The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-12-27

Spanish Authorities Active.
HAVANA, Dec. 26.-Since the arrival
here last night of Captain General
Martinez de CamDos from Matanzas.
he has been in conference with leading
military and naval officers, the civil
dignitaries and the leaders of the diff
ferent political parties. They assem-
bled at the palace last night, and in
the course of a number of patriotic
speeches pledged their unconditional
support to the government in its eff
forts to suppress the instruction and
promised to do everything possible in
the way of moral and actual assist
ance.
Senor Galvez. president of the autono-
mist party, during the course of d
speech which was warmly applauded,
advised the captain general not to ex-
pose nlmseif TO the nre of the insur-
gents, who, the speaker claimed, made
war against the lives and property Of
civilians, never making a. stand long
enough to cause an engagement be-
tween the troops and adopting all
methods of savage warfare.
Mischiei of the Enemy.
Senior Galvez also stated that in
spite of the supreme effort made by
the insurgent army. they had not
heard of the capture of any town, the
mischief of the enemy being confined
to small villages and the plantations
of the island, He compared the army
of Gomez and Maceo to wandering
hordes of Tartars'' and expressed the
opinion that the raid of the Cubans
into the province Of Matanzas, where
they had done so much injury to the
crops, would turn out to be the worst
for them in the long run. as the fields.
cleared of standing cane, are now much
better suited for military operations.
News from the front seems to be
interrupted by rail and telegraph and
no details were obtainable concerning
the movements of the insurgents. The
captain-general upon his arrival here
announced that the Spanish troops in
Matanzas occupied advantageous po-
sitions and that the CUbans would
either be compelled to fight a pitched
battle in that province or surrender.
1t is not generally believed. however.
that the march of Gomez and Maceo
upon Havana have really been stopped
and that they are in retreat. In support
of this it is said that if Maceo and
Gomez were retreating, the govern
ment would be slow in making public
every item Of news obtainable con-
corning this feature of the hitherto
triumphant march of the insurgents
from the province Of Puerto Principe
through the provinces of Santa Clara
and the province of Matanzas and to
the vicinity Of the borders of the prov
ince of Havana. in spite of the nu-
- erors columns of Spanish troops in
the territory traversed.
me ,aSI news from the SDaOiSh doll
umns was that they were heading for
Guanabana. the headquarters recently
evacuated by Campos, situated not
far from Matanzas-
Many Statements Made.
| The fact is that so many announce
nlents have been made of the defeat
and retreat of the insurgents that 1T
will require something confirmdtory to
make anybody here belfzve that such
is am actual fact. When the insurgents
! first entered the province of Santa
| Clara, it was announced that they had
been defeated with great loss and had
r9treated across iiihe border. But the
next news received from the front was
that the Cuban army was threatening
| Placeta!s more than half way between
the border and the capital, Santa Cla-
IA and since then they nave apparently
| pushed onward with little or Mo inter
ruption. The absence of news from the
| insurgents is causing some anxiety
among their friends here and they
claim that Gomez and Maceo are in
possession of the railroad and tele-
graph lines and That it was with diff
Guilty that Campos succeeded in reach
ing Havana last might. Be that as it
may, the only news obtainable is that
furnished by rumor and if the authoIf-
ties are in possession of any addition
al facts, all such matter is carefully
suppressed.
Active Preparations.
In the meanwhile active preparations
are being made here for the defense OF
Havana and the Forwarding to the
front of all troops which can be spared
1t is understood that JnS Spanish col
unln in the rear of the inSurgent army
have been ordered to concentrate as
quickly as possible to the frontier OF
Ma!tanzas and that every effort is tC
be made Ito prevGlt the retreat of tbs
Cubans In Santa Clara. While these
preparations are being made appar-
entity to stop the insurgents from es-
Gaping back into Santa Clara, the land
fortificeltions of Havana are receiving
ahtecrtion dy ar.7 nio-Nt ---~7'---
additional earth works have been
'.sIrown up uUifnS ~ 30. ~
and these are being hastily completed
arad supplied with guns as rapidly as
possible. The magazines are plentiful
ly supplied with ammunition, and tbs
outposts of the Spanish troops around
Havana are being strengthened amt
more securely fortified.
Throughout the night and all day
there has been an air of hurry amt
anxiety at the different headquarters
here, which does not seem to fndicatE
that the supreme authorities are In
any way satisfied that the irG5urgeElt:
are retreatiry ard if military activity
goes for anything the most determines
efforts were being made to prevent {
surprise.