beyond that
they suffered no loss, and their second victory, the taking of the city,
was as easy as their first, when they captured the forts protecting
Kiao-Chou Bay.

Whether the reports that China has given up Kiao-Chou be true or false,
it is certain that Germany has no intention of letting the prize she
holds slip through her fingers.

She has just sent out a reinforcement of twelve hundred marines and two
hundred artillerymen, under the command of the Emperor's brother, Prince
Henry of Prussia.

Marines are soldiers who form a part of the equipment of war-vessels.

They have none of the sailors' duties, and do not handle the ships, but
are sea troops, so to speak, who fight on shipboard, or are landed to
attack a town, as in the case of Kiao-Chou.

They are a very useful body of men; but being neither soldiers nor
sailors, according to the recognized idea of the terms, they are looked
down upon by both soldiers and jack tars. In England it is a common
saying that a marine is "neither fish, flesh, fowl, nor good red
herring."

It is stated that the principal reason for the seizure of Kiao-Chou Bay
was that Germany desired to have her share of the China trade. Finding
that China was indifferent to her wishes, she determined to seize upon a
portion of Chinese soil, and put herself in a position to force the
Asiatic kingdom to listen to her demands and obey them.

A later telegram from China says that Germany has agreed to give up
Kiao-Chou Bay for a coaling-station at Sam-Sah, which is on the coast of
China, facing Formosa, the island Japan secured from China in the late
war.

This report is also as yet unconfirmed, and so we must wait until next
week to know which is the correct one.

* * * * *

From the latest Cuban news, it would seem that the insurgents are
gaining a good many victories.

The leader of the Spanish forces, General Pando, was met by the Cubans
in a heavy engagement in Santa Clara province. The first reports that
reached us were that the Cubans had won the victory, and General Pando
had been killed.

This report was denied by the Spaniards, but nevertheless no news has
been received from this leader since the engagement.

The Spanish authorities are awaiting information with the deepest
anxiety. The idea is growing daily stronger that some disaster must have
overtaken him, and that he has been cut off from communication with
Havana; otherwise no one c