The Portland daily press., 1895-09-18
CAPTURED BANES.
An Important Fruit Port in the In
surgents' Hands.
SPANISH SOLDIERS WATCHED THE
TOWN SACKED

And Did Not Dare Venture Out from the
Fort-Cubans are Successful on the
Northern Coast of Cuba and othei
Towns are Threatened by Them.
Boston, September 1.-THE Spanlards
have evacuated Banes, the most import
ant fruit port on the northern coast OF
Cuba. The Spanish soldiers made a
feeble attempt to defend the place, but
the rebels were too many for them. Ii
is doubtful whether any more vessels
will be permitted to enter the port ol
Banes by the Spaniards.
The British steamer Taft arrived at this
port yesterday and brings Ereports OF
most serious Estate of affairs in that-part
of the island. Mr.. Dumois, whospracti-
cally owns the town of Banes. and-Who
is one of..the wealthiest planters on
the island, sent the Spanish officials at
Gibara. about 40 miles distant, an urgent
request for troops. He placed the Taff
at the disposal of the government fol
the transportation of the soldiers. The
commandant at Gibara has his hands full
as the insurgents are attacking his own
soldiers every day, and Glbara Itself,
which is one of the strongest and best
fortified cities on the coast, is in a peri
lous position. The Spaniards have be-
tween 1000 and 5000 soldiers at this point
and two men of war in the harbor.
= About 100 soldiers were hastily put on
board the Taft and sent to Banes.
After they arrived there they found the
rebels had sacked the town and were
camped on the outskirts to the number
of about 5000. About rs Spanish soldiers
were in the Fort of Banes while the reb-
els were attacking the place. but they
remained carefully under shelter and
dared not show themselves.
When Taft arrived with reinforce
ments the council of war was held, and
it was decided to evacuate the port to
the rebels The officers Of the Taft say
the Spanish soldiers which they took to
Banes and which they brought back to
Gibara, are all mere boys. The officers
further statei that the soldiers are poorly
equipped. Some of them wore caps, 9TH
ers old straw hats, and others had none
to wear on their heads. The rebels
have cut all telegraph and TELEPHONE
wires. The Spaniards at G1bara are
practically cut off from all communica-
tion with the rest of the island.
The officers of the Taft say the whole
country is in arms and everybody favors
the rebels. Only boys esleft in the port
bulk of the male population have Joined
the rebel ranks.
It is stated that Fall the rich planters
are in sympathy with the rebels The
rebels seem to have plenty of cash, and
the officers of the Taft say every vessel
that sails to Cuba is asked by q repre-
sentative of the insurgents to buy rifles
and carriages in the United States and
smuggle them to Cuba. They will pay
in advance for these, and it is we'll
known fact that nearly every vessel that
sails to Cuba smuggles arms to the in
surgents.
Tribesmen Captured.
Tangier, September 17.-Information
is received here that during the review
of the Sultan's troops at Fez, the sold
iers made an attack upon the tribesmen
who were among the spectators, killing
nine and making prisoners OF 70
National Steamship Shareholders Decline
to Sell Out.
Liverpool, September ia poll of the
shareholders OF the National line of
steamships was taken today upon the
proposal of the directors to wind up the
affairs Of the company and carry out the
agreement with the Wilson line, by which
the latter takes over the Nationional bus
iness. Seventy five per cent of the share
holders voted in favor of the proposal. The
opposing shareholders called attention
to the fact that vote of IS per cent of
the shareholders was necessary to carry
the proposals of the directors into effect.
The directors announced their intention
to communicate with the shareholders
whose shares were not voted where at
the opposition shareholders protested.
The meeting broke up in confusion.
Netherlands Parliament Opened.
The Hague September 1Z.-The session
of the Stats General Netherlands Parli-
ament), was opened today by the Queen
regent in person. The speech from the
throne set forth that the country was
prosperous, the harvests good and the
foreign trade in thriving condition. The
session will be principally devoted to the
establishment of electoral reforms and