trunks; the rest proved to be packing-cases.
"They've got to be opened," said the heated inspectors.
"Certainly. You have our permission to open them," said the polite young Frenchmen.
"What!" roared the inspectors, "Open them! We are not carpenters! Open them yourselves!"
There and then these well-dressed, well-mannered young men had to set to work to pry open their own packing-cases.
By this time their suavity had so exasperated the officials, who are not accustomed to politeness and pleasant words from incoming passengers, that they decided that the young Frenchmen must have a reason for their good manners, and be in fact dangerous smugglers.
As one of the young men bent over a packing-case it was noticed that his coat-pockets bulged suspiciously. Before he could offer