The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-06
The Spanish Generals in Ha-
yana Can See His Smoke.
RICH PLANTATIONS BURNING.
The Main Body of the Army of Liberty
Reaches Pinar del Rio.
Gomez VIII Use the Torch i'm the Most
Westerly Province Before Attacking
HaVans.-He Captures Horses. Rifles
and Artillery From the Spanlarls
as He Proceeds.

Havana. Jan. 5-Havana has spent a
day OF nervousness and anxiety ard has
been IA hourly apprehension II .u attack
eY the Insuresnt army or - part OF IT.
yesterday the bands commanded by Nulez
And bermuaez were seen al Managua. a
Village not more than twelve miles from
havana it must not bo supposed that
the city Is open TO the advance or the IN
sursents. or that there are none Within Its
borders 10 ogter resistance. There has
been uo overt act OF defiance of TIE au-
thoritiss within the city and There have
been numerous voluntary offers u bear
arms ia ats defense. Thousands 81 thefn
tie authorities say. ana there has been =
comfortable conviction in the minds of the
residents OF Havana FROM the beginning
OF the insurrectlon that they were in no
real danger OF ufoiestat0n from the insur-
gents Many hundreds OF nQn-Co -Couallat.Aslt
inhabitants Of the island nave come 90 Hst-
Ntna 10 await the passing OF the storm.
sun more have sent their wives and fRni-
lies here a safe refuge. This cidsS OF
the population is in a state OF coustcruss-
tion and dismay. and spreads an infec tious
spirit of panic through an other circles
The authorities no longer make The Slight
est c0ncealment of the serious views thew
take " The s4tuaK2@n, and there are some
who do not hesitate to rail al the SPANISH
generals and the troops. anu makec bitter
criticisms ot them. There has been great
city would be cut on by "A sudden raid OF
the iBsursent forces, The IDEA or the olty
being left in total darkness for The Un-
seen working of plot ana sed.tion : itS II
enough 20 work panic in the nervous
condition VI the public mind. Special prep
aTauons FOR the defense of the works thai
supply these have been made. and ar,il-
lery has been placed 10 command them
against all prOhab ble sources OF attack.
All possible recruits have been enlisted
for the defense OF the city. and all the
available ground about toe city has been
filled with batteries OF artillery. which are
manned day and night. The Spanish
thorities have maintained a Gordon of mil
itary forces running from HaVsna 10 the
town OF Batabano, on the south coast,
since the Invasion of the MatanZas PROV
ince by the insurgents beyond where they
hoped 10 prevent the advance Of the de-
stroying columns of their enemies. This
Gordon has proved no more effective than
did the line of La Trocha. which was laid
10 keep the insurgents out Of Santa Clara
province.
The Batabano iiue was- broken yesterday
by the forces under GoHN, and the main
body OF the insurgents today passed into
the province of Pinar del Rio and are now
overrunnng that province with fire ana
sword The passage was effected near Bat
abano. at POZO Rednondo. and Gomez
burned the village Of Gabriel on the way,
and partially destroyed the Town OF 1utEa
Melena and OF Alquizar. The work of de-
structlon in the Havana province has been
as complete az was that In the province
OF Matanzas and the sugar lands Of Pinar
del Rio are fast being put into the same
deSoiate condition.
The proclamation Of Gen. Campos 10 the
effect that all horses on the island are 10
be held subject 10 requisitIon by the Span
ish authorities has little effect beyond tts
force as a confession that the Spanish
forces are hzdly handicapped by the lack
OF mounted troops and are practically help
less against the cavalry forces OF the iu-
surgents In effect the whole Island cut
s,d. OF The city OF Havana Ii now in the
hands Of the insurgents. They have not
anuihilatrd the Spanish forces. nor have
they routed the whole army "a any single
pitched battle. Yet the situation is COM
pleteiy IN their hands. Hpd 50 completely
have they Outgeusr raied The spanish that.
to all Appearances Martinez Campos' ar
my might as wen be in Spuin. for any
check e puts upon the movements pf
Gomez army.
The latters progress has been accom-
panied with continual accessious 10 MS
forces hy volunteers. and he has captured
enough horses. rifles ana artillery % add
Immensely 20 the effective strength of his
men He has practically carried hts base
OF operations with him and has usuaily
counterTnarched over q wholly different
route from that OF MS duNaHct. apparent
~ counting with confidence upon hFlns
upon the country as ne went.
There Is little doubt really felt here that
D.. viii get as much or more sympathy IN
Pinar del Rio than he tid IN Santa Clara
ard Matauzas, and the general fear here
Is now that. after sweeping over Ftnar
fel Rio ne will come upon Havana from
the west. and cooperate TN an attack
with the force OF the insurgents which
have been east OF Havana Tor several days
past.
The advance of Gomez beyond Batabauo
has cut the telegraph and cable comfnuni-
cation with tbs eastern part n the Island.
upon which Campos principally relied for
directing mis- forces in Santiago DE Cuba,
I..,.-1n LlrLnnLne anl santa ELala