A W eekly Newspaper and Review .

DOM VOBIS (JRATULAMUR, ANIMOS BTIAM ADDIMUS OT IN 1NCGGPTXS VESTRIS CONSTANTER MANEAT1S.

From the Brief oj His Holiness Pius IX. to T h e T a b l e t , June 4, 1870.

V ol. 88. No. 2955. L ondon, D ecember 26, 1806. P rice sd. by Post sJ£d

[Registered at the General Post Office as a Newspaper

C hronicle of the W e e k !

Page

The Situation in Cuba— The Attitude of the American Senate— Mr. Olney’s Views— Attitude of American Senate Condemned— Mr. Bryce on the Eastern Question—The Earthquake— Previous Earthquakes— Im p o r ta n t C a b Decision— Royal Commission on Sugar-Growing— Photography in Colours — The Hamburg Dock Strike— Sweating and Socialism — Opening of the Davy-Faraday Laboratory— The Sultan Under Pressure—At L a s t : Coercion . . 1001 L eaders :

The Crown and the Bishops . . 1005 Religion and Politics in the

Balkans . . . . . . -. 1005 ■ Can We Restore St. Gregory’s

Mass-Book? . . .. ..1007 First Catholic Congress in Spanish

America . . . . . . •. 1009

CONTENTS.

The Grey Friars of Cardiff No t e s .................... Reviews :

Pace . joog .1010

Cardinal Manning.. ^ . . . . i o n Letters o f a Country Vicar . . 1012 A Controversial Catechism . . 1013 The Herb-Moon .. . . ..1013 An Uncrowned King . . ..10x4 Episcopal Jubilee c f the Archbishop of Hobart . . . . . . ..1014 Correspondence :

Rome :—(From Our Own Corre­

spondent).. . .

»1017

News from Ireland . . ... - 1019 News Frcm France . . ..1020 Letters to the Editor :

Mr. Puller on Attrition . . . . 1021 The Origin of Man . . . ..1022 Devil-Worship and Diana Vaughanio23 ' Dr. Creighton and the Nuncio ..1023

Intemperance . . . . ..1024 Church or Chapel.. . . .1024

L e t t e r s to t h e E d it o r (Con­

tinued : The Education Question . . “ Mating of Saints’’ Relics of St. Thomas of Canter­

Page

1025 1025

bury . . . . . . . . 1025 Catholics and Temperance . . 1025 The Anglican Ordinal . . . .1025 Converts Aid Society . . . . 1 0 6 “ Chapel” and “ Father” ..1026 Parker’s Register . . . . ..1026 Where is St. Cuthbert’s Body? Bumbles in Fault at Medway F rom E v eryw h ere . . . . ..1028 A p pe a l s t o t h e C h a r it a b l e ..1029 O b it u a r y ............................ ..1030 Social and Political .. ..1030

. . 1026 ..1028

SU PPLEM EN T . Page N ew s from t h e S choot.s :

The Liverpool School Beard’s

Recommendation to G o v e r n ment ..................................... 1033

N ew s from the Schools (Con­

tinued): Is the Board School S y s t em

Page

N a tio nal?.. . . . . ..1034 The School Question at Heywood 1034 'I he Campaign Against a Fair

Settlement . . . . ..1034 A Compromise Outlined . . ..1034 Pictures in Board Schools . . 1035 Ratcliffe College : Memorial to

Father Hirst .. . . . 1035 DL'ttibution o f Certificates at St.

Joseph's College, Dumfries ..1035 News from the jjioceses : Westminster . . . . ..1035

Northampton . . . . --1035 Newport . . . . . . -.1035 Glasgow . . . . . . ..1036 Mgr. Langevin and the Manitoba

School Settlement . . . . ..1036 Anglican Orders : The Pope’s Sin­

cerity . . . . . . .. ..1038 The C h u r ch o f Scotland and

Foreign Missions . . . . ..1039

Rejected MS. cannot be returned unless accompanied with address and postage.

CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK.

