of the Spaniards had to remain on garrison duty in the cities and
towns, especially along the coast, so that the number free to take the
field against the Cubans was no greater than that of the latter. With
numbers anywhere near equal, the Cubans were almost sure to win, because
of their superior morale and their better knowledge of the country.

The Cubans suffered much, it is true, from lack of supplies, and this
lack became the more marked and grievous as the Spaniards increased
their naval forces and drew tighter and tighter their double cordon of
vessels around the island. Several costly expeditions which were fitted
out in the United States during the year came to grief, being either
restrained from sailing by the United States authorities or intercepted
and captured by the Spanish. One such vessel, fully laden with valuable
supplies, was seized at the mouth of the Delaware River, as it was
setting out for Cuba, and the cargo was confiscated. The company of
Cubans in command of the vessel were arrested and brought to trial, but
were acquitted since the mere exportation of arms and ammunition in an
unarmed merchant vessel was no violation of law. Far different was the
fate of any such who were captured by the Spanish at the other end of
the voyage, as they were approaching the Cuban coast. The mildest fate
they could expect was a term of many years of penal servitude at Ceuta.
Such was the sentence imposed upon sailors who were guilty of nothing
more than smuggling the contraband goods into Cuba. As for Juan
Gualberto Gomez and his comrades in an expedition which presumptively
was intended for fighting as well as smuggling, twenty years at Ceuta
was their sentence.

During the summer of 1895 a severe but necessary order was issued by the
Cuban commander in chief. This, addressed to the people of Camaguey
Province, directed the cessation of all plantation work, save such as
was necessary for the food supply of the families there resident; and
also strictly forbade the supplying of any food to the Spanish garrisons
in the towns and cities. Disobedience to these orders, it was plainly
stated, would mean the destruction of the offending plantation. It was
the purpose of General Gomez to deprive the Spaniards of all local
supplies and make them dependent upon shipments of food, even, from
Spain. This meant, no doubt, much hardship to the Cuban people. But
there was little complaint, and it was seldom that the rule was