The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-29
CUBA.

General Portt1lo's Desperate Situation
Beef Fifty Cents per Pound-Forcible
Recruitment To BE Res0rtcd T0-Last
Desperate Efforts OF the spaniards.
The letter rom which the extracts given below
are taken has been received BY prominent mem
Der OF the Amigos de Cuba Society. 1t Ii dated
Puerto Principe on the LIST inst. 1t says
Dunng the past month General PorttlIo received
the command Of this lthe CentraI department..
His fame as the pacifer or the ClncO Villas has
come before him, and in 1t the Spanlards found
ths dse so' But is sSnS Wnc to me-
seems very dif1cult for the experience which l
have had in the war impels me to predict that
Portillo will fail as his predecessors have done.
On the first day Of this month the patriots pre-
sented themselves in force In the cultivated region,
there. All the men able 70 bear arms joined the
Cubans. The movements OF the revoiutiOntsts
were seen from The nousssops o. Puerto Principe,
rendezvous in sight Of the city. They take every
thing that may be useful to them without meeting
There Is o report in secret circulation among
the of1cers OF the army that Colonel MOntaner has
been deieated, but no particulars can be ar
PortiHo with all the available forces that he
could concentrate, went OUT but was obliged to
make forced marches In order to reach Puerto
Principe, losing many OF his men ON the way. I
have heard q Spanish oficer say that Portilo
SO strong in this department that unless be re-
ceived ID 900 IL 600 men to reinforce him all his
operations must iail and every effort on his part
would be useless, and that II re1nforcements were
not sent soon he was prepared TO resign his COM
mand and leave the glory OF achieving success TO
/ have also learned through the spaniards that
Colonel Esponda with al hls forces, has been or.
dered to Manzanillo, and that then be ID expected
70 come with all haste to Camaguay.
The state Of your dear C8maguAy is lamentabae.
1t is necessary to be person OF Importance In or.
ing my ceas pound for it. Rice, potatoes and
tde0s Vermicelhl are to-day In the list lof ar
higher than the people can pay. When q small
quantity Of gold be had 1t s changed at 100 per
cent premium, and have heard many persons say
paper. his viii prove to you that many perceive
she critical hour TO be near and do not want to
trust the morrow. Finally, my dear friend, the peo-
their brothers In the field We mere understand what
passes The defeats OF the Spanish troops follow
standing their great caution in hiding disasters,
We learn Of them now and then through our sufYer-
ings, which they attribute 70 the hand OF God; but
she truth il that they are combating with men
VINO are courageous, well armed, and who, In six
years, have not opened their mouths to ask cent
pay ngT e
dare all dangers and prvations, even to death or
victory; thus placing their country on the elevated
deeds are forcing their enemies IN the last corner
OF shame and defeat
from spain, project OF jorcible recruiting was
talked OF and OF placing force OF 5000 or
10000 Cubans on war footing to send them to the
front against their brothers. This Is the last step
that Spain mas always taken with her American
colonies. Like good Spaniards they always dream
What AT has Sappened in 81, DOMINGO Mexico OF
South America, serves to teach them anything.
They only know how 70 read in that book which we
and others have tried to teacn them anything else
think that even Mr.. Hamilton Fish now knows
them and In the end win have to treat them to
can be dealt with. ..