Very few battles are reported from Cuba. It is said that the Spanish troops are massed in such large numbers that the Cubans do not dare to attack them. It is also rumored that the present season being the one in which the supply of vegetables is scarcest in the island, the insurgents are not well enough supplied with food to venture on any long marches. * * * * * The _Dauntless_ has again succeeded in conveying an expedition to Cuba. She left Jacksonville with a schooner, the _Jenny Thomas_, in tow. When she reached the mouth of the St. Johns River, she was overhauled by the cruiser _Vesuvius_. Nothing contraband being found on her, she was allowed to go on her way after an hour's delay. Unfortunately, it never occurred to the officers to search the vessel in tow, and so the daring little vessel got safely away. It now appears that the contraband material was on board the schooner, and that after the cruiser was safely passed, the _Dauntless_ cast anchor in some convenient spot, took her forbidden cargo on board, and sailed away to Cuba without further hindrance. The Spanish authorities are much annoyed over this incident, and think the United States is not showing a proper regard for Spain in allowing filibustering expeditions to leave her shores at a time when Spain is trying to pacify the Cubans with such liberal reforms. * * * * * Don Carlos is said to be showing some activity again. Realizing that the new decree giving Home Rule to Cuba will be very objectionable to many Spaniards, he has called a consultation of the leaders of his party, and asked them to go about among the people, and rouse them against the Government. He promises that if he is called to the throne, he will not show any such mercy to the rebellious Cubans, but will compel them, by force of arms, to obey the will of the Spanish sovereign. The leaders of the Carlist party do not, however, seem to be in any great hurry to act. Such a revolution as Don Carlos is anxious to begin means life or death to the nobles and men of position who support him. If the rising fails, these men will be regarded as traitors to their country, and shot or exiled. In any case they will lose everything that they own or that the Government can discover and take from them. With so much at stake it is but natural that the nobles should wish to be sure that their reward in case of success will be as great as their punishment in case of failure. They are therefore anxious to secure certain pledges from Don Carlos, before they openly join themselves to an enterprise so full of peril. Don Carlos does not seem willing to give these assurances, and so the rebellion is at a standstill at present. * * * * * There was a little excitement during the past week over the announcement that the English and French armies had met in battle in West Africa.