New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-02-19
Genera, Ess. z;arrasssneEs ina Cuba

From Il Special Cores pondent Of the Tribune
HAVANA. Jan. ol.-Matters are unnatu-
rally quiet in this city at the present time,
but adyiccs from the interior report that
there have been severe engagements, in
which the Spanish forces have been badly
defeated. The latest advices, which are un-
confirmed however, report that ManZanllio
has been taken by the insurgents after Sc
we're engagement, in which Gen. Amman,
| the commandment Of the trocha, has been
killed. The insurgents have passed the
trocha, and there is much apprehension ic!t
as to the result OF their further operations.
| Indeed it is reported at this moment that
General Arminan has been killed in en-
! deavoriug to prevent their passage into the
| Spanish district. All through the seat Of
war the Spaniards have met with nothing but
rcverses, and from foreign sources in the in
! terror l learn that their actual loss on the
| field is $500 men for this season. This of
J course is exclusive of deaths by sickness.
OF course il is impossible to obtain official
details OF. the results from The Spaniards, and
! adyices from the Cuban5 through private
channels take much time to reach here, and
when received the information is only I'M
! parted in the most confidential and appre-
| hensiye manner. So bad has the situation
/
made on the Madrid Government for addi-
| tionai reintorcements. General Portilla, who
is in command Of the forces operating against
| the insurgents is reported to be in this city
/ appealing to the Captain-General for rein
| iorccmentS 10 the extent OF at least ) 100
men. without reintorcements he can accom-
/ Flish but little. AS an evidence ofthe straits
| in which the Government finds itself | NAV
say that General Portilla and his associates
| have been making c0nscriptions upon the in
habitantS oi the interior, particularly the
| CubanS and the negroes, and obliginT them
10 go TO the front and fight. Much Of the
white population has fled from the interior
and there are large numbers Of men in IIav-
ana WHO have fiockcd hither solely for the
purpose Of escaping from enforced military
service. The successes of the insurgents,
the dissatisfaction of Tie Spanads. and the
! general depression growing ont of the Oner-
Gus taxes and the financial cnbarrass ments
| tend strongly toward general Generalization
Of the country. The scheme for relieving
the finances and depressing the people by
compelling them to contribute heavy loans is
| to be referred to the Madrid Government for
approval. The people breathe a little lrecr
IN consequence, as they are in hopes that the
delay which characteriZes all official pro
cccdinGs here and in Madrid will interpo.e
! in their behalf, and that the project may
| possibly never be consummated.
| The commercial condition of the island
grows worse. Yesterday gold advanced six
! per cent on receipt of the news from the .-
terror, and Of report that another revoli-
| ;lGn had occurred in Spain, and that sen "
| II y Marga!l had succeeded to Scrrano Ex-
change advanced in proportion, and although
| there have been no adyiccs coniirmatorv OF
the reports Of revolution in Spain the
prices have not declined. An advance in
exchange at this season of the year is re =
Talded us extraordinary. In the normal con-
diti0n oil affairs exchange should be at about
lis lowest point at this season. The sugar
crop IS beginning to move toward a market
and the receipts from the sale of the same
should begin 10 find their way to Cuba. an /
thus influence exchange more favorably to-
ward The island But the fact that the sugar
crop is finding market and the results Of
the sales are not returning here Indicates the
universal lack OF confidence in the stability
OF affairs here. The absence of remittan ces
to this point Indicates that this lack of con-
tdence has impelled the people here to de.
| post or invest their money elscH here One
gentleman told me that he had been an
preached by a merchant doing business here
| and asked for information Conccriur the hest
form OF investment in American securities.
! Another was asked if he could arrange for
| the disposition of n cargo Of sugar, So that
the proceeds Could be deposited in London.
ana am informed that even Zuueta. the
real Governor of the island, has sent carraes
of sugar in his own vessels to London and
other ports, and, after selling the same. in
vested the money abroad. Altogether. there
is general fear Of future results. The in
surrection has largely interfercd with the pro-
auction OF sugar, and there may possibly be
snort crop, although | am informed by
people who appear to know that the CROP
VIII be at least an average one.
batch Of alleged CarIist prisoners was
marched through the city the other dav.
iney consisted principally of women and
chiiureh' Instead OF being Carlsts. how.
ever, they were said to lie Cubans who ha!
peen banlshcd from the interior of the island
to the Isle Of Pines in consequence of their
relations to the insurgents.
The United States war steamer Worcesto r
mas again visited Havana, and is now, Ivinp
III the pay There is no special sicnicancc
attaching to her visit this time and sbo
will probably leave here again ON Tuesday
Late advices from Trinidad report the burn.
ing OF Two large sugar estates in that vicinity
MINED "Lajas" and "Mayaguara.n ;The
IRE Is supposed to be the work of insurocnt
syinpathlZers. The value Of both estates il
represented TO be $4,000 The object nf
hppn
prevent realization of money upon the sugar
crop. '3i
RAID OF GEN. MAXIAIO COMMUNICATIONS
OF PRISONERS TAKEN BY TliE 1verr.
GENTS.
The Cubans in this city ON Saturday los.
received further advices by the CITY of Nerds
containing details of the operations of T' l .h,,
Cuban army under General Maxine Come
and the particulars of the capture and aNa
cution of one of the Spanish commanSers
General Maxine Gomez has been onerat;no
tor some time past in the vicinity of PnortSS
Principe, and on the roads between that c;t,,
and the lire of Notifications which senara 10y
the country occupied by the Cubans from, " tbs
rich plantations owned by the SpaniarJs in
the Trinidad Valley. Previous to mo Ii ~
the raid which gave the Cubans possessio5
OF this valley, it was deemed necessarv t -
secure the country to be left bebind In
dong this the Cuban forces met and attacked
column Of about 800 Spanish troops under
the command of Colonel Montaner who uos
conveying large train of arms, ammunition
ana clothing to the Spaniards in Pnertn
Principe, and were then about half wav bs,