The regiment was armed with the Krag-Jorgensen carbine and revolvers, without which no cowboy would be complete even in time of peace.  And instead of the regular cavalry sword, which is a rather unwieldy instrument except in the hands of men trained to its use, the rough riders adopted the Cuban machete, which even the inexperienced can use successfully; but it was not intended that they should be swordsmen; their reliance was on the rifle and revolver.  The machete was carried merely as a possible dependence should ammunition fail, or a hand-to-hand encounter with the cavalry of the enemy occur.  In the development of this plan of action it can be seen that Colonel Wood and Lieutenent-Colonel Roosevelt in the tactics they employed followed closely those used by the mounted riflemen of the revolution.  It was a band of this sort that after a ride of sixty miles the last day met and utterly routed the English under Colonel Ferguson.

CHAPTER XLIV.

Blockade of Cuban ports.

Contraband of War—­Confiscation of Cargoes—­Establishment of a Blockade—­Notice to Other Nations—­Prizes, Lawful and Unlawful—­ Privateering Abolished—­Distribution of Prize Money—­The Use the Government Makes of Its Share.

While the great blockade was in progress the air was full of talk about “prizes,” “contraband,” “search,” and “seizure,” and some of the terms proved rather puzzling to the average citizen who had never had occasion to study the rules of war.

First about “contraband.”  It is one of the strictest rules of war that neutral nations must not interfere nor in any way give help to either party.  To furnish ships or arms or ammunition might greatly prolong the conflict or even change its result, especially where this assistance is extended to a nation—­like Spain to-day—­ ill supplied and of small resources.  This would be manifestly unfair, and for a neutral to offer or abet such aid is a grave offense.  For remissness in an aggravated case of this sort (that of the Alabama) England was forced to pay us heavy damages.  Neither national sympathy nor national interests afford any excuse.

That is why we restrained and punished those who organized expeditions to help the Cubans while we were still at peace with Spain.  But nations engaged in war must not ask too much.  They may insist that a neutral shall allow no hostile operations to be carried on within its territory, but they have no right to demand that it shall punish its private citizens for engaging in trade in articles that may be helpful to the enemy, for that would be imposing too much trouble and expense upon a nation which has no concern in the quarrel.  Such trade is punishable, but it is the business of the nation injured by it to catch the ships engaged in it and enforce the penalty—­which is usually confiscation of the goods as “contraband of war.”  To do this it may stop and search any ships—­except warships—­which it finds at sea; and so long as no outrages are committed the neutral must submit and has no ground for complaint.  Trade in contraband goods is tolerated, but it is carried on at the trader’s own risk.  His government will not undertake to protect him from the legitimate consequences of his venture.