20,000 men to the Philippines without delay.

This is what is troubling Weyler.

Some months ago word was sent to the Spanish Government that Weyler was
robbing the treasury by drawing full pay for numbers of men who had been
killed by the Cubans, but whose names were still on the pay-rolls.

The matter was inquired into, but before it could get very far Weyler made
such indignant denials, and protested his innocence so strongly, that the
Prime Minister cabled a message assuring him of his confidence in him, and
the matter was allowed to drop.

At the time of these accusations Weyler assured the Government that he had
160,000 men in his army.

When the Carlist and Philippine troubles began to be serious, the Spanish
Government decided to take 20,000 men from Cuba, and send them on to the
Philippines, at the same time issuing a call to the loyal Spaniards in
Cuba to take up arms and fill the places of the men drafted to the other
war.

The plan was a good one, and would have worked well enough, if Weyler had
spoken the truth about the number of men under his command.

The fact was that his statement was altogether false.

His force in Cuba consisted of but 100,000 men. The other 60,000 had
either been killed by the Cubans, or were lying sick in hospitals.