o Cuba.

She left Jacksonville with a schooner, the _Jenny Thomas_, in tow. When
she reached the mouth of the St. Johns River, she was overhauled by the
cruiser _Vesuvius_. Nothing contraband being found on her, she was
allowed to go on her way after an hour's delay.

Unfortunately, it never occurred to the officers to search the vessel in
tow, and so the daring little vessel got safely away.

It now appears that the contraband material was on board the schooner,
and that after the cruiser was safely passed, the _Dauntless_ cast
anchor in some convenient spot, took her forbidden cargo on board, and
sailed away to Cuba without further hindrance.

The Spanish authorities are much annoyed over this incident, and think
the United States is not showing a proper regard for Spain in allowing
filibustering expeditions to leave her shores at a time when Spain is
trying to pacify the Cubans with such liberal reforms.

* * * * *

Don Carlos is said to be showing some activity again.

Realizing that the new decree giving Home Rule to Cuba will be very
objectionable to many Spaniards, he has called a consultation of the
leaders of his party, and asked them to go about among the people, and
rouse them against the Government.

He promises that if he is called to the throne, he will not show any
such mercy to the rebellious Cubans, but will compel them, by force of
arms, to obey the will of the Spanish sovereign.

The leaders of the Carlist party do not, however, seem to be in any
great hurry to act.

Such a revolution as Don Carlos is anxious to begin means life or death
to the nobles and men of position who support him. If the rising fails,
these men will be regarded as traitors to their country, and shot or
exiled. In any case they will lose everything that they own or that the
Government can discover and take from them.

With so much at stake it is but natural that the nobles should wish to
be sure that their reward in case of success will be as great as their
punishment in case of failure.

They are therefore anxious to secure certain pledges from Don Carlos,
before they openly join themselves to an enterprise so full of peril.

Don Carlos does not seem willing to give these assurances, and so the
rebellion is at a standstill at present.

* * * * *

There was a little excitement during the past week over the announcement
that the English and French arm