and a certainty of becoming the prey of some awful pestilence.

Many of the soldiers who have been sent home have died on the voyage,
and those who have reached Spain are so broken down in health that the
fresh soldiers are afraid to go to Cuba.

There have been several mutinies among the troops which were ordered out
with General Blanco.

A mutiny means that the soldiers refuse to obey the orders of their
officers, and is practically a strike among soldiers.

In this instance the men have refused to embark for Cuba. In spite of
their remonstrance they have been forced to obey, and the ringleaders
severely punished.

* * * * *

It seems that our chances of being drawn into a war with Spain have not
been greatly lessened by the answer to General Woodford's message.

Every one is waiting anxiously to know what the President will say at
the opening of Congress, for it looks as if the time had come when we
must take sides with Cuba.

The former minister to Spain, Mr. Hannis Taylor, has published an
article in _The North American Review_, in which he gives it as his
opinion that as Spain seems unable to put an end to the war, it is our
duty to interfere, and tell the Spaniards that the war must cease by a
certain date or we will have to take a hand and put an end to it