The hut tax, which has been made a pretext for all this trouble, amounts to about one shilling a year for each member of the population, or, in case of families, five shillings for each family. The insurrection was started by a native chief who has given the colonial government much trouble heretofore. [Illustration] During the latter part of May there were first rumors, then reports, and then confirmed reports that the Spanish fleet was at Santiago, Cuba, and that it was caught as in a trap by our war-vessels. The harbor of Santiago is a deep one, with a very narrow mouth, as stated in a recent issue of THE GREAT ROUND WORLD. The Navy Department feels extremely happy over the locating of the Spanish fleet and the fact that it may be kept where it is for the present; this will make possible the invasion of Cuba and the carrying out of the general plans of the campaign without fear of having them interrupted by attack from the Spanish vessels. Santiago is not very well supplied with provisions, and it will be but a question of time when the Spanish fleet must either force their way out of the harbor or else surrender. It is to be hoped that the capture of this fleet will be accomplished without battle, for battle will mean a large loss on both sides, and it can have but one ultimate outcome. The inevitable may be deferred, but the United States is pretty sure to win in the long run. One or two of our battle-ships or monitors stationed at the entrance of the harbor will be sufficient to prevent the exit of the Spaniards, even if we do not succeed in so blocking the channel with obstructions as to make exit impossible; this will leave the rest of our fleet free to operate elsewhere. Great vigilance will be exercised to prevent the Spanish torpedo-boats from running out and attacking our vessels under cover of darkness. The entrance to the harbor is so narrow that a patrol of small boats can be established, making such an attack almost impossible. Cables connecting Cuba with the world outside are being rapidly located and cut, and by the time this paper goes to press Cuba will no doubt be cut off entirely, and we will cease to see reports from Madrid of what is going on in Havana and elsewhere in Cuba. * * * * * [Sidenote: =Latest News=]