The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
ADVANCE Of INSURGENTS
They Have Marched to Within a
Short Distance of the Cap
ital of Cuba.
Three. Fourths of the Island Said to Be
Disputed by Natives and
Spanish.

NEW YORK, n. Y, Dec 24.-The Mail
and Express this afternoon prints the fol-
| lowing:
An American who has been soiourning
in Cuba for some time past, and who has
had excellent opportunities for observing
the course of the war in the island, re-
turned to New York to-day and told what
he had learned. He reports heavy fight
outside of Havana between the insurgent
forces under Maxine Gomez and the
Spanish troops. The engagement took
place near the town of Colon.
at is worthy of note" he said, that
this town is within 100 miles of Havana,
and while the Spanish authorities, as is
always the case, report slight losses on
their part and the rebels as having been
severely punished, it cannot obliterate the
fact that the troops OF Maxine Gomez
have marched from the easternmost prov
ince, distance of about 400 miles, with
but slight hindrance on the part of the
Spaniards.
Some 100 miles to the eastward of
Colon is the celebrated trocha, or trench, a
dead line heavily fortified and garrisoned
to prevent the entrance of the insurgent
troops, but which they have passed with
out firing a shot. They are now in the
richest sugar producing province in the
island.
ain point of fact three-fourths of the
island is at present disputed territory,
there only remaining loyal to Spain the
provinces of Havana and Pinar del Rio or
Vuleta Abajo, where the tobacco growing
interests cannot afford to be disturbed, as
this would cut off the large income sup
piled by the Cuban cigar manufacturers of
of Tampa and Key West. The insurgents
are well supplied with ammunition and
arms.
There has not been pitched battle
since the commencement of the war. If the
Cubans can continue the guerrilla warfare
until the spring rains set in Cuba will be
free. Spain cannot keep her immense
army in the field in the unhealthy season.
In any case the island is completely
ruined The devastation has been terrible.
1t will take Cuea years and years to re-
cover from the effects of the war"
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 24.-If the
Cuban insurgent forces under Generals
Maceo and Gomez are advancing on Ha-
vana with the prospect of reaching that
city tomorrow, as has been reported this
afternoon, Senior de LONE, the Spanish
Minister to the United States, has no
information thereon. He gave out cable
gram tonight to the United Press from
General Arderius, acting GovernorGen-
eral of Cuba.
The cablegram was written at l o'clock
this afternoon and was received by Senior
de Lone a few minutes before o'clock.
1t reads as follows:
81 have Just had a conference with Gen.
eral Campos in Limonar He reports that
yesterday he overlook the forces of
Maxine Gomez and had an engagement
with him. 1t was horrible affair because
of the fighting being in the midst of burn
ing fields"
Twelve of the Government troops were
wounded ard were sent to the hospital at
Matanzas. Maxine Gomez's forces re-
treated in small bodies, according to their
usual tactics. The commander-in-chief
has Just at this moment started for Guiana
bana, where he will pass the night.
The forces under Generals Vildes and
Luque are in front of the insurgents, but
remain in communication with tae cCm-
mander-in-chief.
Guanabaya is railroad crossing and
strategic point southeast of Matanzas, the
Government having quite large force
there.
In the face of the receipt of the forego-
ing statements in General Arderius' cable
gram that the rebels after fighting re-
treated, Minister de ILome does not be-
lieve they are making a movement on
Havana. He said the Cubans are fighting,
after the fashion OF our own Indians, who
caused the Government so many years of
trouble before they were conquered.