CUBA. 



215 



The custody and guardianship of the coasts of this 

 island, of the keys adjacent, and the waters apper- 

 taining: to the territory, being of the greatest impor- 

 tance, in order to suppress the insurgent bands that 

 have hitherto maintained themselves by outside as- 

 sistance ; and determined, as I am, to give a vigorous 

 impulse to the pursuit of them, and Avith a view of 

 settling the doubts entertained by our cruisers as to 

 the proper interpretation of the decrees promulgated 

 by this superior political government under date of 

 November 9, 1868, February 18th and 26th, and March 

 24th last, I have decided to amplify and unite the 

 aforesaid orders and substitute for them the follow- 

 ing, which, by virtue of the authority vested in me 

 by the nation, I decree : 



ARTICLE 1. All ports situated between Cayo Bahia 

 de Cadiz and Point Maysi, on the north side, with the 

 exception of Sagua la Grande, Caibarien, Nuevitas, 

 Gibara, Baracoa, Guantanamo, Santiago de Cuba, 

 Manzanillo, Santa Cruz, Zaza, Trinidad, and Cien- 

 fuegos, where there are custom-houses, will continue 

 closed to the import and export trade both by foreign 

 and coasting vessels. Those who may attempt the 

 entry of any closed ports, or to open communication 

 with their coasts, will be pursued, and, on being cap- 

 tured, are to be tried as violators of the law. 



ART. 2. Vessels carrying gunpowder, arms, and 

 warlike stores, will likewise be judged in accordance 

 with the law. 



AST. 3. The transportation of individuals in the 

 service of the insurrection is by far more serious than 

 that of contraband of war, and will be deemed an act 

 of decided hostility, and the vessel and crew regard- 

 ed as enemies to the state. 



AET. 4. Should the individuals referred to in the 

 foregoing article come armed, this will be regarded 

 de facto as proof of their intentions, and they will be 

 regarded as pirates, as will also be the case with the 

 crew of the vessel. 



AKT. 5. In accordance with the law, vessels cap- 

 tured under an unknown flag, whether armed or un- 

 armed, will also be regarded as pirates. 



AET. 6. In free seas adjacent to those of this island 

 the cruisers will limit themselves in their treatment 

 of denounced vessels, or those who render themselves 

 suspicious, to the rights given in the treaties between 

 Spam and the United States in 1795, Great Britain in 

 1835, and with other nations subsequently; and if, in 

 the exercise of these rights, they should encounter 

 any vessels recognized as enemies of the integrity of 

 the territory, they will carry them into port for legal 

 investigation and judgment accordingly. 



CABALLEEO 1)E EODAS. 



He announced a vigorous policy by the fol- 

 lowing decree, which proves that he would not 

 concede that the Cuban forces were made up 

 of thousands of well-armed men, under bold 

 and experienced leaders : 



SUPERIOR POLITICAL GOVERNMENT or THE ) 



PROVINCE OF CUBA, > 



HAVANA, July 6, 1869. ) 



The insurrection, in its impotency, being reduced 

 to detached bands, perverted to the watchword of 

 desolation, and daily perpetrating crimes that have 

 no precedent in civilized countries, personal security 

 and the rights of justice, the foremost guarantees of 

 person and property, imperiously demand that said 

 insurrection be hastened to its end, and without con- 

 sideration toward those who have placed themselves 

 beyond the pale of the law. The culprit will not be 

 deprived of the guarantees of just impartiality in the 

 evidence of his crimes, but without the delay admis- 

 sible in normal periods, which would procrastinate 

 or paralyze the verdict of the law and its inexorable 

 fulfilment. 



As the guardian of the national integrity, the pro- 

 tector of the upright and pacific citizen, fulfilling the 

 duties of my office, and in virtue of the authority con- 



ceded to me by the Government of the nation, I here- 

 by decree : 



ARTICLE 1. The decrees promulgated by this supe- 

 rior political government, under date of 12th and 13th 

 February last, shall be carried out with vigor. 



ART. 2. The crimes of premeditated incendiarism, 

 assassination, and robbery, by armed force and contra- 

 band, shall be tried by a council of war. 



ART. 3. The courts of justice will continue in the 

 exercise of their attributes, without prejudice, how- 

 ever, of being submitted to me such cases as special 

 circumstances may require. 



CABALLEEO DE EODAS. 



A proclamation followed, addressed to the 

 "Inhabitants of the Island of Cuba," the vol- 

 unteers, soldiers, and mariners. 



In July, General Puello, at the head of 300 

 Spanish marines, was attacked by a force of 

 patriots near Baga, a small town situated on 

 the same bay as Nuevitas, and not far from 

 that city. The marines were forced to fall 

 back upon Nuevitas, with a loss of 80. 



During July the Spanish troops in the insur- 

 rectionary distrftts were reenforced by all the 

 disposable forces of the island. In the Cinco 

 "Villas district there were several contests, in 

 which small parties were engaged. It is re- 

 ported that in these engagements the Spanish 

 loss in killed, wounded, and prisoners, amount- 

 ed to nearly 400. These reinforcements were 

 sent principally to the district commanded 

 by General Jordan, but, on account of the 

 setting in of the rainy season, both par- 

 ties were compelled to suspend operations. 

 The Cubans continued to be reenforced by 

 volunteers from the United States. Two hun- 

 dred and twenty-five, recruited in Indiana, 

 Ohio, and Kentucky, succeeded in landing on 

 the 28th of July, and joining General Quesada's 

 forces. They carried with them arms and am- 

 munition, and a large supply of camp-equipage. 



In October the volunteers continued to con- 

 trol the affairs of the island, and the Captain- 

 General seemed powerless to prevent them. A 

 general feeling of insecurity and alarm pre- 

 vailed, and no foreigner or native felt safe. 



The decree of the Constituent Cortes, estab- 

 lishing unrestricted liberty of religion in the 

 colonies of Cuba and Porto Rico, was, on Octo- 

 ber 25th, promulgated in Cuba, and has gone 

 into effect as the law of the land. The docu- 

 ment declares that Spain cannot remain re- 

 moved from the general movement of Europe 

 and the world, and adds that this considera- 

 tion is the more powerful for the Antilles, be- 

 cause they lie near a continent where liberty 

 of religion is recognized by law. One clause 

 of the decree provides that no person shall be 

 prevented from holding office under the Gov- 

 ernment by reason of his religious belief. The 

 decree was received with general satisfaction, 

 by the populace. 



During the prevalence of cholera in October, 

 which carried off great numbers of Valma- 

 seda's forces, Quesada's 8,000 well-armed and 

 thoroughly-organized men spent their time in 

 going through target-drill. There were, in 

 October (according to Cuban accounts), about 



