do not exceed three ten-inch guns which command the outer harbor entrance, and several smaller cannon, with perhaps half a dozen rapid fire land pieces, and usually from 500 to 800 men.

The second fortification lies about half a mile from the Custom-house wharf off toward the southwestern part of the city of Vera Cruz and is known as Baluarte de Santiago. This fortress, which also remains from the days of Spain in Mexico, is always kept in the trim condition that the island fortress knows. In case of an attack it could, along with the outer defenses, give a pretty fair fight before the city would finally surrender. Baluarte de Santiago was built originally for the purpose of withstanding a land attack upon Vera Cruz, but in the last three years the Mexican government has deemed it more advisable to strengthen its defenses.

THE CHANNEL AT TAMPICO

Tampico would quickly fall into the hands of a strong naval force. Persons familiar with the port point out only one highly improbable incident which might turn the tables for the Mexicans if the flect steamed up on the city with the intention of a bombardment. In order to get into the roadstead off Tampico all steamers inward bound have to pass through a channel typically Mexican which leads into the Panuco River. This channel, which is guarded on either side by a small lighthouse, is scarcely a quarter of a mile in width, and during the season of the norther, which lasts until the early part of May, steamers are compelled to ride out the storm at sea rather than to chance or risk attempting to run the channel, which on such occasions cannot be depended upon for depth with large steamers.

The

Often the storm lasts several days, with a wind blowing 100 miles per hour, kicking up an immense sea. only possible way, some critics point out, to destroy the

American ships would be to destroy the lights and depend on a norther.

It is recounted among shipping men at Tampico that the only steamer which ever came through the channel safely in a storm was manned by an American crew and skipper. This was about two years ago, when Captain Michael O'Keefe of the Ward liner Seguranca took the vessel through in a raging storm and the Mexicans talked about his feat for months after. A German vessel which followed went aground on the beach.

PRESIDENT MC KINLEY ON MEDIATION

President McKinley's reply to the ambassadors of Europe, who, on April 6, 1898, tendered their good offices to bring about peace between Spain and the United States was as follows:

"The government of the United States recognizes the good will which has prompted the friendly communication of the representatives of Germany, AustriaHungary, France, Great Britain, Italy and Russia, as set forth in the address of your excellencies, and shares the hope therein expressed that the outcome of the situation. in Cuba may be the maintenance of peace between the United States and Spain by affording the necessary guarantees for the re-establishment of order in the island, so terminating the chronic condition of disturbance there, which so deeply injures the interests and menaces the tranquillity of the American nation by the character and consequence of the struggle thus kept up at our doors, besides shocking its sentiment of humanity.

"The government of the United States appreciates the humanitarian character of the communication now made in behalf of the powers named and for its part is confident that equal appreciation will be shown for its own earnest and unselfish endeavors to fulfill a duty to humanity by ending a situation the indefinite prolongation of which has become insufferable."

CHAPTER IV

THE REVOLUTION OF 1910-14

Recent events in Mexico since the outbreak of what is generally known as the Revolution of 1910 have been of an intensely dramatic character and followed one another in rapid succession.

When General Porfirio Diaz was elected president of Mexico in June, 1910, his opponents began to plan his overthrow, and in November of that year they organized a revolution and began fighting both in the south and the north.

Francisco I. Madero was active among the rebels and on November 23 proclaimed himself “ provisional president of Mexico." Fighting continued until May 25, 1911, when President Diaz resigned and went to Europe. Francisco de la Barra was made provisional president and served until October, when Madero was elected to the office of president.

Madero represented the opposition to the autocracy of Porfirio Diaz. But he himself had enemies who charged him with using the same methods as his predecessor. Among them were General Pascuel Orozco, Emilio Vasquez Gomez, General Geronimo Trevino and General Felix Diaz, a nephew of the deposed president. These men kept the country in a generally disturbed condition, though Madero appeared to have control of the situation.

On October 16, 1912, General Felix Diaz with 500 men took possession of Vera Cruz, but within a week he and his men were captured, without a struggle, by the Federal troops. Two of his officers were tried by court

martial and shot, and he was condemned to meet the same fate. Sentence was suspended, but he remained in prison until released by a military uprising in the City of Mexico, February 9, 1913.

The name of Diaz, by the way, has retained a good deal of potency in Mexico and throughout the revolutionary days of the last few years there have been recurrent rumors of a possibility of the recall of Porfirio Diaz from his refuge in Paris to bring peace to his distracted country. But the age of the former president and his probable antipathy to re-engage in internecine strife have brought all such proposals to naught. His nephew, Felix, has figured at intervals throughout the revolution down to the present time.

The mutiny in the City of Mexico was led by students from the military school at Tlalpam, a suburb. They took possession of a powder magazine early in the morning of February 9, and then went to the prisons where General Felix Diaz and General Bernardo Reyes were confined and released them. Accompanied by these leaders, and followed by crowds shouting "Death to Madero!" the mutineers proceeded to the Plaza de la Constitution in front of the National Palace. Here they were joined by portions of several cavalry and infantry regiments.

In front of the palace about 500 troops loyal to Madero were drawn up and firing began as soon as the mutineers appeared.

DEATH OF GENERAL REYES

One of the first to fall was General Reyes, who was killed by a rifle ball through the head. Soldiers stationed on the roof of the palace and in its windows kept up a fusillade, while machine guns were also brought into play against the mutinous troops. The palace being thus strongly defended, General Diaz, who had taken command of the mutineers, withdrew and with his men

marched to the Arsenal, distant about a mile west from the National Palace.

The Arsenal was attacked and soon surrendered to the rebels and they took possession of the Madero government's reserve artillery, many rifles and large quantities of ammunition. The Arsenal was then used as the headquarters of General Diaz. Belem prison, near the Arsenal, was also seized and the prisoners turned loose. The artillery from Tacubaya came in at this time and joined the rebels.

General Villar, military commander of the capital, remained loyal to Madero. He was wounded at the National Palace, and was replaced by General Victoriano Huerta, who had charge of President Madero's forces until February 18. On that date Huerta arrested Madero and was himself proclaimed provisional president of the Republic.

The first day's fighting in the city resulted in the death of over 500 persons, including 170 women and 200 private citizens who were killed in their houses or in the streets.

THE TEN DAYS' FIGHT

On February 10, the day following the outbreak, the city was comparatively quiet. But the next day fighting was resumed and did not cease except at short intervals until February 19. In that time, so far as known, nearly 3,000 persons were killed and about 7,000 wounded. Several Americans, including two women, lost their lives. The period is generally known as "the ten days' fight."

Most of the victims were non-combatants - men, women and children who were unable to escape from the zone of danger. Nearly all parts of the city were in the line of fire, as the projectiles from modern, highpowered guns reached everywhere.

The situation was unique. The opposing forces occu