at
according to his own statement Eastern Cuba is subdued.

If the great Spanish general keeps on at his present rate of progress,
it will be a long time before he gets both ends of Cuba pacified at the
same time.

Weyler complains bitterly about the filibustering expeditions. He
declares that the war could have been long since terminated if the
United States had not given so much aid to the insurgents by allowing
these expeditions to be fitted out in her ports.

The _Dauntless_ has been successful in carrying three expeditions to
Cuba lately.

One of them was landed only a few miles from Havana, and passed within
gunshot of the great fortress Morro Castle without being seen by any of
the gunboats which are supposed to guard the shores.

Weyler was furious that such a daring act should have been safely
accomplished, and has written a severe letter to the Admiral in charge
of the fleet, upbraiding him for his carelessness.

In the last of her three expeditious the saucy little _Dauntless_ ran
short of coal and water, and to the annoyance of the Spaniards the
keeper of a lighthouse situated on one of the West Indian keys that
belong to England gave the men the supplies they needed, and enabled
them to make their third trip in safety.

General Weyler has ordered an investigation of the matter, and intends
to make a formal complaint to England about the action of the lighthouse
keeper.

The way the _Dauntless_ managed her three expeditions without being
caught was very clever. All the stores, ammunition, arms, and men that
were to be conveyed to Cuba were gradually gathered on one of the
Florida keys. There are a great number of these little banks and islands
stretching along the coast of Florida, and some of them are so difficult
to reach, for any steamer that draws much water, that they make good
hiding-places.

When everything was in readiness the _Dauntless_ went down to the key,
and one after the other took off her three loads. The hiding-place was
so well chosen that no one knows exactly where it is, and if the Cubans
keep their secret they will be able to send other expeditions in the
same way.

General Weyler has other anxieties on his mind just now. He is expecting
the arrival of a new floating dock which has been built for him in
England, at a cost of $900,000.

This great dock is intended to be used as a dry-dock; that is to say, it
is so made that ships can be lifted clear out of the water by it,