, 1896-01-11

tinues prevailing; on one hand, the threats OF
the rebel chiefs to burn the plantations at the
last attempt made 10 commence grinding,
and on the other hand, the lack of resources
and the increased difficulty in finding a suttl-
Gent number Of field hands. renders the actu-
al position ct -stt5tt manufacturers rather
precarlous: and to {, mplrte their misfortune,
1T is now a>ccltained beyond all doubt that
the decrease in the production at Sagua and
various other localities on account OF the
last cyclones will fully amount to % per cent
even in the case the totality Of the cane left
IN the fields might be ground further on.
All these evils, whose Importance is as yet
susceptible Of being increased according to the
course of future events, clearly indicate that the
crop will be taken off under great difficulties,
and will fO1cibly result a very small one.
On the 30th instant the delay granted by
the insurgents to planters to dismiss all the
labourers in their employ expired, and: oc-
cordlngly, the preparations That were being
made for the crop came to an end on most
plantations, at Santa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sa-
qua, Remedies, Gibara, Nueyitas ManzanilIo,
Guantanamo and st. Yago de Cuba, and were
factories in abOvementioned districts able to
grind further on, their managers do not eX-
pect now 10 be in condition to pre-
vious to the end of January or first fortnight
of February next, which the majority told
their operatives on discharging them.
Prohibition to Grind: The order passed to
planters by the insurgent chiefs. notifying
them to stop at once all preparations for the
crop, under the penalty ofhaving their plan
tatlons and tenancies burned, reads as fol-
lows:
l. All preparations for grinding to be i'm
mediately stopped.
2. All operatives to be Immediately dis
missed and sent to the nearest town.
3. If any soldiers on the plantation they
must be Immediately withdrawn therefrom.
4. Plantations on which forts have been
erected shall proceed TO their immediate de-
molitiOn.
Gen. Maxine Gomez declares that lie has
issued a circular to the insurgeut chiefs order
ing them to burn all cane fields, and shoot
all labourers who attempt to work on planta-
tons, and to avoid, as far as they possibly
can, burning the buildings and machinery
of the factories but, in spite Of this order,
plantations Sociedad and Soledad were burnt
on the 28th ultIn o, in the district Of 6iaca-
qua, on the borders of the provinces Of Matan-
zas and Santa Clara.
On the other side Gen. Roloff, in command
Of the insurgents at Sancti SplrituS, also
issued an order enjOiniug all country people
to either Join the insurgents or Withdraw to
neighbouriug towns, as, within a term Of
fifteen days, he would to burn all
the buildings III country settlements and
shoot all persons therein found. 10 this
Marshal Martinez CampoS answered 10y a
counter proclamation, directing the commits
saries of theSpanish army to provide with RAJ
tions all destitute p ersons who seek refuge in
the towns, and ordering those expelled from
their homes by the insurgents to rcconcen-
trate around the towns, allowing them tile
use of all available lands near same,
and providing them with the implements
and seedlings they may need for their cul-
~tiVatiOn.
The term granted by Maxine Gomez to
planters and 10y Roloff to PEASANTS having
expired on the 30th ult.. it is likely that the
war will soon assume a more savage clarac-
ter than heretofore. were the insurgents allow
cd to carry out their plans.
In spite Of the active prosecution by the
governments troops the insurgents have
burnt during the past few days the follow
ing properties: another tenancy, of about $50
acres, belonging to factory Soledad, whose
manager. in consequence of the threats made
to him to likely destroy the f~actory,s build
ings, is fast erecting forts around same and
has stationed thereon a certain number OF
soldiers. The small towns Of Cifuentes,
Ranahicalo and La Vega were also artly