The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-23
TALKS ABOUT THEIR TRIP.
An American Party who Took in
the Sights of Cuba's Capital.

the Sights of Cuba's Capital.
Fernandina. Fla, Jan. 21.-Capt. ]. B.
Norton of the schooner William T. Don
nell arrived in port on Jan. II from Ha-
vana. The vessel and all on board were
put into quarantine until to-day at which
time the usual number of days for a YES
sci to lay in quarantine expired, and the
captain and his wife, as well as Miss
Keen, a cousin of Capt. Norton's, were
allowed to come ashore.
Capt. Norton tells a very interesting
story about his recent trip to Cuba.
The party of three were very anxious to
see Havana and they went all over the
city, as well as the suburbs and last, but
not least, the palace of Capt Gen. Wey
Ter. They went to the palace and asked
permission to go Through it, which was
granted by an aide de camp who turned
them over to palace servant. This man
did everything possible to let them see
the inside of the royal building, even to
the chapel, and unveiled the chair where
his royal highness, the king of Spain, sat
when he visited Cuba some years ago.
The party was also shown through the
beautifully laid off and we'll arranged
grounds. Soldiers were kept in all parts
of the grounds and guards were station
ed at all the entrances Before leaving
the palace the aide de camp, whose name
Capt. Norton does not remember now, and
who met them when they were granted
permission to go through the palace, came
up and asked If they would like to meet
the second captain general, the Marquis
of Ahumada, he then being in command
at the palace Capt. Gen. Weyler at that
time was busily engaged in the field. The
party were then ushered into the marquis
presence and they were honored with an
introduction.
Capt. Norton said that they were treat
ed with very marked courtesy, in fact,
much more than they had expected All
of the officers, as well as the marquis,
seemed to be very busy. Messengers were
constantly arriving and running from one
part Of the palace to the other, in fact the
building was alive with soldiers and Off
GERS, who seemed to be continually on the
move.
The servant who was detailed to show
them through, and who spoke English
very brokenly, said that it was seldom
that visitors were shown through the pal
ace as they had been, but as they were
Americans the Spanish wanted to show
the American people how friendly they
felt toward them.
Capt Norton said that the Spanish were
busily engaged building the new fort call
ed the Castle de Ia Punta and that a
number of very large guns had been
mounted at this fertilization, which is in
the harbor, and near Havana.
a
case oil from Philadelphia to an American
estate just across the bay from Havana.
This estate is guarded by twenty-five sol
diers and an officer as are all of the es-
tates over in that vicinity.
The captain said that the whole of Ha-
vana was one big hospital, and that the
entire city seemed TO be infested with
smallpox. but that they avoided the dirty
streets as much as possible. Most of the
warehouses along the bay, which were
formerly used for sugar are now hospit-
ais and full of sick and wounded soldiers.
During the captains stay one vessel,
with 1900 wounded and sick troops. return
ed TO Spain, and ., 900 fresh soldiers ar
rived from the mother country.
The party also visited one of the forts
in the suburbs of Havana, but they were
refused permission to go in, and were in
structed to return to the city. Capt. Nor
ton said Havana was full of peasants and
country people, whom il was pitiful to
look at in their wretchedness. They were
without clothes. hungry and in a most
miserable condition.
The Spanish do not like the Americans.
because they are too much in sympathy
with the insurgents, and the general be-
lief among some of the merchants with
whom he talked Is that war will come be-
tween the two countries, and the Spanish
think that Il would be only a little while,
and Spain could take entire charge of I'm
Gle sam and all of his belongings
The Spanish people In Cuba are very
jubiant over the reported death of Maceo,
but his death is not yet certain among the
people OF Havana, who hear very little of
the war news They doubt very much
the statement Of Capt. Gen. Weyler to that
effect, as well as the pacification of por-
tons Of the western province. In fact,
from what could be learned Capt Gen.
Weyler is not making the progress with
the war that was anticipated and some
dissatisfaction is felt.
The only Cuban sympathizer he saw who