THE ■ SITUATION IN

CUBA.

r” f ' 'H E latest letter from the Times cor­

respondent in H avana is written -**- in the usual tone o f pessimism, and it is quite clear that this particular observer is satisfied that in the end the insurgents must prevail. T h e date o f his letter, Decem ber 5, is important, because M aceo’s death may have since materially changed the positions o f the contending parties. H e declares that the 60,000 or 70,000 Spanish troops now concentrated in Pinar del R io are powerless to pacify the province, and that they suffice only to hold a narrow strip o f territory some 40 miles in length and three miles wide. I t is true that detachm ents have been pushed forward to occupy certain ridges in the ranges o f hills in the centre o f the province, but they have failed to com e in contact with the enemy. T h e correspondent adds : “ L iv e stock, plantations, and farm buildings in this zone o f occupation have been destroyed m order to reduce the chances o f the rebels obtaining food supplies or shelter now or at any future tim e. T h e se are severe measures, and only the present desperate state o f affairs can justify the Commander-inC h ie f in taking upon h im self the responsibility for such action .” M eanwhile sickness is p laying havoc with the Spanish conscripts, and when the letter was written already 17,000 men were in the hospitals. T h e correspondent does not appear to consider it part o f his duty to leave the sheltering walls o f Havana, but he gives prom inence to the opinions o f a French planter who has lived thirty-five years in Vuelta A bajo , and whose opinions seem in many ways to coincide with his own. A sk ed as to what happens to those families who do not comply with the Government order to move in to the towns, he answered that such families were treated as rebels and killed. When these families com e in to the towns they are made to work at drawing water, sweeping and cleaning the streets, and cutting firewood for the troops ; and for this compulsory labour the usual payment is only a small ration o f food. On the other hand, according to the Times representative, many o f the worst features characterizing the rebellion up to six or eight months ago have now disappeared, or are at least greatly modified. T h e white element is largely in the majority in

New Series. Vol. LYI., No. 2,264.

the rebel ranks, whereas for many months after the outbreak occurred the negroes were the predominating feature. Then, again, the sympathy o f nearly all o f the educated Cubans is with the rebels, no better proof o f this being needed than the number o f prominent people who have been sent as political prisoners to the Spanish penal settlem ents during the last six months. T h e Spaniards argue that Cuba independent would be only a second edition o f H ayti. H a d the rebellion trium phed with its first elements the assertion would have proved a true one. Now, however, the case is different. T h e administration would be in the hands o f educated men who would be perfectly capable o f appreciating the duties o f their offices, although, possibly, not very firm in maintaining a strong and decided attitude in tim es o f difficulty. Nor is there any reason to suppose that the race question would b e prominent for the present. N a tu rally the Cubans, both white and coloured, are a peaceful people, and when once a settlem ent o f the existing troubles was made to their satisfaction they would soon settle down again to work. F inally, the number o f troops o f all arms at the disposal o f General W eyler is stated to be not less than 250,000 men. A gainst them are arrayed some 40,000 or 50,000 rebels, who are well armed and fed but greatly in want o f clothing and specially in want o f boots.

T h e section o f the American people

— the attitude of whic h sympathizes with the Cuban insursenate. gents or resents the necessity which has obliged the American navy to do police w o ik during the last two years, has made itself heard in the Senate. T h e Committee on Foreign Relations agreed to report favourably to the Senate the following resolution : “ Joint resolution acknowledging the independence o f the R epublic o f Cuba : Resolved b y the Senate and H ouse o f Representatives o f the United States o f Am erica in C on gress a ssem b led : (1 ) T h a t the independence o f the R e public o f Cuba be and the same is hereby acknowledged by the U n ited States o f America. (2) T h a t the United States will use its friendly offices with the Government o f Spain to bring to a close the war between Spain and C u b a .” T h is resolution was offered in the name o f Mr. Cameron o f Pennsylvania. I t is a little ominous to note that among the Senators who supported the resolution was Mr. ShermaD, who is expected to be Secretary o f State under the next administration.

Meanwhile an interesting question o f con-

— m r . o l n e y ’ s stitutional law is being actively discussed.

views. Suppose the Senate and H ouse o f Repre­

sentatives agree to send the Joint Resolution