Up to the time of the capture of Victoria de las Tunas, the Spaniards utterly refused to exchange prisoners with the Cubans. They have insisted that the Cubans were rebels, and have shot their captives without mercy. The Cubans have tried in every way to get the Spaniards to treat them fairly and acknowledge their rights as a nation at war, but have been unable to do so. Now the situation is changed, and Spain has at last acknowledged the belligerency of Cuba to a certain extent. When it was found that Las Tunas could hold out no longer, an unarmed officer was sent out to parley with the Cubans. He said that the commander would surrender if the Cuban General would consent to spare the lives of the garrison, and grant them their liberty in case an exchange of prisoners could be arranged. General Garcia was only too pleased to agree to these terms, and the forts were delivered over to him. Eighty-seven Spaniards were afterward exchanged for an equal number of Cubans. It is thought that the Cubans will endeavor to improve the advantage they have gained by holding the city of Las Tunas, and establishing their government there. One of the reasons why both Mr. Cleveland and President McKinley have hesitated to acknowledge the war rights of Cuba was that the Cubans did not hold one important city in which to establish a government. Their government was carried on in secret and hidden places, and the army wandered from camp to camp, without one stronghold to call its own. Should the Cubans fortify Las Tunas, all these objections will be removed, and the United States may be able to grant these brave people the rights they ask for. Once recognized as belligerents, they will be able to buy what they need in our ports, and fit out a navy to fight Spain. The Spaniards are fearful that some such action will be taken. The Government in Madrid has cabled to Weyler that Las Tunas must be retaken at any cost. An attempt has already been made on the town, but the Spaniards were routed by the Cubans, who still retain possession of their prize. The Spanish prisoners who were exchanged have been put under arrest for surrendering. They will be court-martialled, that is to say, tried by military court, and called upon to explain why they gave up the town. From the Cuban accounts that have reached us, it seems that they attribute the victory to the fine work done by a new artillery corps which General Garcia has just organized. An artillery corps is made up of a number of cannon, each having its regular number of gunners to serve it. The artillery is a very valuable assistance in all warfare. The new corps of gunners had only lately landed on Cuban soil. It consists mainly of American sympathizers with the Cuban cause. The guns they serve are two heavy cannon, six rapid-firing guns, and one dynamite-gun. The Cubans declare that as soon as the dynamite-gun went into action the victory was assured.