The herald., 1897-04-15
GEN. VELASCO ADOPTED
BY THE GRATEFUL ALDERMEN
OF HAVANA
The Long Looked for Decisive Battle
Once More Said to Be
in Sight

| HAVANA, April 14-General Her
nandez Velasco has arrived at San Girls
tobal, province of Santa Clara. having
been in the field since the capture OF
Gen. Ruis Rivera, the insurgent COM
mander. General Hernandez was re-
ceived with great enthusiasm. the board
of aldermen declaring him to be their
| adopted son and ordering the generals
| portrait to be placed in the city hall
Twenty-Five political prisoners have
arrived heref rom Pinar del Rio.
In the engagements on the road be-
tween Cauto and Gauno many insurgents
we're killed, and the troops lost q men
killed and rs wounded.
The Soria and Catalina battalions had
been engaged at Suganea, province OF
Santa Clara, with an insurgent force.
The latter lost ten men killed, including
captain. The troops had eleven men
wounded
Banes, an important port on the coast
rear Gibra, from whie1 heavy annual
expectations of bananas and cocoanuts
to the United States are made. and which
is the estate of H. Dumois & Co., Ameri-
can citizens, narrowly escaped complete
destruction.
The expedition under Gen. Roloff, by
the steamer Laurada, carrying 2400 ri
fies, 500, 900 cartridges and several pieces
of rapid firing artillery, landed along
the quay at Banes.
General Calixto Garcia, with 5000 men,
came to protect the convoy of arms and
ammunition. but as Roloff had no men to
arm. Garcia was compelled to carry
the arms into the Interior 1t is reported
that the insurgents, hearing that Span
ish gunboat might arrive al any moment,
closed the entrance of the port with tor
pedoes. Gen. Roloff, assisted by local
bands and finally by the soldiers under
Gen. Garcia, commenced TO fortify the
heights around the port, hastily casting
I'D trenches to make the port tempor-
arily impregnable to any Spanish forces
In the neighborhood. The gunboats
Neuva Espana and Melicia arrived at
Nipe from Havana. The cruiser Reina
Mercedes had left Havana on the 18th
with four companies of marines and in
| fantry under command of Rear Admiral
| Marenco, to unite with all the forces
which had left Nipe and Gibra with a
. view to COmDlHSu ldHu anu sta SttdtN
on the insurgent position for the recov-
| cry of the port of Banes. Nipe is sepa-
rated from Banes by the Ramon canal.
Three columns marched on Banes
! where they are in full view of the formid-
| able and practically impregnable insur-
| gents.
| Forces have been sent forth by the
| Spaniards and Admiral Navarro will
| sail tomorrow by the cruiser LIE Gasp
for Nipe TO occasionally direct the at
| tack by sea.
The decisive battle is in sight, If the
| insurgents endeavor to defend their ad-
| yantageous stronghold and their claim
of being able to hold seaport.
Great anxiety exists with reference to
the garrison of 100 in the fort defending
the quay at Banes. IT Is believed they
will be compelled to surrender for lack
| of water and supplies.
The cruiser Pingon has twice been COM
pelled to break chains in order to enter
the Banes port.
The mayor of Sancti Spiritus, Marces
| Garcia and the well known Senior Spell
terne have arranged to visit the camr
of General Maxine Gomez, with view
to settling terms of peace.
1t Is understood that he will not re-
ceive them unless they bring letters from
| the Cuban junta.