Other Divisions.-Although without official character, nevertheless there are in the island, three departments, named Western, Central and Eastern. Also there are the Vuela Arriba (high circuit) and Vuelta Abajo (low circuit) both belogning to Havana; Cinco Villas (five towns) to the territory which comprises the province of Santa Clara; Camaguey, to Puerto Principe and Tierra Adentro, which comprises the region between Cienfuegos and Bayamo. Governor. The island of Cuba is governed by a governorcaptain-general who is the chief magistrate, especially in the political and military economy. Each of the six provinces is governed by a civil governor. There is in each province a provincial police court, on which depends varied officers of this kind, whose justices are the local heads of their administrative departments. CHAPTER XI. HASTENING TO THE END. Planning to intercept the Spanish Fleet-Preparations for a battle of giants on the open sea-Congress providing sinews of war-Spain's policy changed by the Manila disaster-Hysterical appeals for intervention-The United States not seeking territory-Causes of Spain's decadence-Natural result of avarice and cruelty -A specimen proclamation-The dynasty menaced with revolution. HE victory at Manila broke the backbone of the war. Although the Secretary of the Navy and Rear-Admiral Sampson kept the details of the plans of operation a profound secret, it was believed that the Spanish Atlantic fleet would not be allowed to approach the coast of the United States, and that the enemy would be met on the high seas and given battle at a time and a place to be chosen by our admiral. It was wisely thought that it would be a point gained to take Spain's fleet, if possible, totally unawares, and before preparation could be made and before it was possible for the enemy to escape, to open battle. A censorship of telegrams from Key West was established, and it was impossible to get news direct from that important place. The movements of both fleets were a mystery; Spain was expected to combine her strength in a desperate effort to gain the advantage she lost at the Philippines,-the "Vizcaya," the "Almirante Oquendo," the "Cristobal Colon," the "Maria Teresa" (all first-class cruisers), the torpedo boat destroyers, "Furor," "Terror" and "Pluton," the battleship "Pelayo," the first-class cruisers, "Cardenal, ""Cisneros," the "Emperador Carlos V," the "Giuseppe Garibaldi," the "Alfonso XIII.," the warships "Numancia," "Vitoria," "Destructor" and several auxiliary cruisers and torpedo boats could all be brought into battle array; and with the magnificent American fleet, a desperate struggle would follow. With the "St. Louis," "Harvard" and "Yale," with a number of assistants, doing patrol duty along the Atlantic shores, and being alert day and night, for the smoke of the enemy's ships, their prompt discovery would no doubt be made as they came into our waters. Commodore Schley's Flying Squadron remained at Hampton Roads to assist the northern patrol vessels in the defence of the coast, unless the enemy appeared at an unexpected place, and it seemed necessary to strike their warships in southeastern waters. Pending the activity at sea, Congress was not idle in considering additional war measures. Both Houses agreed upon the Fortifications. THE UNITED STATES MARINE HOSPITAL AT KEY WEST, FLA. Here the wounded sailors from the battleship "Maine" were quartered until fully convalescent. bill, which appropriates over $9,000,000 for sea-coast defences; estimates were made of $20,975,000 for naval deficiencies in addition to the regular appropriations already made; and there was a discussion of the wisdom of increasing the internal revenue taxes by $100,000,000 to obviate the necessity of raising money by bonds. Every movement of the American war forces was studied by those at the helm of affairs. The early seizure of Porto Rico was |