Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-18
HAVANA NOT YET ALARMED
The Rebellion Has Reached the Magnitude of a
 Civil War,
ALTHOUGH SPAIN WILL NOT ADMIT IT
A Strict Press Censorship Is Still Main- tained-The War Is Costing Spain $6oo0, 900 0 Month for the Main
 tenance of the Army Alone.

Havana, Jan. 15 (via Tampa, Fla, Jan. 17)-With the commander-in-chief of the rebel forces only fifteen miles away and the entire island overrun with rowing bands of insurgents, the people of this city pursue their usual vacations with a serenity and lack of outward sign of un- easiness or alarm that is remarkable. Merchants and business men generally discuss the situation as though it were nothing more than spell of hard times. It certainly is that, for all of the railroads out of here have notified the authorities that they can run no more trains. There is little shipping in port, for there re- mains only stored goods for export. Sev- eral American tobacco houses have shipped all their goods to the states and closed their warehouses, and busi- ness generally is stagnant. The future of Cuba is not bright, and the rebellion has reached the magnitude of a civil war, although Spain will not officially admit that anything but little disorder exists
 number of newspapers have arrived here with long and startling accounts of the condition of affairs in this city and immediate vicinity. Most of these ac- counts are labelled By Associated Press" and are dated from Havana on the day preceding publication. That fact
 
 ten in Cuba, for the press censorship of cablegrams is so strict that such matter could not be cabled from here even If it z were true. The announcement that Ha-. vana had fallen and only Morro Castle held out, which was given a Boston date and claimed to have been sent from Ba- tabano, was a palpable fake, for Bata- bano, which is a small town on the south coast, had been cut off from communica- ton with Havana by rail or wire for three days. During the interval that these alleged cable dispatches stated this city to be in a condition bordering upon reign of terror the opera was well attend ed, there was the usual throng prOme- nading the Central park during the even ings and people assembled in the clubs and cafes without the least apprehen- sion of an attack upon this city. It was not until the arrival of American papers which are served by the Chicago Asso- ciated Press that the residents of Ha- vana learned of the alarm and dread which some one at a distance imagined they were passing through. tf
 The press censorship is more rigid than at any time since the insurrection was begun. Senor Casanas. the political sec retary of the governor-general, has re- gently replaced the chief of staff, the former censor. He does not speak Eng fish, and all cablegrams In that language must be accompanied by literal copy in Spanish SenOr Casanas Is extremely courteous and kind in his manner, and only pauses in his protestations of regard to draw his pen through few sentences in your cablegram which do not meet his approval An illustration of the close watch kept upon telegrams. occurred on Sunday, when the insurgent leader, Ce- pero. was captured by the authorities travelling incognito on south coast steamer.
 The Diario de la Marina issued an ex- tra describing the. arrest, which was giv- on an exaggerated importance when it is considered that only one man was ta- ken without arms. and he was of indiffer- ent fame. I attempted to cable it to the states Sunday night. The censor stop. ped 1t, telling me that while it was per mitted to be published in Havana, it could not go to New York until the next day. On Monday I again mentioned the arrest in my cablegram and it was cut out. although I was permitted to tell of the attack and burning of two towns by the rebels. Only what is known as of- ficial news is permitted to be published in the Havana papers, and Secretary Casanas has tedious task each day reading the proofs of all news and edito- rial matter which has any connection whatever with the war. After reading the Spanish translation of a cablegram the secretary signs his name to it and places his official stamp upon it. Both copies may then be taken to the cable office and the English version is trans mitted. A
 General Campos has drawn all avail able troops from the provinces of Santi- ago, Santa Clara and Puerto Principe and thrown them into the narrow portion of the island around Havana and Matan- gas. It is a country without mountains or forests; it is rich in sugar cane and has more towns, more people. more rail- roads and more improvements generally than any other part of the island. Cam pos is supposed to have 120,000 regulars and 30, 900 volunteers at his disposal. The latter are kept in the cities and towns for home defense. except a few regiments which have been sent out with the regu> lars. It is supposed, though no figures are given out. that Campos has about 5000 regulars in the provinces of Havana and Matanzas extending to the Pinar del Rio line. This force has attempted to pen Gomez and Maceo in the west end of the island, and he repeatedly attempted to surround and crush the willy leader of the rebels, but Gomez is like a fox-he avoids all traps and lodges through some very narrow places. He openly announces his intention to invade the western pro- vnces and stop the grinding of cane in order to cut off Spain's revenue. He has apparently accomplished his purpose, and, in doing so, has wrought vast des- titution upon crops and property general ly He has turned hs attention from crops to the railroads, giving as his req son that they were being used by the Spaniards for military purposes. His men have set fire to freight trains and started them running across the country. They have moved locomotives two miles apart and started them running toward each other at full speed. They have burned trestles. stations, coaches and freight sheds.
 After destroying about one-third of the cane in the fields and causing most of he v,In into fa ct fndf dfvcx tc- sued the following proclamation
 General Headquarters of the Liberating
 Army of Cuba. Sugar Estate, Mir
 Rosa Jan. 10, 1896.
 In consideration that the crop has been suspended in the western districts; and,