nds are all gathering at Lucerne to hold the council of which we
spoke last week. The unhappy Queen Christine is waiting with much
anxiety to learn what they decide to do.

* * * * *

In Cuba, the insurgents continue to be victorious. The Spaniards are
being driven out of the inland towns, and their real strength is now
only on the seaboard.

Several unsuccessful attempts have been made by the Spaniards to
recapture Victoria de las Tunas, and to break the power of the
insurgents in Santiago de Cuba. The Cubans have, however, gained victory
after victory, and have at last driven the Spaniards over the trocha,
and utterly destroyed the town of Las Tunas. They were not strong enough
to fortify and hold it, so they decided to burn it to the ground.

In one of the engagements to recapture the town, General Luque, the
Spanish commander, again exchanged prisoners with the Cubans, and in a
letter to General Garcia, in reference to the matter, addressed him as
the _Commander-in-Chief of the Cuban forces in the East_. The Cubans
have sent this letter on to their representatives in Washington with
instructions to bring it to the notice of our Government, to convince
them that the Spaniards have really acknowledged the belligerent rights
of the Cubans.

The indignation in Spain over the loss of Las Tunas gave rise to such
very severe comment on Weyler's bad generalship that he made up his mind
to offer his resignation to his Government.

The Prime Minister, General Azcarraga, however, replied to Weyler's
message that he had perfect confidence in him and in his ability to
bring the war to a speedy close, and would not permit him to resign.

Weyler, gratified at this, at once sent one of his boastful and
untruthful replies.

He said that the war was all but over. He had still a little work to do
before he could consider the West of the island entirely pacified, but
that so soon as this was accomplished he would set out for Eastern Cuba
and subdue that.

The Government appeared to be perfectly satisfied with this statement,
but it is strange that this should be the case.

Months ago General Weyler said that Eastern Cuba was all but pacified,
and that he was just about to finish his work there, and proceed to
subdue Western Cuba. After a little while he declared Eastern Cuba
pacified, and started off for his work in the West.

Now he tells the same story about the West, and seems to forget th