The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 46, September 23, 1897

The Cubans say that the first work of the new administration must be to establish a government for peace. Up to the present time their thoughts have all been directed toward preserving the army in the field, and making it possible to continue the war.

The rebellion has now such a strong hold in the eastern part of the island that it is necessary to provide laws for the welfare of those who are living under the flag of free Cuba, which, as we have told you before, now floats over Santiago de Cuba.

The Government has already established factories and workshops to furnish supplies for the army, and about five thousand persons are employed in them.

There are tanneries where the skins of beasts are made into leather; shoe, saddle, harness, gunpowder, and dynamite factories, and workshops for repairing arms and reloading gun-cartridges.

A newspaper man who says he has been through these establishments states that while they are somewhat old-fashioned in their methods, owing to the impossibility of obtaining the newest machinery, the work they turn out is excellent.

The Cuban Government is also providing for the education of its subjects. Free schools are being established wherever it is safe to do so, and every effort is being made to render the people who acknowledge the rule of the young republic happy and law-abiding.

One of the candidates for the Presidency is Gen. Bartolome Maso, who holds the office of Vice-President under the present administration.

Señor Maso is a dear friend and close companion of President Cisneros; so warm is this friendship, indeed, that Cisneros has offered to withdraw from the candidacy in favor of Maso, and Maso has refused to let him do so, declaring that he can serve the republic just as well whether he is President or private citizen.

Maso is one of the soldiers who fought in the revolt ten years ago. He was one of the first to take up arms against Spain on the present occasion. You must not confound him with Maceo, the murdered general. This man is Bartolome Maso, the dead general was Antonio Maceo.

Señor Maso is often lovingly referred to by the Cubans as the father of the revolution.

Consul-General Lee has returned from Cuba. He has been ill for some months, and has obtained a few weeks' leave of absence in which to regain his strength. There are reports that he is not to return to Cuba, but that another Consul-General is to be appointed in his place. These rumors are not generally credited.

From the Philippine Islands the news comes that the natives intend to prolong the war until Spain's money is exhausted, and then force her to agree to their demands.

The main fighting in this insurrection has taken place on the island of Luzon. This island has been visited by a terrible disaster. One of its volcanic mountains has suddenly burst into activity, and thrown out streams of lava in such volume that they have travelled over twenty miles of country until they reached the sea.

It is said that several villages have been destroyed by the lava flow, and about five hundred persons killed.

There is once more a prospect of a settlement of the Greek question.

After the rejection of Lord Salisbury's plan, about which we told you last week, it seemed as if matters would again be brought to a standstill. England refused to consent to any plan that did not include the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Thessaly, and Germany would not listen to any arrangement that did not include the full control of the Greek Treasury.

The Russian Minister, fearing another long delay, appealed to England, and demanded that she should agree to Germany's plan, or propose some other that would be agreeable to all the parties concerned.

Lord Salisbury therefore made a new proposal to this effect. The Powers should take control of the revenues set aside by Greece for the payment of the war debt to Turkey, and that yet another sum should be handed over to the Powers to secure the payment of her other debts.

The proposal also stated that when Greece had put the funds into the hands of the Powers, Turkey was immediately to recall her troops from Thessaly.

The ambassadors all agreed to accept this plan, which, in truth, gave both Germany and England the points they desired. After the foreign Ministers had decided to accept it, it was shown informally to Tewfik Pasha.

This official also appeared satisfied with the arrangements, and gave the ambassadors to understand that when it was formally presented to him he would be able to accept it in the name of the Sultan.

It is therefore expected that the details of the peace treaty will be settled in a very few days.

Greece, the country most interested in this settlement, is the party least satisfied with the arrangement.

It is felt in Athens that the terms of the peace are very hard ones. The frontier question has been so settled that Greece is powerless to defend herself against the Turks if they should declare war on her again. The mountain passes and the important places in the mountain ranges will be in the hands of the Turks, and Greece will lie at the foot of the hills, a ready prey to any army that may descend on her from the heights.

In addition to this, she has to pay a heavy war indemnity, and to do so must turn over the control of her revenue to foreigners.

It will take many years before Greece can recover from this blow.

The blockade of Crete is to be brought to an end, or "raised" as it is called.

The Cretans having accepted the Home Rule offered them by the Powers, there is no longer any need for the allied fleets to remain there, and therefore the war-ships are to leave the island.

It is difficult to see what good they have accomplished. When Djevad Pasha arrived at the island, giving himself all the airs of a new Turkish governor, the Cretans accepted Home Rule in the belief that the Powers would protect them from the Turks.

Not being wily diplomatists, they did not insert any clause about the withdrawal of Turkish troops from the island, and therefore the Powers do not feel bound to demand this of Turkey, and are taking away the only protection the Cretans had, and are leaving them just as much at the mercy of the Turks as they were before Greece tried to go to their rescue.

It seems a shabby piece of business on the part of the Powers, and one they will have hard work to justify even to themselves.

The admirals have, it is true, requested Djevad Pasha to order all the Turks in the island disarmed with the exception of the Turkish soldiers. If he refuses they threaten to ask for his recall, but this is a very poor conclusion after all the fuss that has been made, and the trouble the interference of the Powers has caused.

There is good news from the Soudan.

After the British had taken the town of Abu Hamed, about which we told you a short while since, they continued to advance up the Nile toward the next important town that lay in their route to Khartoum.

This town was Berber.

It was expected that the Mahdists would make a fierce resistance at this place, and the British troops were prepared for severe fighting.

What was their surprise on reaching Berber to find that the Mahdists had fled before them, and were encamped at the city of Matammeh, where they intended to make a stand against the invading army.