The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-15
GIVE AND TAKE NEAR GUAMo.
THE SPANISH LOSE - MEN KILLED
AND &c WOUNDED.

mite bombs-Only Three of the
Latter Exploded-The Troops Cap
ture the Insursent Position, But
Afterwards Retreat-SeveraI 9th
er SISirmishes Reported.
Havana, April I.-A skrmish has talk
en- place between a Spanish force under
Gen. Rey and a number of insurgents on
the road between Cauto and Guamo. The
enemy threw up a barricade, consisting
of carts, etc, across the road and
strengthened It with seven dynamite
bombs. When the troops attempted TO
pass the insurgents fired the bombs by
electricity; but only three of them explod-
ed The troops captured the positions of
the insurgents, but the government forces
afterwards retreated to Cauto
In the engagement many insurgents
were killed, and the troops lost q men
killed and 90 wounded
The Spanish gunboat Satellite while
nearing Mayari, was fired upon by a par
ty of insurgents, who also sent out an
armed boat to engage the gunboat. For
a time the firing was brisk, but the gun
boat eventually repulsed the nsurgent
forces. One engineer and one sailor were
wounded on board the Satellite. The loss
of the insurgents Is not stated
Skirmishes have also occurred at Puer-
cos, on the beach near Pilon, at Mora,
Portilo Camarones and at La Magdalena
In addition, force of $50 insurgents has
been defeated at Pltajones. Eight of the
enemy were killed. 1t is believed the in
surgents belonged to the body which was
defeated at Calabazar, province of Santa
Clara. Only eight Spanish soldiers were
wounded.
Gen. Hernandez Velasco has arrived at
San Cristobal, province of Santa Clara
having been in the field since the capture
of Gen. Ruiz Rivera the insurgent COM
mander. Gen. Velasco was received with
great enthusiasm. The board of aldermen
declared him to be their adopted son, and
ordered the generals portrait to be placed
in the city hall
Twenty-Five political prisoners have ar
rived here from Pinar del Rio.
The insurgents fired on the Spanish
coaster Maria Harera near the coast at
Baracoa, without result. They also fired
on the town at several points The fire
was returned by the garrison, and the in
surgents retreated, burning several houses
and huts in the outskirts of the city.
A. p. TRAY, the American consul at Bar
acoa, arrived here this morning with his
family, on his way to ST. Augustine, Fla,
for a summer vacation.
Numerous skirmishes have taken place
in the provinces of Pinar del Rio, Havana
and Santiago de Cuba. According to the
official reports, the losses of the insur-
gents have been 81 killed, including a cap
tain; wounded taken prisoners on the
field, and 81 who surrendered, of whom
were armed. The Spanish losses are Off
cially reported as killed and officers and
66 soldiers wounded
Banes, an important port on the north
coast near Gibara, from which go heavy
annual expectations of bananas and cocoa
nuts, to the United States, and which is
the site of the estate of II. Dumois & Co.,
American citizens, narrowly escaped total
destruction to-day. The expedition under
Gen. Roloff, on the steamer Laurada, car
rying 2,400 rifles, 50O0O0 cartridges, and
several pieces of rapid firing artillery
landed alongside the quay of Banes. Gen
Galixto Garcia, with 5000 men, came to
protect the convoy of arms and ammuni-
ton, but as Gen. Roloff had no men to
arm Garcia was compelled to carry the
arms into the interior.
1t is reported that the insurgents hearing
that Spanish gunboat might arrive at
any moment, closed the entrance of the
port with torpedoes. Gen. Rolon, assisted
by local bands and finally by the soldiers
under Gen. Garcia, commenced to fortify
the nights around the port, hastily cast
ing up trenches to make the port tempor-
arily impregnable to any Spanish forces
in the neighborhod of Gibrara.
The gunboats NueVa Espanas and Mea-
lyra had arrived al Nipe from Havana.
The cruiser Reina Mercedes had left Ha-
vana on the 18th with four companies Of
marines and infantry under the command
OF Rear Admiral Marencoa, to unite with
all the forces which left Nipe and Gibera,
with a view to a combined land and sea
attack upon the insurgent position, for
the recovery of the port of Banes Nipe
is separated from Banes by the San Rapan
canals.
Two columns marched upon Banes In
full view of the formidable and nearly i'm
pregnable insurgent positions Reinforce
ments have been sent forward by the
Spaniards and Admiral Navarro will sail
tomorrow by the cruiser Legaspi for the
Caribbean and thence for Nipe, TO person
ally direct the attack at sea. The rein
forcements expected viii be under Gen.
Livares.
Evidently an important battle Is in sight,
If the insurgents try to defend their ad-
yantageous stronghold, and their claim
of being able to hold a seaport Great
anxiety exists with reference to the gar
rison Of 100 men In the fort defending the
quay at Banes. 1t IS believed they will
be compelled to surrender for lack Of
water and supplies. The cruiser Pingon
has twice been compelled TO break chains
IN order to enter the Banes port
Gen. Ruiz Rivera and Col. Bacallan
continue at Cabanas fortress incommuni-
be admitted to see them except the prison
officials. All that is known as to Gen.
Rivera's condition Is that he occupies a
comfortable room. Nothing Is known az
10 when he will be tried. That Will de-
pend probably on the progress he makes
in the recovery from his wounds. The
likelihood Is that he will be tried by a
summary court martial, but this does not
imply that even II sentenced he Will be
executed.
The mayor OF Sanctl Spiritus Marces
Garcia, and the well-known Senor Spe.-
terne, had arranged to visit the camp Of
Gen. Maxine Gomez with a view 70 set
fling terms OF peace. IL Is understood
that Gen: Gomez has said he viii not re-
ceive them unless they bring letters from
the Cuban junta. II Is reported from
San Antonio de Las Vegas that the insur-
gents under Jacinto Hernadez made an
attack upon the town, but without serious
result company Of twenty peasants
who had left town with OK carts to gather
corn were carried or to the Castllos camp.
where they were forbidden 10 continue the
traffic. Their clothing was seized and