New-York tribune., 1869-03-25
FOREIGN NEWS.
THE CUBAN REVOLUTION.
PROCLAMATION OF THE cAPTAN-eENERAL-

olkAMfito--At HEAN1 BATTLE IN
CENTRAL DEPARTMENT.
HAVANA, March 24.-Capt.-Gen. Dulce has issued
proclamation declaring that all vessels captured in
Spanish waters OF in the sea near this island, with
men, arms and munitions of war on board, will be
treated as pirates and adjudged according
to the articles of war, irrespective OF
their points Of departure or destination.
The Spanish manof-war Blasco de Garay has brought
to this port the brig Mary Lowell from Nuevitas
whittier she was taken by the Andalusia after her
capture. The Andalusia subsequently left Nueyitas
cruise among the islands, to intercept rebel ex
petitions The commander of the Andalusia, In
communication to the Captain-General giving an ac
count of the capture of the brig, aflirIns that
he acted carefully in accordance with international
law. The value of tho cargo of the prize brig Mary
Lowell is estimated at 100000 1t consists of cannon
small arms, ammunition, and other war material
The expedition .swas commanded by Castellano
The Spanish war steamer Gaudiana arrived
to-day from Nassau. She left another Spanish
war vessel to watch the waters of Nassau
detachment of troops under the command of Gen.
Escalante has gone to Cienfuegos. Additional
troops have also been sent to Cardenas, Sagua la
Grande and Remedies. meeting of planters was
held at the Palace tonight, at the request of Gen.
Dulce, to discuss and plan o system of rural police
to be established throughout the Island for the
protection of the plantations. News has been re-
ceived of heavy battle between tho Government
troops and insurgents in the Central Department
at some point on the road between Remedies and
Moron. The Spanish forces were commanded by Gen.
Pueblo. No complete report of the battle has been
made public; not even the Iesnlt is known; but
the Spaniards claim that 800 rebels were killed.
THE BATTLE IN THE sIERRA-THE NsuEGENT
LEADERS.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT!
HAVANA March Bout Of the rubbish of news
with which the Havana papers, and in part those OF
New-York are supplied from this quarter tho battle
in the Sierra Cubtas is the only Topic worthy OF
comment in question. The loyalsts officially boast
that Quesada had called all his army together to
impede the passage of Lesca through the Dehle OF
the Sierra. They say that Lesca had 1,sOO men ana
Quesada 5000, which am far from yet believing.
What we positively know from loyaliss is that their
troops suffered heavy loss, which they reckon 81
killed and about 100 wounded-a very large conces-
sion Tor the Spaniards to make the side of fact
When their column was at the highest point of the
mountain-pass, it was detained by rampant
of felled trees which they had TO destroy
under concentrated fire from all the
woods round which were occupied by rebels
without number" The rebels wero "parapeted
In among rocks which formed natural trenches but
Accepting to their enemies they were sometimes
charged and dislodged with severe loss. As the
Spanilfls advanced by narrow ways through the
thicbots, they were harassed with mpunlty. to use
their own words 1t is TO be gined whether in the
long march through the winding paths of the Sierra,
beset by a multitude of foes hiding in the woods, or
naturally intrenched by the rocks and fred upon by
those foes with inpunity, tho loyalist forces sus
tanned loss inferior to that of their enemy in am
bush Nevertheless the first account sent you through
the Captain Generals censorship, reports the loss OF
the CubaDs at 1000 The prepOsterousness and utter
absurdity of this statement found echo, or but
feeble one in the Havana press. Even the official
report does not now, if it ever did, men,
tion tho number lost by the Rebels leaving
it merely to be inferred, and that in
shy and awkward way that the losses of the latter
ought to have been great, Judging by the piles OF
bodies left by them in the intrenchments This is
one of the few instances during the war in which
the official has been at loss for figures The rei-
cence thus indicated has inspired conviction that
tho Cubans, although they failed TO rout or destroy
their foes where they had the best chance for doing
SO, still gave greater punishment than they have
yet received during the war; To have succeeded in
marching through the Sierra Cubitas, and afterward
into PucTtO-PTincpe, no small achievement for
BTigadier Lesca. lie must have kept the insurgents
at bay wherever he had the chance. Tho suspicion |
that he lost baggage and supplies is founded upon
but is not realized IL is said that large
body of the Cubans entered the Deille but certainly
there ought TO have beeu for tins defe is the
key to the Puerto Principe country from the direc
ton Of La Guanaja in which Lescas men advanced |
The Cubans believe that Quesada was not on the
ground, and that the forces encountered by the |
Spaniards were the small parties who had preceded
them all the way from La Guanaja. Lesca accom-
plished in FIVE days. IL is credbly SAID, journey |
which he might have performed in half That time |
yet in view of the fact that the country through |
which Valmaseda and Lesca have campaigned is al |
most without roads, and that where roads do exist |
they are obstructed by the devices Of the enomy, /
am not at all surprised at the slowness OF the march
10 Puerto Principe In the battle il is probable the
rebels inflicted the greater loss on their foe, bnt
were defeated sgnaly, il their object was to prevent
his entrance into the capital Of the Camaguey district
They were no doubt in want of artillery. with which
the Spapiards were well supplied, and 1t is question
whether the latter left behind any OF their guns AS
Puerto Principe is not place from which the loyal
lists can draw supplies their reinforcement with
Lesca's troops of the garrison u not the most
alarming news AT last reports the Garrison aud
people had beon suffering for want Of supplies.
The man whose dollars came down eagles after be
tossed them up was never so lucky as tho Havana
pewsmakers Loyal troops who start to fight 1000 |
strong are likely TO come back 100 strong Rebels
Who 90 ant 100 strong are reduced by losses to
third that number How by Spanish gains and rebel |
losses the island is literally being devoured into pa
ci6cation is a neat problem for those who choose |
To oipher it. One fyear lin Spain the losses OF |
tho ancmv were figured out greater than the pop |
ulation Of the kingdom. The Spaniards are able to
dare and do but il is possible / will not now say
,rhalla that thev NAV leave the island, as they |