THE INSURRECTION IN CUBA.

Southland Times, Issue 1168, 31 May 1869, Page 2

THE INSURRECTION IN CUBA.

i Satisfactory news has been received by^* tbe Government from General Dulce. The captain states that the insurrection in" Cuba will now speedily be brought to a close, if the insurgents do not receive reinforcements from abroad, and that eight millions of dollars of the new loan have been raised in that colony. The following extract from a private letter will be read with interest : — " At length we have reliable information respecting the insurrection in Cuba. It broke out at Yara, near Bayamo, and did not number 200 men of all classes, but it spread like fire upon a western prairie, the rallying cry of the rebels being ' Down with the contributions, and freedom for Cuba.' They soon became masters of the small towns and villages of the interior, from Puerto Principle to Santiago de Cuba and Baiacoa, as the Royal troops in the island had been r"e* duced from 25,000 to 30,003 men, to something under 15,000, from motives of economy. On the first outbreak, and for some time subsequently, the rebels paid great respect to private property of all kinds, slaves included. After a month or' six. weeks, however, they began to entice, or force away, the able-bodied men slaves. Latterly they have committed mdiscrim« mate plunder, and at the latest advices they were setting fire to the estates, having first stripped them of everything moveable, crops; cattle, horses, mules, leaden or pewter articles, or machinery, cloths, arms, and all the slaves. In a few 1 terrible words, the dreadful scenes of the i St. Domingo insurrection at the end of last century may be said to have commenced in the fair and fertile Queen of the Antilles ; and as negroes are reported Ito predominate enormously in numbers among the rebel troops over whites and coloured men, unutterable horrors will I ensue if the rebellion be not put down* No Bignal victory of the government troops has occurred, the rebels invariably retreating when attacked, upon principle. On January 1 the chiefs of the rebellion proclaimed the abolition of slavery. They have published two newspapers, called Gubano Libre, at Bayamo, and Estrella Cubana, at Holguin I Some time near the middle of last month General Count Balmaseda advanced upon Bayamo. but found the place deserted, one mass of flame or ashes, and about the same time the Governor of Santiago retook Cobre, a small town to the west of that city, famous for its copper mines, from the rebels. The question whether this rich colony of Spain shall continue to form part, and that a very brilliant one, of the Spanish dominions, or fall into the savage state of Hayti, seems to depend, in the first place, upon the loyalty of the upper classes of. the western division of the island, the seat of the vast sugar estates, of the unequalled tobacco vegas, and of many other tropical productions; If the free inhabitants remain faithful to the mother country, and under Captain. General Dulce's proclamation of amnesty and liberal institutions in prospect fop the future — forewarned and admonished as they are most significantly by what is occurring at the east — it is probable that they will. Secondly can they, aided by the reinforcements despatched already from Spain, spare, troops in such numbers as will drive the rebels into the sea, and at the same time keep their own slaves from rising ? Although the institution is in imminent danger of forcible and immediate abolition, through the examples held out to the slaves in the eastern division; it must be remembered : that they are not all ready to revolt. It is asserted that the greater number of the slaves banded with the rebels have been forcedaway from the plan tafions; therefore that may also be looked upon as likely ; but success depends upon the suppression of the rebellion in a short period. Spain cannot support the enormous outlay necessary for many months nor has she the men, nor will the climate allow it. Yellow fever will rage fearfully with hot weather, and sweep away the white troops by thousands if they remain exposed to iiuvssant marches, and surprises, and night attacks consequent upon bush fighting."