The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-04
MARTIAL LAW.
Habana Fully Realizes the Approach
OF the insurgents.
DESTRUCTIVE DASH ANTICIPATED
Unless Spaniards Resort to
Heroic Measures.


fess the grave condition OF affairs by pro-
claiming martial law for the provinces Of
Habana and Pima del Rio. Maxine
Gomez has declared his purpose To PEN
citrate into the province OF Pima del Rio,
and the action of the authorities is under
stood TO indicate that they have no hope
OF preventing him from carrying out his
threat.
IL is not only the organized armed force
OF the advancing insurgents that they find
themselves compelled 10 prepare against.
In fact, there is little apprehension that
this force could assume much success in
an assault upon this city great as is the
damage that they have wrought In the
country. But the irresistible progress of
thJ ipsurgent army, whittier it listeth
from one end OF the island TO tho other,
has served immensely to oincrease the bold
ness of their sympathizers, who have
hitherto remained passive non-combat-
ants. IL these wero TO see the occasion
for "a successful stroke, there Is no doubt
that great accessions TO the insurgent
forces would be gained throughout the
provinces of Habana and Pima del Rio,
and there are grave fears that an uprising
would occur in the city of Habana itself.
Looking For Pitched Battle.
II is not by any means to be considered
that the apparent lack OF hope of checking
the new advance shown by the authorities
has led 20 the cessation Of efforts TO pre-
vent the advance. The Spanish forces
swarm ON all sides of the advancing in
surgents From time TO time they have
massed at what is considered a salient
point in the advance, with the hope Of
f.ri, ,,.,it nh ,,ft xyh
Spanish military leaders feel certain
would result in cutting the insurgents TO
pieces.
But the unrivaled skill and generalship
shown by Gomez and his lieutcnants in
avoiding such traps and in carrying his
army past the most elaborately planned
barriers of tho spanish have served TO
greatly discourage the leaders on that side.
Their elusive antagonist seems never TO
he within their reach, and yet always in
1icting the most serious damage upon
their territory.
The battalions which were placed near
Palos TO check the advance into Habana
seem to have been completely eluded,
and the efforts to save the rich sugar coun-
try about Guines seems 90 have been
equally futile. Yet the column of Gen
eral Echaguc Is stationed in the inn
mediate vicinity Of Guines, while General
Navarro has forces both at san Nicolas
and Palos, and General Aldecoa Is ut
Nueya Pez
A Puzzler.
These forces are in the very country
through which the insurgents have ad-
vanced, and men here ask themselves
how they were able 10 accomplish it.
General Valdes also Is stationed at Ma
druga, the marine battalion at Aguacate,
on the line OF the railroad between Ma
tanzas and Habana, and General Prat at
Ceiba Mocha, a little south of Aguacate
and between There and Madruga.
It's believed thaea large force of the In
surgcnts are still trying 10 force their way
into Habanl by way Of the mountains
about III Guanamon. which is on the
border in the southern part of the province
of Habana, going thence south OF San
Nicolas A st...ill fnrca OF insurgents, ac-
cording to official reports, have already
appeared in the district Of san Nicolas,
which adjoins Gunes ON the cast.
Word has been received that the insur-
gents have burned the canefields on the
Sabrador plantation in the Cubano dis
trict, and also the Encrucijada and Munaz
fields and the plantation of Delta in the
In the district OF Csibarien, has been
burned, and the railroad bridge over the
river Hanabana destroyed.
The rails have been torn up on the rail-
road near Bermeia, Matapzas province
The insurgents are apparently making q
swift
Advance Directly Upon Habana.
The advance guard of their cavalry, under
General Lacret. was, at latest accounts,
at Tapas,c. which is only Is miles from
Guanabacoa, the latter being but a suburb
of Habana, i've miles from the city, where
n bathing beach, frcquented by the citi-
zens of Habana, is located.
General Lacret, with his cavalry, seems
to be but scouting party in advance OF
the insurgent wing commanded by Quin-
tin Baudera. Word received from La
Catalina, town between Guines and
Bainoa and about dozen miles from
.Tapaste, reports that there are indications
of n rapid advance movement in consider
able force on the part of the wing of the
insurgent army under Bandera.
Nothing definite is known as to the
strength in nuiabers OF Banderas COM
mand, but the news of the near approach
of the insurgents has caused the utmost
preparation is hastily madc To have the
citys defenses in readiness to repel any
attack or to prevent any damage being
done within the city, even If the pro-
jected movement should prove to he moth
ing but II dashing cavalry raid. The rail
road station at Nencs, near Bainoa, has
been burned by the insurgents.
SO far ns Is known, Gomez is still oper-
ating in the region about Guines with
large force OF insurgents, and nothing has
been learned OF the movements of that
wing of the insurgcnt army that indicates
90 immediate movement To cooperate
with Bandera in direct attack upon
Habana.
1t is believed that Bandera Is simply
planning demonstration against Habana
to divert attention from Gomez aud the
southern wing. while that general COM
pletes the work OF destruction In the cane
fields Of Hnbnua province or makes dash
into Pima dcl Rio.
Nevertheless, the unparalleled boldness