The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-03-08
TIE raUs CONDITION IN ouBA.
II Gen. Great Dead s-wscre are Eish and
Robeson t-wiii Censress do Hothiset
"a privst. Iss,ss fornhA-a Tvs srr ~ pubis.ion

"A private I>,ss. nnrush-d v srr ~ pubIs.on1
HAVANA, Feb. 20, 1870.-The state Of
things here is terrible, and every American,
including the officials, deems his life in dan
ger on fho receipt Of the first Intelligence
from tho United States uupleasing TO the
volunteers. They govern here, and they are
composed mostly Of thieves, robbers, muir
derers. beqgars. and vagnbonds, driven away
from old Spain. They drove away from here
tho late Captain General, and they are now
threatening De RoDAs, because on Wcdnes-
day he sent an American schooner to sea
without Moro pass, to save the life Of her
master.
The schooner is regular trader in fish
from Down East TO the eastern end of this
island and IL pleased tho volunteers TO sus
poet tho captain of sympathy with the insur-
gents. They boarded his vessel in open day
light, and gave him notice that they intended
to murder him that night. He fed for pro
lection to one of the British fricaies in port
This was promptly afforded, and our Consul
General appraised of his whereabouts.
BrDDLE went on board and took his affidavit,
and visited the Captain.d who advised
his going to sea at once. To do so il is ne
Cessary for every vessel to have permit
called Moro pass. The master, fearing to
go ashore himself, sent his mate for one
The volunteers were watching for him at the
Office door, and told him, Enter that door
and we shoot you down. Go tell. your cap
tain he shall not leave this port alive"
That night the captain again slept on board
the British frigate. Her captain advised
BIDDLE OF his presence. and again BIDDLE
went to the Captain General, who ordered
the guard slip TO lie all night alongside our
schooner. and TO tow her to sea in tho morn
ing. This was done without MORO pass ;
and for this act tine volunteers throeten to
serve De RoDAs as they did DCLcE-driyo
him away.
Aud all this time our m SCRABBLE and con.
tcmptkle adm nistraiion of the Navy De
rartment leave this port without single
vessel of war, TO offer refuge and protection
to our own citizens. So critical Is their po
sitlon, and such sympathy does it excite
among all nationalitos, that tho captains of
the British frgates in port have given no
tice TO our Consul General, and through lin
TO our citizens, that In the event of danger
which is most imminent, all Americans viii
be received and protected on board the Eng
lish ships How humilating is this TO our
national pridcl
You well know that Of our. more than fifty
national vessels this day in commission, not
one of them is doing any actual service. aud
is not required at any port in tho world,
except in the ports of Cuba. And yet here
we have not single Government vessel,
while our large West India feet is every
where except where 1t should be. And why
is thisf Simply because the ground has been
assumed that there is no war in Cuba no dis.
turbance here, no protection to our citizens
necessary and consequently, to send naval
vessels here, where alone they are necessary,
would lie to contradict the assertion that all
is quiet here, and that there are no belliger.
ents TO he found. And while our Government
takes this ground, oven the Spaniards and
officials here have come TO admit that IN the
late battle the Spanisrds lost thirteen hun.
dred Of their twenty-thrce hundred and TO
save their honor while they admit their de.
feat. they insist that the insurgents were six
thousand strong One thing is certain; the
insurgents in arms are from twenty TO thirty
thousand. and If they had muskets and am.
muniton they would number 100000.
When you hear of the recent murder at
Santiago, where two Americans were muir.
dercd, and our Consul denied the privilege
of being present at their mock trial. and the
outrage upon our shipmaster above reoited,
what will our people say? VIII they not
compel Cangress and the Government to
awake to the crisis and act?
Gen. WEBB of New York is here, and last
night, by the merest accident, each man i'm.
pclled by his anxietes, most Of us Americans
were at his rooms, At our request he writes
today to the Government, urging and en-.
treating it to give us protection. His de-
nunciation Of the neglect with which we are
treated was decided and he is not the man TO
hesitate to say to the Government all he said
to us. If he could be heard, those who con.
troll the afihirs of the Navy Department.
whether RoBEsoN or PoRTER-would be
turned out without one hours delay.