New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-15
INSURGENT SPAIN.
THE SIEGE OF CARTAGENA.

THE SIEGE OF CARTAGENA.
TROUBLES OF A coRREsPoNpEyT-FACE TO FACE
WITH CoNTRERAs-REGIIsH AND GERMAN INTER-
FFRFNCE-CAPTURE OF THE SPANISH IIEN-oF
wAR-THE CANToNAIs PREPARED FOR A sTRUG-
GLE.
lFRoM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT THE TRBUNE.l
CARTAGENA, Aug 9O.-After innumerable troubles,
Vicissitudes and fatigues behold in another city
of the dead What else can i call an agglomeratiOn
Of houses uninhabited except by starving cats flies
feeding on dead carcasses and musketoes feastng
your special correspondent; where the streets are
deserted, except here and there where a female
phantom is gliding along in melancholy silence
where a pensive member Of the canine family,
with consumptive appearance and scarcely decent
covering TO his ribs, sneaks along in hypochon-
driacal silence. The volunteers are all the ram
parts in the forts in the arsenal getting the iron
clads ready to fight Admiral LObo who,
il is expected, will in sight to-day
OF tomorrow in command Of squadron composed
of one iron-clad the Zaragoza), wooden 1rga'e
the Garment, and one or two other sInaiier SHIPS
came TO Cartagena very much predisposed TO con-
denim everything and every body in IT, as pack OF
communists and incendiaries; for to judge by the
Spanish conservative press the revolutionary JuDta
was composed of set of assassins and cut-throats.
But l confess that was agreeably undecelved from
the moment was brought before the Junta as
prisoner Ii is true these gentlemen did not appear
10 me to be very remarkable far as their educa-
ton OF refinement were concerned; and even In
courage they seemed more deficient than is good for
revoutomSt who risks his skin in besieged town.
but they were all mild, civil and even making abor-
tive efforts to throw little appearance of authority
into their spectacles will say nothing of dignity;
they were Spaniards, and consequently chock-full
81 I bod M fha Goff heir "A
weary foot-pad after having marched several miles
in a brolng heat, carrying a small portmanteau
which weighed nearly as much as my heart. i
requested permission to enter, but the sleepy
centurion made sign with his head, q
language which at first pretended not to conlpre-
bend, but the meaning of which grasped when. on
trying to enter he brought his bayOnet down to the
charge. Would he kindly present the compliments
Of wandering tourist to the honorable members of
the Junta, and request their permission for his en-
trancef The compliments were duly passed and
sent back none the for wear, with the assur
ance that they regretted could not be permitted to
have my own way.
Like beggar who feels a flea biting in
his ear. ] turned on my heel and walked off
to try the next door" After an hours march in
the direction of Santa Lucia, always keeping near
the walls spied gallant volunteer to whom | at
once offered the cup of good fellowship. He drank,
but insisted on paying for it himself L humored
him as much rs could, at the same time deiber-
ately taking out my field glasses retired to cor
Der where, expressed hope, the sentry on the
ramparts could not see me, and began to examine
the walls very carefully at the same time asking
such questions as "How high are theyp chow
thick ~ chow many men are there inside the town"
will the provisions lastp until was interrupted
by the warrior informing me that must accompany
him before the Junta. lis the Junta
inside the town ~ asked l; he replied
in the affirmative, and full of joy, l said in
English, 60 ahead, my man." 1t appears that many
spies have been caught lately here. and that some
sort of reward in the shape of smile or feld-mar-
shal's baton there bank notes in Cartagena),
is given to any one bringing in a spy could almost
hear my friends heart palptating for JOY as he po
htely invited me into frowsy room full of old
women aud men, the former wagging their tongues
at "a prOdigiOus rate and the men smoking, If not IN
respectful at least in phegmatc silence. Every doc
ument had was brought forth for the inspection Of
Citizen Gutierrez, mild cobbler who had suddenly
beer kicked by somebody into the Presidential char
of the Junta. Several eager eyes devOured my pass
port which of course was indited in English, and
every one averred Inc did not understand French.
From the presence of this august body, was
ushered into the presence Of another which was no
less than that Of Contrcras himself the redodbtabe
hero who, a few days ago. had had his teeth filed
in Chinchila by the troops under Brgadier Sacedo.
1t appears that he had been obliged to escape from
that battlefield in very scanty apparel and that all
his wardrobe had been captured by the Phlistlnes.
He received me half naked When Spain Is a
Federal Republic, aud these conspirators have no
further means Of earning their bread by that trade,
Contreras might 60 into partnership with the
Tchborne claimant for he is so like Roger" that
he might personate him in the country and collect
money for the defense fund, while the real Roger
was obfuscating the judge in London. COntreraS
also received me with politeness; but he did not
bother himself much about my passport or any other
document. He only whispered something into the
ear of a man standing close by. This man went out
of the room and sent another in who nearly startled
me by saying: us this the man you want watched
my General ?" pointing to me. As you may imagine,
Contreras was not very well pleased at this; but
put him at his ease by saying that his canton and
its institutions were young yet, and would improve
with time. He assured me that the surveillance
was not meant Coz me- and thlt'I should not be
mOlested in any way whatever. The detective
officer left the room without any instructions and
accompanied I think by some energetic language
which the saints might not have approved of, hut
which so much stupidity might have provoked them
also into using However, inquiries had to be
made about me, and in the mean while waS in
vited to sit down and have a chat.
Contreras complained very bitterly of the conduct
of the English and Prussians IN meddlng IN what
did not concern them, and thus killing the revolu-
ton. He denied that he had bOmbarded Almeria
and asserted that he had only thrown few shells at
the barracks and other fortified spots, and that if
any Of those shells struck any private property, 1t
was done unwittingly. Whether the capture of
those ships was legally right or wrong is question