The General is not in favor in Spain, his reports are no longer believed, and he will most likely be ordered home before long, and some one else be sent to Cuba in his stead.

Spain is in a very unhappy state at present.  The people are angry at having spent so much money, and wasted so many lives, over the wars in Cuba and the Philippine Islands, without arriving at any result, and they are blaming the Government for not trying to bring about peace.

It is more than likely that a change in the government will soon take place.

The present Government is very angry with Weyler, because it has come to light that many of the marches he has cabled about to Spain have not been made at all.  He has taken the train wherever he could, and if he has seen no bands of insurgents from the car windows he has telegraphed that peace was restored, and no more rebels were to be found in the province.

The latest news of all is, that the Spanish Government in Madrid is preparing a paper which will be sent to Cuba very shortly.  It offers the Cubans Home Rule, and gives them a great many rights that they do not now possess.

While the Cubans are pleased at this, they have not much faith in the offer, and say that unless the United States promises to see that Spain carries out her promises, they will not consider the offer at all.

The principal Cubans are waiting to see the actual paper before they say much about it.

In the mean while, many of the Spanish soldiers are deserting from their own ranks, and going over to the Cuban side.

The Spaniards have been offering every inducement to get the Cubans to desert, and go over to them, but hardly any have done so—­the only person of importance being the infamous Dr. Zertuccha, who betrayed Maceo.

A telegram from Havana says that a major in the Spanish army, with 100 men and 50,000 rounds of ammunition, joined General Gomez the other day.  At Puerto Principe, a Spanish colonel, with a whole company of well-armed men, also went over to the Cubans.

The Cubans think this is a very favorable sign for them, and look for a speedy end to the war.

* * * * *

The filibustering steamers Three Friends and Dauntless have been released.

Their owners have had to promise to give them up again whenever they are wanted.  They have also had to give the court some money, which they will lose if the ships are not brought back when the court calls for them.

If the cases of piracy and filibustering against them are found to be true, the ships will become the property of the Government, and the owners will lose them altogether.

The United States cruiser Montgomery has been ordered to Key West, to prevent filibustering parties going over to Cuba, and the Raleigh, which has been doing this duty, has gone to be repaired.