SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
[Under this heading ice notice such Books of the week as have not been reserved for review in other forms.] Under Three Flags in Cuba. By George Clarke Musgrave. (Gay and Bird. 7s. 6d. net.)--The war in Cuba left the world with but an indifferent opinion of the Cuban patriots. They had held all the forces which Spain could bring against them in check, but yet, when a friendly intervention took place, and a nearer acquaint- ance with them became possible, their prestige seemed to disappear. Possibly they have suffered from not having the opportunity of presenting their own case. If so, the want has been supplied. Mr. Musgrave held a commission in the Cuban Army, and had some personal experience of the struggle. "I venture to hope" —these are the concluding words of his preface—" that a plain story of the sufferings and sacrifices of the Cubans for their freedom may be of interest. A knowledge of their struggles will create an appreciation of their aspirations,"—for they dread that they may miss independence, and exchange a Spanish for an American master. Whatever Mr. Musgrave may do for his clients, his indictment of the Spanish rule is crushing. Chaps. 3.5 are simply appalling. The stories of the murdered students, of Evangelina Cisneros, and of the daughters of Sefior Sardova, match anything in the history of crime. But cruelty has always been a Spanish vice. "fere, too, are some trightf ul ,34,1 urns.
Under the rale of General Weyler in lees than two years "in Santa Clara district alone 71,847 burial permits were issued." (The total population of the island is little more than a million and a half.) The Spanish Army suffered terribly. Weyler had 240,000 men. Of these 10,000 were killed and missing ; 32,534 died in hospital ; 25,000 were invalided to Spain ; and 14,413 were still under treatment when the return was issued.
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